Dr Allan De Boos has been nominated by Australian Wool Innovation Ltd to replace Dr Cameron Archer AM PSM as an AWET Trustee.
Allan’s qualifications include BSc in Textile Technology – Chemistry in 1967 from the University of New South Wales. In 1968, he joined CSIRO as a research scientist where he studied the machine washability of wool garments and the finishing of wool and blend fabrics. In his early years at CSIRO, he also completed a PhD at the Victoria University of Manchester (Department of Chemical Physics).
After 34 years at CSIRO, Dr De Boos in 2002 joined AWI with roles including project and program manager and Woolmark technical manager. From 2014 until his retirement in 2024, Dr De Boos developed and delivered the Woolmark Wool Science and Technology program to universities and colleges in China and India. He was appointed a ‘Distinguished Professor’ at Yantai-Nanshan university in Shandong province.
Dr De Boos is highly regarded throughout the global wool industry for his in depth knowledge of wool – from the technical attributes of the wool fibre itself, through the textile manufacturing supply chain to the final garment. He spent most of his career in textiles, but remained cognizant of the work done by Australian woolgrowers to grow their premium fibre.
After 20 years as a Trustee, Dr Cameron Archer AM PSM, founding Board Chair of Primary Industries Education Foundation Australia (PIEFA) and former Principal of Tocal Agricultural Centre, retired from AWET on 11th November 2025.
The Australian Wool Education Trust (AWET) is pleased to announce the funding available to universities for their students who wish to undertake sheep and wool courses offered by the University of New England (UNE) has been reviewed.
Since 2006, AWET has offered subsidies to non-UNE students for wool modules delivered by the UNE. From 2016, the subsidy has been $1,000/student/unit for the first 10 students rising to $1,500/student/unit per institute once student enrolments exceeded 10.
The AWET Trustees agreed that from the 2026 Academic Year, the subsidy will increase to $2,000/student/unit.
Please make your colleagues and students aware of this subsidy, so it can be taken into account when students consider their course options (see https://www.woolwise.com/home/scholarships-and-grants/).
Through Open Learning, the University of New England (UNE) is pleased to offer Short Courses to anyone who is interested expanding their knowledge of the wool industry. The six short courses are:
To obtain more information, please go to the following link: UNE Short Courses in Wool or contact Dr Emma Doyle at e. edoyle3@une.edu.au.
The National Council of Wool Selling Brokers Australia (NCWSBA) conducted its second Wool Broker Development Program in late May/early June 2025. AWET provided initial funding to the NCWSBA Wool Broker Development Program for its establishment phase in 2024 and has again provided ongoing support for its operational phase in 2025.
The program aims to provide a learning opportunity for young wool broker participants that includes industry & technical training, as well as personal development components. It is hoped that it will encourage some of the participants to nominate for the Young Wool Broker of the Year Award, this year or in the future.
The program, conducted in Tasmania, Geelong and Melbourne, involved 11 participants who were nominated by their employers AWN, Fox & Lillie Rural, Elders, Nutrien and Westcoast Wools. For further information, go to 2025 Wool Broker Development Program or their website NCWSBA.
The Peter Westblade Scholarship aims to provide practical learning opportunities for young Australians who would like to pursue a career in the sheep and wool industry. AWET provides funding to the Peter Westblade Scholarship for educational activities to be undertaken at the training weekends at Wyvern and Monaro.
At their Annual Ball held in May 2025, the Peter Westblade Scholarships recipients for 2025 were announced. The Scholarships were awarded to Grace Kaveney and Scott Macpherson. For more information on the Peter Westblade Scholarship program, please see the Peter Westblade Scholarship Winter Newsletter or go to their website Peter Westblade Scholarship.
The Alistair Mackenzie Scholarship, jointly funded by AWET and Marcus Oldham College, is aimed at enhancing the educational experience of the recipient, particularly as it relates to the sheep and/or wool industry.
In 2025, the Scholarship was awarded to Prue Hillman, a 1st year agribusiness student, who demonstrated a strong passion for the wool industry as well as the principles of business.
Please see Prue’s speech at the Marcus Oldham Scholarship presentation evening held in February 2025.
The Agricultural Institute of Australia (AIA) South Australian Division has launched its 2025 Student Compendium. It aims to consolidate a wide spectrum of opportunities available to those pursuing studies in primary industries and natural resource management, providing information for vocational education and training students, tertiary students as well as secondary school teachers and careers advisers.
AWET sponsored and provided assistance to the AIA SA Division, in partnership with the Adelaide University Agricultural Students Association (AUASA), to ensure that the various Scholarships and Grants offered by AWET for sheep and wool education were listed in the 2025 AIA SA Student Compendium. Anyone interested in a career in the Australian sheep and wool industry will be able to quickly explore the opportunities available through AWET.
In 2024, to enhance their Students’ Work Experience and Careers, AWET initiated grants to tertiary institutions for activities that will assist their students to become career ready. Each proposal is at the University’s discretion, and it must be wool and/or wool sheep focused.
Preference is given, but not limited to, Agriculture and/or Animal Science students. On completion, a statement from the University as to how the funding worked, along with student reflections, is required. The Grants are valued at up to $10,000 per institute. The University must apply to AWET on behalf of its student(s), with applications closing in November of each year.
The Wool Industry Placement Grants for the academic year 2025 were awarded to the following institutions: University of Adelaide, Federation University, Marcus Oldham College, University of Melbourne, Murdoch University and University of Sydney.
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.