AWET wishes to advise that the Sheep and Wool Education Modules have now been updated following reviews by academics and specialists in each area. The Modules feature current knowledge and information, which will be of benefit to students and industry participants alike. Go to “Modules” in the options for the Woolwise website.
Congratulations to Kelly Gellie, of Maroona, Victoria on achieving First place and “Gold Stencil” in the 2024AWEX/TAFE National Graduate Wool Classer Competition. This was held at the Sydney Royal Easter Show on Tuesday 4th April.
The aim of the competition is to recognize excellence in wool classing and education and to lift wool classing’s profile as a profession and career opportunity. She was also was the winner of the DAS Campbell prize for the top NSW graduate. Well done Emma!
Emma was a Certificate IV in Ag student at Tocal in 2020 and originally from Armidale. She is no stranger to success being awarded a Bronze Medal for Excellence in the Course. She was also the successful purchaser of Trey, a working dog donated to the College by Ben Crowe of Glenfaba Kelpies and Stock Horses. Emma was among a group of students who helped get Trey, and other pups in the program, started. During her Tocal course Emma was awarded an AWET (Australian Wool Education Trust) Scholarship and a CB Alexander Foundation – Fire and Drought Exceptional Circumstance Bursary. We thank them for their support of Tocal students and are confident that their investment in Emma is a sound one!
The judges of this year’s competition were Mr. Andrew Mills, MacDonald & Co Wool Brokers, Ms Evelyn Archer, TAS TAFE and Ms Fiona Raleigh, AWEX. Andrew is also a Tocal graduate and current Alumni Executive.
AWET offered grants to attend to attend the International Wool Textile Organisation conference to be held in Adelaide in 2024. This presents an ideal opportunity for AWET scholars to access global experts from
the wool textile pipeline, to gain an understanding of their future role within the industry and to showcase their work to a professional audience. The Grant provides funding to cover travel, accommodation and registration.
The criteria for selection were:
a) open to all current and recent (2021-2023) AWET scholarship students, and
b) must be able to present some of their AWET sponsored research work at the Congress.
AWET is pleased to announce that Woon Ling Chew (Victoria) was awarded an AWET scholarship to attend IWTO. Victoria received an Undergraduate Project Scholarship in 2021 for her Project “Creating an index to identify gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) resistance in sheep”, which was jointly supervised by Professor Michael Stear from La Trobe University and Dr Sarah Preston at Federation University. Additionally, AWET funded her attendance at the Australian Society for Parasitology conference in Cairns 2022.
Victoria will make a poster presentation of her work at the conference.
Peter Sommerville is well known to all of those involved in delivering the education projects funded by the Australian Wool Education Trust (AWET). He has been both a Trustee and the Secretary of AWET since 2006. Over those 18 years, he has contributed significantly to “hub and spoke” undergraduate education initiated by AWET through universities active in Agriculture, particularly sheep and wool. In more recent times, Peter has played a pivotal role in AWET expanding its scope by actively engaging with fashion and design schools to encourage their students to experience wool and embrace it as a premier natural fibre. Peter has also been the face of AWET to other education initiatives in sectors such as VET and schools.
The time has come for Peter to step down as Secretary, but AWET is fortunate that he will continue as a Trustee enabling it to draw on his considerable experience and knowledge of the range of programs that the Trust funds.
I am pleased to advise that Dr Kerry Hansford has taken up the role of AWET Secretary. Kerry is well known to the wool industry having recently retired from AWEX after earlier roles with CSIRO, AWH and managing important joint industry projects. Increasingly, you will hear from Kerry with regard to AWET activities.
Please join me and other Trustees in thanking Peter for his contribution thus far to education in the wool industry and also join us in welcoming Kerry to AWET.
Kerry can be reached at kerry.hansford@woolwise.com if you have projects that you would like to discuss.
Yours sincerely
Michael Jackson
CHAIR
AUSTRALIAN WOOL EDUCATION TRUST