Australian Wool Innovation graduate program delivers for young Ongerup farmer

Working with sheep has been "ingrained" in Taite O'Neill since she was little.

Always having Merinos and pet lambs, she has spent a lot of time in paddocks and shearing sheds.

"It was very hands-on from the start," Ms O'Neill said.

"People in our family are very passionate about Merino sheep production.

"The main reason we farm Merinos is definitely for the wool production - and we're still chasing that fleece quality and wool quantity as a farm."

Running a mixed farming operation, Ms O'Neill's family has been farming at Ongerup for four generations.

Growing up alongside her sisters, she loved spending her childhood on the farm.

"It was just fun and... it's never been like, oh, we have to go out the paddock again," she said.

"We loved it, and it definitely has inspired us all to be in the agricultural industry now."

Being around agriculture her whole life, Ms O'Neill chose to study a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at Murdoch University, majoring in animal science, and crop and pasture science.

She initially chose animal science after working with sheep at home - and then added on cropping and pasture, saying you can't have livestock production unless it is supported by farming systems and pasture systems, "so I really wanted to learn more about that".

During her studies, Ms O'Neill did a placement at Genstock for two weeks, learning about semen collection with rams and artificial insemination semen standards for domestic and export use - looking after stud rams, vaccinations, and assisting with vasectomies and fertility checks.

She worked for a couple of months in the wool stores at AWN in Perth, as well as casually loading trucks for live export and at the Perth Royal Show with The Livestock Collective, helping answer questions about the livestock industry.

Ms O'Neill is now based in Sydney, working with Australian Wool Innovation, going through its 18-month graduate training program.

She has been following the supply chain from onfarm research through product development and education, and product innovation, such as scouring and product manufacturing.

This will be followed by studying how the product is marketed, not only at a brand level, but also how Woolmark helps brands and the retail market.

Ms O'Neill said the program would also provide an overview of the Australian wool industry and wool products, as well as the manufacturing process and how it supports wool producers.

Since starting in March, she has spent three months with the onfarm research team, learning how they manage projects around Australia with other companies and other industry bodies - and how to improve the Australian wool industry.

"It's been such an eye-opening experience," Ms O'Neill said.

"It's very different, but it's been very cool to be exposed to the other side of the industry beyond the farmgate."

As part of the graduate program, Ms O'Neill will have two international rotations next year.

"I get to go over to Asia and see where most of our wool goes into the manufacturing in China, which will be really eye-opening," she said.

"Then I get to go and see a bit of the processing and product development in Europe and the UK."

Loving production and being home on the farm, Ms O'Neill hopes by the end of the program, she will have an idea of where in the supply chain she would like to focus on.

"At the moment I'm just keeping an open perspective, but I'm loving the fact that I get to experience this whole other aspect of the supply chain," she said.

"I definitely think that I'll end up with a career in wool, I love Merino sheep, and I know there's more to wool than just Merinos.

"I know for a fact that through my upbringing, I'm really passionate about sheep and Merinos, so I can't see myself getting out of the sheep and wool industry anytime soon.

"I've definitely found my passion, and I know that it's a big industry, but I'm just trying to learn off as many people as possible."

Ms O'Neill said there are so many things you can do with a Merino, and there was always something for everyone.

"It's just constantly evolving," she said.

"I know that everyone in agriculture, it doesn't matter what part of agriculture you're part of or where in the world, everyone says there's so many opportunities within it.

"There's so many things you can do within the wool industry, and there's so much change and so much innovation going on.

"Seeing the constant innovation in the industry and passion from others is driving Ms O'Neill forward.

She is looking forward to passing information back to the industry that she is learning in the graduate program.