Jake - Cert III and IV, Agriculture

Going to TAFE was one of the best decisions I have made. The courses are super flexible, and I have been able to work full-time running two businesses.

Jake lives and works on his family’s dairy farm in Gippsland, running 2 businesses and completing his Diploma of Agriculture at TAFE. Growing up, working on the family farm was all Jake ever wanted to do.

‘I genuinely loved it, never wanted to do anything else; but Dad insisted that I continued my schooling and complete my VCE, which I did quite well at. I had the opportunity to go to university to study engineering; however, my passion has always been farming.’

By the time Jake finished his VCE in 2017, he’d been through some tough times. He started working in sand mining before deciding to do what he always wanted to do: managing the family farm. Before he could take over, he needed training.

‘I decided to look up relevant courses. This led me to TAFE Gippsland where I did 2 units of the Cert III in Agriculture then the Cert IV with a traineeship. I completed my traineeship last year and am now completing my Diploma of Agriculture.’

What was going to TAFE like?

‘Going to TAFE was one of the best decisions I have made. The courses are super flexible, and I have been able to continue to work full-time running two businesses as well as being able to study. All the teachers and students are very welcoming, and it is a great learning environment.’

What does ‘making it’ mean to you?

‘I have experienced some really tough times getting to where I am, but I still love what I’m doing and absolutely believe I am ‘making it’ in life.’

What’s next, Jake?

‘I have an ambitious goal of achieving farm ownership within the next 5 years. Then, within the next 20 years, I’d like to purchase another 2 farms. Dad will be able to run one and then I can give a person much like myself the opportunity of starting out in the industry, which is a very challenging one.’

‘I am so glad I have made the decisions l have. To now be in full control of the farm’s operations gives me so much confidence and I look forward to what the future holds for me!’

What’s your advice for school leavers?

‘My advice is to do what you love and don’t let anything get in your way. Overcome the barriers that may be in place; you’ve got to work a long part of your life so make sure you choose to study or work in an industry you love and are passionate about.’

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