AgriFutures Australia

Community and Worker Perceptions of Rural Industries – Qualitative Research Study 2022

Wallis was commissioned by AgriFutures to provide key insights into perceptions around, and the lived experience of, working in rural industries, and to investigate the impact of these on workforce attraction and retention.

AgriFutures Australia invests in research, leadership, innovation and learning to support industries that do not have their own research and development function, new and emerging industries, and the issues that affect the whole of agriculture. In 2021, the Australian Government provided funding to AgriFutures for new research aimed at bolstering the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector's capacity to attract and retain workers.

The ‘Qualitative Research: Community Perceptions and Worker Experiences Project’ is one activity in a wider program being administered by AgriFutures as part of the Australian Government’s broader AgATTRACT initiative. The Project aims to challenge gender-based and outdated perceptions of modern rural sector work. Ultimately it will inform actions to improve the sector’s capacity to attract and retain workers and establish a baseline against which industry can measure the effectiveness of further interventions.

This qualitative research component of the program delivers key insights into community and rural sector worker perceptions around working in agriculture, fisheries and forestry, explores rural industries’ worker experiences, and investigates the impact these perceptions and experiences have on workforce attraction and retention.

Intelligence was gathered from several key segments via 4 focus groups and 43 in-depth interviews conducted nationally. Segments included the general community, existing and prospective rural sector workers, and rural sector innovators.

The final report has been published by AgriFutures and can be accessed here.

To add colour and flavour to the research findings and to bring key messages to life, showcase case study video’s and matching written collateral were also prepared as part of the study deliverables suite – these can be accessed here.

Need key messages identified and brought to life through the voice of your customers? Need a research partner that would thrive on the opportunity and has extensive experience doing just that? Get in touch.

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