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Leading workforce change in agri-food (AGRI90089)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

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Semester 1 - On Campus
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Attracting and retaining a workforce is a critical challenge facing the agriculture, food and natural resource management sectors globally.  Future leaders and managers in these sectors require a comprehensive understanding of the strategic and day to day complexities of workforce change, human resource management (HRM) and workforce planning and development.  This is essential for both a competitive advantage within modern organisations as well as for how the sector meets the objectives of Decent Work for all (UN sustainable development goal 8).

The subject aims to equip students with knowledge and skills to assess the key trends and underlying causes of workforce challenges in the agri-food and agri-environment sector, diagnose workforce issues and develop strategic workforce plans.  The subject introduces principles of strategic workforce planning and evaluates models and approaches to leading and managing people, applicable to a large range of agri-food and agri-environment businesses and organisations across value chains (e.g. farms, processors, professional services, government, R&D organisations) and in communities (e.g. natural resource management contexts). Topics include: mega-trends in workforce change; leading and managing people; workforce planning; attracting and retaining a workforce; growing an innovative workforce; workforce development; global frameworks and the legal context of work.  Case studies are used to support the application of theory to practice.

Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to

  • Appraise the roles and functions of leaders and managers in attracting and retaining a workforce in a diversity of agri-food and agri-environmental contexts.
  • Critically assess and select appropriate workforce strategies matched to an agri-food or agri-environmental context.
  • Apply human resources theories and frameworks to address workforce challenges.
  • Compare international frameworks and legal conditions underpinning improvements in job quality and employment in agri-food and agri-environmental contexts.
  • Identify and develop leadership strengths in themselves and their peers related to work and employment in agriculture, food and environmental contexts.

Generic skills

On completion of this subject students should have developed the following generic skills: 

  • Communication: The ability to communicate effectively in writing and orally 
  • Critical thinking: The ability to think independently and critically 
  • Time management: The ability to manage time and workloads  
  • Information management: The ability to find, evaluate, and synthesize information 
  • Teamwork: Ability to collaborate, exchange ideas and debate

Last updated: 19 November 2025