Rachel Commens

"I knew that due to its broad scope, my degree would lead to a job opportunity at the end of my course."

Why did you study agricultural science?

I attended the FEAST program at Gatton when I was in Grade 12 and this really helped me decide between two programs I was considering: Bachelor of Agribusiness and Bachelor of Agricultural Science. It also confirmed that I was happy to spend 4 years in a non-metro region.

I chose UQ due to its reputation and its location. Being only an hour west of Brisbane meant that I did not have to travel far from my family and friends while still getting a great rural education.

What kind of things do you do in your current job?

I am the produce manager for the Brisbane site of Harvest Freshcuts. Harvest FreshCuts is a part of the OneHarvest group, a third generation, Australian family company. We provide pre-packaged salads bags, kits and bowls as well as prepared deli salads and fresh chilled meals to supermarkets and greengrocers around the country.

My role involves spending a lot of time in the field with our growers, working on quality improvement systems, new variety trials, and developing projects to improve our supply chain. Essentially, I work to ensure Harvest Freshcuts can supply the highest quality produce to all of our customers, all year round.

How have your studies helped you in your career?

I enjoyed the wide range of courses that make up the BAgrSc – the first two years covered everything from animal nutrition and physiology to broadacre cropping to basic business management. Elective options in the final two years allowed me to tailor my degree to my interests and the option of an honours degree within my final year was highly beneficial.

I think the broad scope of the degree means that there is a lot of diversity within the student base and this can be really helpful in deciding what career path to take.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking of starting their career?

I would recommend doing your research. I spoke to recent graduates as well as people currently studying my intended course and got as much feedback as possible. Ultimately though, I went with my gut feeling, and I knew that due to its broad scope, my degree would lead to a job opportunity at the end of my course.

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