Feedlot TECH nurtures capable, high-performing teams

Feedlot TECH provides online skills training in the Fundamentals of Pen Riding, to empower pen riders to recognise potential health issues and ensure the wellbeing of cattle in their care.

Three years after launching one of the first strategies in the livestock production space to focus on capacity building in the workplace, the Australian Lot Feeders’ Association (ALFA) has close to 2,000 people using its online platform to upskill in the fundamentals of lot feeding.

ALFA’s Feedlot Training, Education and Careers Hub, known as Feedlot TECH, is a collaboration with Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) to provide a clear career development pathway for employees in all roles across the industry. Feedlot TECH is an important contribution to capacity building, one of the priorities of the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework under the People and Community theme.

ALFA General Manager, Communications and Engagement, Madeleine Hamilton said Feedlot TECH showcased the career, employment, and professional development opportunities available within the sector, and provided access to industry-specific training programs, as well as links to relevant external course providers.

“ALFA identified that attracting and building capable, high-performing teams is the key to operational excellence and growth, so it was important to boost our investment in training and education,” Ms Hamilton said.

“ALFA has developed 20 eLearning courses covering core areas of livestock handling, feeding and milling, pen riding, Antimicrobial Stewardship, and caring for cattle, with more courses under development in administration, biosecurity and maintenance.

“Feedback has shown that 100% of people completing the courses feel that they’re gaining knowledge or skills that they can apply to their role, team or workplace.”

To promote eLearning, Feedlot TECH has also applied the use of game-design elements and principles to encourage engagement and completion of courses through friendly rivalry with co-workers.

Feedlot TECH learning levels begin with rookie level at registration, with participants encouraged to work up to general hand, leading hand and expert level, to attain the top accreditation of master.

“We really wanted to encourage users to continually log in to use the benefits of the platform, so decided to introduce some friendly competition,” Ms Hamilton said.

“The points system allows feedlot employees to compete with their own colleagues as well as employees at feedlots across the country. If you change feedlots over the course of your career, your ‘passport’ goes with you and your qualifications are easily accessible wherever you are.”

Launched in 2021, the platform has been widely adopted by the feedlot sector, the wider supply chain and universities, reaching a range of roles and skills including sales and marketing, finance, buying, transport, nutrition, breeding and genetics, and meat processing research.

Madeleine Hamilton said the biggest challenge for the industry was maintaining the investment it took to support and continually develop a state-of-the-art eLearning platform like Feedlot TECH.

“So long as the feedlot sector continues to invest in staff training and utilise the resources that ALFA and MLA develop, the platform will remain the go-to place for industry participants to upskill,” she said.

“Another challenge we noticed was that people are time poor. We responded by setting up monthly group-facilitated online training sessions that allow feedlot teams to book in, and we assist them to complete their first course in an interactive session.

“That gives them a leg up to explore further training themselves. Already we’ve trained more than 930 people over nine group sessions.”

Ms Hamilton said those who actively invest in eLearning on Feedlot TECH can nominate for ALFA’s annual Excellence in Feedlot Education Medal, with the chance to win a free trip to attend the BeefEx 2024 Conference in Brisbane on 15-17 October, and $1,000 towards further professional development.

“Nominations opened in May and feedlot employees with over 100 points on Feedlot TECH are eligible to apply for the award,” she said.

“They just need to outline the skills and knowledge they’ve acquired and explain the significance of investing in personal development.

“The feedlot industry is forever evolving, innovating and adopting new technologies. It attracts passionate people who care for cattle and work to maintain a sustainable environment, so it’s important that our people are always learning and that we offer training that’s fit for purpose.”