Issue 54 Aurora Magazine January 2023

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focus so I re-trained as a teacher and a few years later my husband did the same.” Not content with simply teaching lessons, Rebecca threw herself into further study and kept moving up the career ladder to take on leadership roles within the various schools she worked in. She eventually transferred from Queensland to a school in Kalgoorlie and a few stepping stones later ended up landing the top job at the WA College of Agriculture, Denmark. The College, which celebrated its 80th anniversary last year, started with just a handful of staff and only 40 students – all boys. There are now 71 staff and 148 students, and fifty percent of those students are female. “It’s a wonderful opportunity and wonderful acknowledgement to be a female leading an agricultural college. Women have always been in agriculture, we just haven’t been at the forefront. The women have been there toiling, they’ve been doing all that hard work but they haven’t been, for the want of a better word, ‘the person on the poster’. “I think we women aren’t always great at advocating for ourselves and we aren’t great at stepping forward into the unknown. That might sound stereotypical but it’s actually supported by research.” Rebecca also believes that when it comes to young women looking for female role models it’s often a case of ‘we can’t be what we can’t see’. “It’s great to see more and more females formally engaging in agriculture. It’s now okay for a woman to take up a trade that was previously considered only for males. We have young women learning shearing, automotive skills and livestock handling. We’re a teaching farm but also a working farm and a highly profitable business, so what they’re learning has immense relevance now and later when they leave school. “Kids who are passionate about agriculture can see the direct link between what they I’d done a lot of work with youth as a police officer and really wanted to help kids before they got out in the world. I wanted my work to be proactive rather than reactive… are learning and what they want to do. We want students to try things and here they can try safely and they’re able to do all that in a real-world scenario because we’re a commercial farm with commercial contracts. “I want young women to know that it’s okay to say, ‘you know what? I want to be a mechanic’ or ‘I want to pursue mustering’. A generation or so ago that wouldn’t have been easy. We’re not only seeing more females in terms of enrolments but also in terms of participation and engagement.” A good example of females up front was seen at last year’s Beverly Royal Agricultural Show where the school had 19 students competing in livestock parading and judging. All but five of those students were young women. “We make it clear to students, regardless of gender, that if you’re good for the job, you’re good for the job!” Rebecca is certainly a further sign that the female face of agriculture is becoming more visible. She’s also leading by example by walking the walk. Rebecca Kirkwood FIND YOUR INSPIRATION AT Denmark’s newest Store. The Provincial House on Hollings where you'll find stunning Homewares, Antiques and Gifts. OPEN FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS 10am - 4pm AND SUNDAY 10am - 3pm. 18b Hollings Road, Denmark. Opposite Berridge Park. 10 LOVE LOCAL
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Page 1 and 2: FREE Aurora Issue 54 GREAT SOUTHERN
Page 3 and 4: contents 4 SPOTLIGHT ISI CAMPBELL D
Page 5 and 6: spotlight PHOTO: SERENA KIRBY had i
Page 7 and 8: Just a note to say THANK YOU histor
Page 9: focus REBECCA KIRKWOOD Leading the
Page 13 and 14: taste we had talked about the Baros
Page 15 and 16: taste in that it can be drunk neat
Page 17 and 18: vogue BREEZE ATA WRIGHT | LOCATION
Page 19 and 20: vogue OPPOSITE PAGE CLOCKWISE FROM
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Page 23 and 24: engage with very high needs, she co
Page 25 and 26: create thus allowing flexibility wh
Page 27 and 28: perform treat it as a privilege and
Page 29 and 30: what's on The Albany Art Group 61st
Page 31 and 32: Everything we put in the Gig Guide

Issue 54 Aurora Magazine January 2023

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