Investigator College in Victor Harbor, South Australia, has won this year’s Cows Create Careers advertising competition, winning $1000 to be spent on educational programs for the school.
Every year, Cows Create Careers, in partnership with MaxCare, invite schools across Australia to create an advertisement for the dairy industry.
The competition is part of an educational program to encourage the best and brightest students to pursue a career in the dairy industry.
Competing against 204 schools across Australia, Investigator College teacher Natalie Gilbert said they were “over the moon” with the win.
“Ebony, one of our talented Year 10 students, put so much effort in her submission, and the students were so engaged in the program,” Ms Gilbert said.
This year 11,220 students from across Australia took part in the program.
“Every year we bring two calves into schools across Australia, giving students a hands-on approach into the dairy industry, by feeding and caring for the calves for three weeks,” Cows Create Careers program manager Deanne Kennedy said.
“The program educates students on all the different career opportunities available to them in the dairy industry, from working directly with the cows to marketing and advertising,” she said.
“It’s important to introduce this program into schools at a time when students are thinking about their future.
“We could not do the program without the support of MaxCare, who have been instrumental in providing feed stock for our in-school calves and financially supporting the program.”
MaxCare business manager Tom Newton said they were pleased to be part of the initiative.
“It looks like the students at Investigator College had lots of fun participating in the program, which shines through in their humorous advertisement,” he said.
The winning school was selected via a public voting system, receiving 44 per cent of the1400 votes received.
“We think the Cows Create Careers program is a fantastic initiative, as it shines a light on the industry and the career opportunities that exist for young people in the dairy industry,” Mr Newton said.
The program involves each school hosting two dairy calves loaned by local farmers, which they must care for and raise. MaxCare supplies the calf milk replacer, used by the students to hand feed to the calves over a three-week period.