1. Students are required to compile a collection of 10 documents, photographs, and press articles which illustrates the professional skill-set required of professionals in their 'chosen' agrifood industry either Australian or global. These documents should reflect the professional skill-set: Critical Thinking; Information Literacy; Cross-cultural Competence; Collaboration and Teamwork; Communication.

2. Search and record 4 job descriptions of vacant positions from the internet.

Reflect on how your current skills meet the criteria of one of the vacant job positions and develop a plan for developing the missing skills, identifying training methods or agencies. A mock job interview will be conducted during the residential school as part of this assessment, but will be unmarked. The student will participate both as an employer and job applicant. You are required to participate in the mock interview to fulfill the participation requirement of residential school.

Each portfolio must include a report (1500 minimum — 2000 maximum word count) of the contents therein.

The assessment criteria for this task are:

The portfolio will be assessed based on your ability to use external media to clearly identify the professional skills for your designated agrifood industry. Please select no more than 10 images or short articles that capture the idea of professional skills in the agrifood industries and scan and save as a word document. You will need to provide a descriptive heading to support each image or article in your portfolio. (25%)

Using the internet find an advertised job in the agrifood industries that you think might be an interesting future career for you. Identify the selection criteria and provide a written response demonstrating how you meet those selection criteria. Include in your report a copy of the job advert, the selection criteria and your responses to those selection criteria. (25%)

Reflect on how your current skills meet the selection criteria and provide a written plan how you will identify training so that you can better address selection criteria in the future. (15%)

Your written assignment (1500 – 2000 word) will be marked on your ability to demonstrate that you can address selection criteria and recognise areas where you need to develop your skills. Does the written document capture the portfolio? (35%)

Students are required to orally present findings and ideas from their written report (Assessment 3) on the scientific basis of a conflict in the agrifood industries on any one of the following issues:

1. organic farming vs GMO;
2. grass fed vs grain fed;
3. precision agriculture vs traditional;
4. biodiversity vs mono-culture;
5. production vs adaptation;
6. cell vs unrestricted grazing;
7. biological conservation vs pastoral production;
8. farmers’ market vs supermarket;
9. live export trade vs no live-export;
10. Free Trade Agreements – opportunities and threats;
11. a conflict of the student's choosing with approval of the instructor.

Deliver a 20 minute oral presentation (and up to 10 minute question and answer) during the residential school; identifying a key driver in the nominated agrifood industry from Part B; supporting argument for and against an issue in the conflict; feedback from the oral presentation would be expected to finalise the written report. Note the topic should be chosen in consultation with unit coordinator and student participation in the question and answer session, and any ensuing discussion, will contribute to the assessment.

Please note, you must have begun writing Assessment 3 to be successful in this assessment:

Part A (Oral presentation) deliver a 20 minute presentation during the residential school; feedback from the presentation may help finalise the report of Part B; topic chosen in consultation with unit coordinator; and

Part B (Written) write a 4000 word report on two contrasting issues; compare and contrast.

Your oral presentation will be assessed using the following rubric:

Please note: This assessment must be mostly complete before Part A Oral presentation occurs in Week 8. You will edit it based on feedback during the presentation.

Students are required to author a report on the scientific basis of a conflict within one chosen agrifood industry and select a key driver of that conflict:

1. organic farming vs GMO;
2. grass fed vs grain fed;
3. precision agriculture vs traditional;
4. biodiversity vs mono-culture;
5. production vs adaptation;
6. cell vs unrestricted grazing;
7. biological conservation vs pastoral production;
8. farmers’ market vs supermarket;
9. live export trade;
10. Free Trade Agreements – opportunities and threats;
11. a conflict of the student's choosing with approval of the instructor.

This assessment occurs with Assessment 2:

Part A (Oral presentation) deliver a 20 minute presentation during the residential school; feedback from the presentation may help finalise the report of Part B; topic chosen in consultation with unit coordinator; and

Part B (Written) write a 4000 - 4500 (4500 word max) word report on two contrasting issues; compare and contrast.

The marking criteria for this assessment are as follows:

1. Your written work fully addresses all parts of the assignment question (20%);
2. Your argument/thesis statement is fully supported by the reference material that you have chosen, but you haven’t been biased (20%);
3. You have chosen reference material that is relevant to the assignment question and you have presented this material accurately (20%);
4. You have discussed the topic in detail – paragraphs with a topic sentence (10%);
5. Fluent and succinct writing – short sentences; only one idea in paragraph; correct spelling and punctuation; use of a topic sentence for each paragraph; word length correct + 10% (20%);
6. Harvard referencing and all references acknowledged. Note: maximum of 10% as an internet reference. (10%)

Analysis of professional skills required of the Australian and global agrifood industries.

Students are required to synthesise the theory and practice of research development and extension (RD&E) that will lead to bridging the gap between the adoption and non-adoption of technology. There is clear evidence that Australian agricultural RD&E is currently unravelling.

Historically information transfer occurs by: 1) linear ‘top down’; 2) ‘group empowerment’; 3) one-to-one advice; and 4) formal educational training. A new model is emerging that involves the internet and social media. Students are required to report (2000-2500 word max) their understanding of Australian RD&E and explore future models using social media/internet.

The marking criteria for this assessment are as follows:

1. Your written work fully addresses all parts of the assignment question (20%);
2. Your argument/thesis statement is fully supported by the reference material that you have chosen, but you haven’t been biased (20%);
3. You have chosen reference material that is relevant to the assignment question and you have presented this material accurately (20%);
4. You have discussed the topic in detail – paragraphs with a topic sentence (10%);
5. Fluent and succinct writing – short sentences; only one idea in a sentence and paragraph; correct spelling and punctuation; use of a topic sentence for each paragraph; word length correct + 10% (20%);
6. Harvard referencing and all references acknowledged. Note: maximum of 10% as an internet reference. (10%)