Name: Bill
Role Title: Agricultural Standards Officer
Location: Bendigo

Description of work undertaken:
Bill conducts apiary investigations for diseases. This involves working with bees and their hives. As Agricultural Standards Officer, Bill also researches and monitors fruit fly and other plant diseases. Bill gives certification for the movement of plants and plant products interstate and to certain areas within Victoria. Bill also carries out animal health trials such as blood testing.

Team and / or individual role / responsibilities:
There is some teamwork involved in his job, however Bill's position is mainly individually based with some back up from supervisors. Bill is responsible to apiarists, plant and orchard, vegetable growers as well as general farmers.

Future?
Bill is unsure of his future apart from remaining in his current position for a few years.

BACKGROUND:
Grew up where?
Bill grew up in Moliagul, central Victoria on a mixed farming enterprise (ie wheat, oats, sheep and pigs).

Course(s) studied:
Tertiary /post secondary:
Bill has completed courses in meat inspection and farm produce inspections (which enables him to be qualified to inspect export hay and grain), and a Plant Standard auditor's course, plus a number of other in-service courses.

Work experience:
According to Bill, work experience was not heard of when he was at school. However, Bill has worked on farms in central Victoria and has been shearing some seasons.

OPPORTUNITIES:
Learning on job, new skills, etc.
Bill has learned most job skills while working with DNRE. However, he had basic animal husbandry skills before he was employed, due to previous farm work.

Travel, etc.
Over the years Bill has travelled most of North-West Victoria, with the occasional trip to other areas. Currently, Bill covers between thirty to forty thousand kilometres a year.

ADVICE TO STUDENTS NOW:
students up to Year 10
Bill suggests that students' should keep all avenues open with varied studies to give more career options in the future.

VCE students
Bill suggests that if students are unsure of course/career selection, they should try to keep options open and try to obtain the best marks as possible.

Tertiary students
Students should study hard and obtain as much field experience as possible while studying.

OTHER:
Comments, thoughts, suggestions.
Bill suggests that gaining work experience and skills are vital before employment. He believes that obtaining these skills will give you greater confidence.

What careers have other graduates from your course entered?
Other graduates have moved on to become farmers, truck drivers and opal miners.