ICMJ 2022: 40 companies at career expo and seminars open to producers

The red meat industry arguably has one of the most successful in the form of the Australian Intercollegiate Meat Judging Association.

It's mission is to inspire and develop young industry professionals in the global red meat industry. But it's value is not just around meat science training and education. It's an opportunity to really hold the red meat industry up in lights as offering undergraduate students a great career, says ICMJ president Dr Peter McGilchrist.

That sort of 'big picture thinking' has given the red meat business a leg up in the current worker deficit environment.

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At this year's ICMJ national conference, to be held in Wagga Wagga, NSW, during the first week of July, there will be a massive 40 companies at the careers expo on the hunt for future staff, in a sign of the times.

Dr McGilchrist said in the past, the bigger companies like Teys had led the charge in bringing graduates into their businesses and, as a result, they've reaped the benefits.

But the unprecedented nature of today's workforce climate will mean ICMJ will likely see a new, permanent level of company engagement and sponsorship.

As a hunting ground for potential workplace leaders and talent, it can't be matched - this year it will bring 145 students together, all keen on the red meat industry.

The top performers in the national competition are selected to represent Australia on a tour of the United States red meat industry and compete in a US ICMJ competition.

Dr McGilchrist believes ICMJ's strength has been firstly in the fact the people who have gone through the program are now in management positions in companies, circling back as guest speakers and sponsors.

Secondly, it is in the fact that all the delegates are going on to have an impact on the industry, not just the five who go to the US.

"When the format went from a one-day competition to a four-day conference with an awesome line-up of presenters, it showcases the fact that agriculture needs and values these meat science students, plus all their mates studying engineering, IT, accounting and everything else, it was a big turning point," Dr McGilchrist said.

"We showcase the breadth and width of exciting and challenging careers that exist in the red met industry and that's why ICMJ really works."

The program was first established in Australia after NSW Southern Tablelands beef producer, John Carter, saw the enormous contribution the program made to the United States industry while on his 1983 Churchill Fellowship in meat marketing.

When he became chairman of the NSW Meat Industry Authority, he got to work establishing the program in Australia.

Dr McGilchrist, a meat science associate professor at the University of New England in Armidale, competed in 2002, went on to coach and even brought the first team from Western Australia over to the East Coast to compete in 2007.

The program now has more than 3000 alumni, including Meat & Livestock Australia's Jason Strong, Mick Crowley and Sarah Strahan and CPC's Troy Setter, to name a few.

"Of all the different things I've done over the years, from agri-politics to commercial and international roles, ICMJ, both here and in the US, has been by far the biggest contributor to the breadth of my network," Mr Strong said.

"ICMJ is one of our most successful industry events, particularly with the connection between industry and training organisations."

This year, for the first time the ICMJ national conference will open its doors to the public to attend keynote seminars.

While registration for the full four-day conference remains restricted to university students competing at ICMJ's national competition, producers, advisers and industry representatives will now be able to attend presentations on the latest developments shaping the red meat industry to be delivered at Charles Sturt University's Wal Fife Lecture Theatre on July 6 and 7.

"While our competitions are a core way of training university students in meat science, understanding the big trends and challenges facing the red meat sector is important to everyone in the industry," Dr McGilchrist said.

"We get such an amazing line-up of speakers, and this is a great opportunity for those already working in the red meat sector to hear directly from industry leaders."

The Wednesday seminar speakers include Meat & Livestock Australia's Scott Cameron and Sarah Hyland, Tom Bull from LambPro, and Craig and Jo Stewart from the Gourmet Goat Lady. Dr Darryl D'Souza from Sun Pork will also present a session on innovation in value-add products and Hamish Irvine from Bindaree Beef will discuss carcase utilization in a changing world.

The Thursday program will focus on the adoption of science in the red meat industry with a presentation by Murdoch University Professor David Pethick, an exploration of breeding and genetics for farm and market by Angus Australia's Jake Philips and a beef industry systems presentation by Teys Australia Supply Chain Coordinator Molly Greentree. AMPC's Stuart Shaw and Amanda Carter will also present on the future of processing and the red meat jobs of tomorrow.

Tickets are available for purchase at icmj.com.au/event-tickets/ until June 28 or sold out.

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