Judith leads hands on learning to help ag training thrive in the west

“I have a passion for supporting young people to realise their ambitions in agriculture,” Judith said.

“There is a lot of change in the agriculture industry with the introduction of new technology and better safety, and TAFE Queensland is an organisation that is supporting the rollout of these changes.”

Judith began working with TAFE Queensland in early 2026, proudly joining an organisation she believes is leading meaningful change across regional and remote Queensland.

“I’m very proud to work with TAFE Queensland to achieve these outcomes for an industry I was born into,” she said.

From the Charleville campus, Judith works closely with senior school agricultural trainees and their employers, delivering training through the Certificate III in Agriculture (AHC30122) course.

“I work with senior school ag trainees and their employers in the certificate III level agriculture program,” she explained.

The Certificate III in Agriculture (AHC30122) course is an entry‑level qualification designed to give students a strong foundation for a career in farming, preparing them for higher‑level responsibilities as senior farm hands in livestock, cropping or mixed‑enterprise operations.

Students gain practical, job‑ready skills in handling and transporting animals, implementing animal health and feeding programs, and maintaining farm property and infrastructure such as fences and bores.

Graduates are also well positioned to adapt to ongoing innovation across the agricultural sector.

No two days look the same in Judith’s role, and she believes variety is essential to learning in agriculture.

“One day I can be observing a student demonstrating how to use a chainsaw safely, and the next I might observe someone treating a bull or driving a tractor.”

Teaching in regional Queensland also means learning takes place well beyond the classroom.

“I love the chance to get outdoors. That’s probably what I enjoy most about my job,” she said

She describes the culture at TAFE Queensland as collaborative and purpose‑driven.

“The culture at TAFE is very helpful, with a focus on valuing knowledge and doing things worth doing well,” she said.

Judith’s pride in working at TAFE Queensland is closely tied to her upbringing in a small, rural town in the Maranoa Region of Outback Queensland.

“I’m a Mungallala girl,” she said.

“I did School of Distance Education through Charleville School of the Air and grew up on a merino sheep grazing property south‑west of Mungallala.”

Her father still works the property, and she continues to return home to help whenever possible.

“I’ve always loved animals and the outdoors,” she said.

“I was always catching tadpoles, caterpillars, frogs, mice, crayfish and worms. I was fishing, in the chook yard and in the dog yard when I was a little girl.”

“My mother could never cure me of being out in the paddock or getting my clothes dirty,” she said.

“The only rule was that if she called, I would come running.”

Her professional background spans education, research and regional development. Judith holds a PhD from the University of Queensland Gatton in Rural Extension, focused on agribusiness and the use of technology to sell products. She also spent six years working in the polytechnic sector in New Zealand.

Back in Australia, she worked as a Landcare Coordinator with Maranoa Landcare for six years, delivering producer days and regional projects, alongside a career in secondary teaching.

“I have a secondary teaching degree and worked in schools for a number of years,” she said.

“While I was working in education, I gained my VET teaching qualification and built up experience teaching Certificate III level qualifications before making the switch to TAFE Queensland.”

Now based in Charleville, Judith is helping the next generation of agricultural workers build practical skills, confidence and clear career pathways, ensuring the industry she grew up in continues to thrive.