Fruitful outcomes expected from student DVD project
Published on 11 June, 2008
Three CQU Bundaberg digital media students have recently completed a DVD designed to educate high school students about careers in production horticulture.
Titled Your Future is Here: Careers in Production Horticulture in the Bundaberg Region, the DVD was funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Industry Training Strategies Program and the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, and was coordinated by Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable Growers.
"The creation of a Bundaberg Horticulture careers DVD is a vital part in attracting people to the industry," said Matt Dagan, Executive Officer of Bundaberg Fruit and Vegetable Growers.
"There exist so many opportunities, yet people aren't aware of the size of the local horticulture industry, the people it employees and the skills it requires. We believe this DVD will go a long way towards addressing this lack of awareness."
The students - Max Fleet, Katrina Johnston and Robyn Rudd - worked on every aspect of the project, from scripting and planning through interviewing, filming, editing and producing the DVD.
"I took the project on as both a learning experience and as a chance to go out and use the knowledge I have gained throughout my degree," said Katrina Johnston.
"Throughout the process of the DVD I got to experience all the aspects of production, from the pre-interview processes, interviewing the people, being the camerawoman, batching and editing all the footage, setting up the interface and finally closing off on the DVD."
The students produced the DVD under the guidance of Grayson Cooke, who lectures in digital media at Central Queensland University's Bundaberg Campus, and is the Program Coordinator of the Bachelor of Digital Innovation.
"This project was a great opportunity for the University to partner with both State government and local horticulture organisations on a projct of considerable importance to the local region," said Dr Cooke.
"The project also allowed us to give some of our advanced-level students paid experience on a professional project, using broadcast-standard equipment."
The DVD was produced using equipment housed in the new Media Research wing at CQU Bundaberg Campus.
The DVD contains the stories of 16 people who work at every level of the local horticulture industry, from pickers and packers to transport coordinators, farm managers, financial advisors, agronomists, plant scientists and CEOs.
The students conducted all interviews on site, travelling hundreds of kilometres around the Bundaberg region to visit the various farms and companies involved in the project.
The DVD will be used in local high schools to inform students about the range of careers available to them in production horticulture, and it will also be used in trade shows to promote horticulture in the Bundaberg region.