IFPA ANZ broadens education offer to benefit produce and floral industries

September 26, 2024

The International Fresh Produce Association Australia-New Zealand (IFPA ANZ) has refined and extended its produce-specific curriculum for members in 2025 in response to industry demand to upskill the workforce.

IFPA ANZ, in conjunction with its curriculum development partner Streamwise Learning and the Institute of Food and Grocery Management, will offer an extended program from 2025 including a raft of restructured and new courses targeting new industry entrants, emerging leaders, senior leaders and high-level executives.

IFPA events and talent manager ANZ Brylie Bond said there was significant demand from across the supply chain for targeted, immersive programs to help businesses attract, develop and retain key personnel.

“IFPA ANZ and Streamwise Learning have a long-standing relationship and have collaborated to grow our offering to the Australian and New Zealand fresh produce and floral industry. The quality of the courses and presentation of the content make for a dynamic experience, engaging course participants in hands-on, produce-specific and recognised leadership styles to increase sector-relevant learning,” Mrs Bond said.

“IFPA is committed to growing members’ prosperity, and that starts with programs to grow leaders. They are key to longer-term strategies of a diverse and inclusive workforce, healthier people, and a healthier planet,” she said.

Waurn Ponds, Deakin University

IFPA Produce Executive Program will be held at
Waurn Ponds, Deakin University.

Streamwise Learning chairman Simon Kelland said the IFPA ANZ remained the best window into what was important to the fresh produce industry.

“That intelligence feeds into the content developed for the courses which offer attendees the chance to learn alongside fresh produce colleagues in a non-competitive environment, while building valuable relationships with key industry proponents," Mr Kelland said.

“There has been a renewed focus on matching specific course content in 2025 to more defined audiences."

He said the annual IFPA Produce Executive Program (PEP), in its 23rd year in 2025, was the flagship program in the curriculum in which content was split between business capability development skills and sessions delivered by industry experts sharing insights into their personal journeys and discussing trends and opportunities.

It will be bolstered by a Seniors Managers Program at Geelong, Victoria next March, and Emerging Managers Program in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane on various dates throughout the year.

“Those attending the Seniors Managers Program will learn how to boost their personal impact and internal presentation skills while those attending the Emerging Managers Program will gain immediate implementable skills to improve management and leadership,” Mr Kelland said.

“Generally, we’ve found attendees get to where they are, largely because they are great operators, not necessarily because they have formal qualifications. Our courses are structured to develop these people, so they are great operators and great at running businesses and contribute more substantially to the value of the business.

“We offer business school qualifications without business school prices,” he said.

A group of people sits at tables arranged in a U-shape, facing a presenter who stands near a screen displaying "Streamwise Learning - Emerging Manager Program: Day 1". The room is well-lit with large windows and a whiteboard on the side.

IFPA will offer its members multiple sought-after and immersive courses from 2025.

Snapshot of 2025 key courses:

Senior Managers Program

March 25-27; August 19-21, Deakin University, Geelong.

Targeted at senior leaders taking on organisation-wide roles including strategic planning and execution, middle managers earmarked for senior leadership roles.

IFPA Produce Executive Program

May 19-23, Deakin University, Geelong; September 8-12, New Zealand (venue to be confirmed).

Targeted at middle management and those responsible for establishing and managing relationships across the value chain and aspiring senior leaders.

Emerging Managers Program

March 4-5 and September 23-24, Sydney; April 8-9; November 11-12, Melbourne; June 10-11, Brisbane.

Targeted at new managers, supervisors and emerging leaders seeking to learn contemporary frameworks for self-awareness, people management and leadership.

IFPA Australian Executive Leadership Summit

March, Sydney. (date and venue to be confirmed).

Offered exclusively to IFPA ANZ members, the summit will offer inspirational industry speakers, leadership team activities, panel discussions and networking opportunities for executives and senior managers in the fresh produce and floral corporate industry in Australia and New Zealand.

Cornell University, USA course open to members in 2025

Mrs Bond said members would again be offered the opportunity to take part in IFPA's Executive Leadership Development Program produced in partnership with Cornell University, New York in the United States of America, to be held in March 2025.

“This is a world-class experience open to senior leaders in the fresh produce and floral industry with a program designed for mid-to-senior-level produce executives, including presidents, CEOs, CFOs, vice presidents, and directors.”

“At the other end of the spectrum, we offer the Career Pathways Program which targets university students at the end of their studies seeking entry into the industry. The 2025 intake opens in February for the program to be held at (premier trade show), Hort Connections, in Brisbane, June 3-6, 2025.”

“Through the Careers Pathways Program, IFPA ANZ platinum members will have exclusive access to present to students about career opportunities in their particular sectors while diamond and platinum members can engage with students around open positions in their own companies.”

She said IFPA ANZ and Streamwise were also open to working with members to develop customised training opportunities. Various online free or reduced member-discounted courses offered by IFPA were also offered throughout the year, she said.

Brylie Bond — **IFPA managing director A-NZ Ben Hoodless**

IFPA ANZ broadens education offer to benefit produce and floral industries

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