Successful GenAngus Future Leaders Program extended into 2025
Angus Australia is pleased to announce that they will once again be partnering with specialist farm insurer Achmea Australia to deliver the seventh GenAngus Future Leaders Program in 2025.
This announcement comes against the backdrop of Beef Australia 2024, following a successful seminar presented by Achmea Australia, titled ‘Inspiring the next generation of leaders’, where GenAngus alumni shared their experiences.
The GenAngus Future Leaders Program (GenAngus) was established in 2019 and serves as a flagship opportunity in the Angus Youth program of scholarships, awards and bursaries. By the end of May 2024 and since its inception, more than 60 young members of the beef industry will have completed the program, which aims to equip participants with the business skills and knowledge to kickstart their own beef cattle enterprise or elevate their existing ventures.
In 2025, the partnership between Angus Australia and Achmea Australia will mark the total combined contribution of $300,000 to the program since its establishment, supporting the aim to back the next generation of leaders in the beef industry, best arming them in their toolboxes for success.
“We’re really proud to share this announcement,” said Angus Australia Extension Manager Jake Phillips.
“This was a dream six years ago, and now it’s really become a legacy for the beef industry more broadly and we’re very pleased to be working with Achmea Australia to deliver the GenAngus program for the Australian beef industry.
“GenAngus is an intensive leadership program, and we cover a range of topics by involving the industry’s best speakers from Australia and New Zealand around things that young agriculturalists are really challenged with today, such as succession planning, the use of social media, breeding and genetics, mindset and mental resilience and risk mitigation to name a few.”
He continued, “This is, I suppose, a money can’t buy experience to hopefully encourage people and give them the skills to make perhaps better decisions going forward in their lives and their business more broadly.”
Highlighting that the GenAngus experience extends beyond program, Achmea Australia CEO Emma Thomas spoke about the networking opportunities and ongoing support that comes from being a GenAngus future leader.
“The networking and opportunities for GenAngus alumni are wide-reaching,” Emma said.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for GenAngus participants to connect with industry leaders who can offer coaching, mentoring and support to help them continue to grow as emerging leaders. Through the unique set-up of the GenAngus program, we really want the participants to feel they can openly ask for help and advice on a broad range of topics,” said Emma.
“For Achmea Australia, it’s a real privilege to be part of these individuals’ career journeys and provide them with skills and resources to advance in their farming enterprise and business.”
She continued, “That sense of community at Achmea Australia is something we hold dear. The company was built on the co-operative principles of solidarity and support, helping each other through both good times and bad times”.
“Unfortunately in Australia, we have had our fair share of natural disasters, and risk mitigation and preparedness for unexpected challenges are valuable lessons that future leaders can expect to take away from the GenAngus program,” she said.
To add to the excitement of the continuation of the GenAngus Future Leaders Program into the future, the 2024 GenAngus program is taking place in New Zealand this week and will see thirteen young people from Australia and New Zealand begin their leadership journey.
“We’re about to complete our sixth edition of the program, which will bring us to more than 60 alumni,” said Jake. “Probably the proudest thing that we’ve found is that it’s really the Angus family, and a lot of these alumni consider each other perhaps closer than some of their own family, but it really creates some people and culture capacity, not only for Angus Australia and Achmea Australia, but probably for the beef industry more broadly. It’s something that we’re extremely gratified to deliver.”
Angus Australia and Achmea Australia encourage young members of the beef industry aged between 18 and 40 with an interest in an opportunity to develop their professional and personal identities to keep an eye out for information relating to the 2025 GenAngus program. Announcements relating to the program will be found on the Angus Australia website or the Angus Youth Australia social media accounts.
With the desire to broaden yourself and your business acumen one of the most important criteria for applicants of the program, Jake said, “I think the range of people that we have, some people are on a clear trajectory for success. Others are really challenged by decisions close to the family farm around succession or perhaps starting a new business venture as first generation.
“I think the breadth that we cater for is something we’re incredibly proud of,” he said. “To date, we’ve had delegates from every state in Australia and both the North and South islands in New Zealand. We’re very proud of that tradition that GenAngus is for everyone. So long as you bring the right attitude, you’re ready to learn and enter that growth period of your life, we’re keen to hear from you.”
Feature Image: Angus Australia Extension Manager Jake-Phillips, Achmea Australia CEO Emma Thomas and GenAngus 2023 participant Hannah Powe
