Far chief executive Nick PykeNorth Otago student Hannah McCulloch is looking forward to a career in the arable industry.
Miss McCulloch (21) is one of two students appointed to the Foundation for Arable Research's first graduate programme.
She and Angus McKenzie, from Mid Canterbury, will spend their first year in the workforce with Far, gaining a hands-on understanding of the New Zealand cropping industry and its links with New Zealand's other primary sectors.
Miss McCulloch, who grew up on a cropping farm, said her passion for the sector grew during her last few years at secondary school.
She is in her final year studying for a bachelor of commerce in agriculture, majoring in farm management, at Lincoln University.
She applied for the Far programme as the organisation was very well respected in the industry and it was an opportunity to meet people with industry experience, within an ''awesome environment'', she said.
The programme was all about training and learning and it was not like ''getting thrown in a job'', she said.
Miss McCulloch, who has a particular interest in seed production, will begin work at Far
next month.
Long-term, she hoped to be working in the agronomy side of the industry, with an advisory role being her ideal job. The graduate programme was a ''perfect step'' to get there, she said.
Mr McKenzie, who has a bachelor of agriculture, is completing a master of management in agricultural systems at Lincoln University. Growing up on a mixed cropping farm, he developed an interest in all aspects of cropping with an emphasis on agronomy and extension.
Far chief executive Nick Pyke was ''hugely impressed'' by the calibre of applicants, saying they had to turn down some excellent students.
''We were heartened to see such strong interest in being part of the arable industry, and have endeavoured to recommend those candidates who were unsuccessful with us for other positions,'' he said.
Far initiated the graduate programme with the intention of drawing top students into the arable industry.
''The New Zealand arable industry is world-leading in its ability to produce high quality, high-yielding grain and seed crops. This is the result of decades of research, development and extension.
''To retain our place as world leaders, we need to ensure that we have the best people in place right across the industry, be they farmers, researchers, marketers or agronomists,'' Mr Pyke said.
During their time with Far, Miss McCulloch and Mr McKenzie would have the opportunity to view the organisation's research across New Zealand and Australia and to spend time with cropping businesses across New Zealand.
By the end of the programme, it was hoped they would have developed good knowledge of the factors driving the country's arable industry, an understanding of what made up a strong research and extension programme, and a clear idea of their future within the industry.