18 April 2023: McDonald’s Australia has partnered with Charles Sturt University to award the McDonald’s Young Farmers Scholarship to local Wagga Wagga student, Rose Luscombe.

The Young Farmers Scholarship is awarded to students who are passionate about pursuing a career in the agricultural industry and committed to ongoing learning and development.

It includes $15,000 to support the student’s studies and a four-week work experience program within McDonald’s Supply Chain, to help students gain practical, on-the-job skills in the business and agricultural industry.

Rose Luscombe, recipient of the Young Farmers Scholarship, is in her final year of studying a Bachelor of Agricultural Business Management at Charles Sturt University, with plans to pursue a career in the beef industry.

Rose Luscombe, Charles Sturt University student, said: “I’m very thankful to McDonald’s for awarding me the Young Farmers Scholarship and supporting my future career aspirations.

“During the work experience program, I was able to work in McDonald’s head office and visit a number of McDonald’s suppliers, including FMG, Bega, Baiada, Martin Brower and Noumi.

“The experience taught me so much about how a supply chain works – from farm to plate - and helped me identify the type of jobs I am interested in pursuing in the future.”

McDonald’s has supported the local agricultural industry for the past 50 years, sourcing over 90% of its produce from farms across Australia.

Thomas Mahony, Senior Director of Supply Chain, McDonald’s Australia, said: “McDonald’s has a long history of supporting the local agricultural industry and investing in the training and development of young people across Australia.

“The Young Farmers Scholarship provides students with an opportunity to gain real world experience working for a large and fast-moving business that serves nearly 2 million customers every day.

“We are proud to play a role in training, developing and mentoring the future leaders of tomorrow and hope the scholarship will help Rose pursue an exciting and rewarding career in the agricultural industry.”

McDonald’s has partnered with Charles Sturt University since 2019 and has awarded the Young Farmers Scholarship to six students during this time.

Justin Williams, Development Officer at Charles Sturt University, said: “I can attest to the immense value of the McDonald's-funded scholarships for our agriculture students. Not only do these scholarships provide crucial financial support for our students, but they also offer a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience with a large-scale supply chain. By partnering with McDonald's, our students are exposed to the complexities of a real-world operation and learn how their knowledge and skills can contribute to a successful business.

“We are grateful for McDonald's commitment to investing in the future of our agriculture industry, and the valuable opportunities it provides for our students."

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About McDonald’s Australia

Australia’s first McDonald’s restaurant opened in Yagoona, Sydney, in 1971. Today there are over 1,025 McDonald’s restaurants across Australia, nearly 85 percent of which are franchised and run by local businessmen and women. The organisation employs more than 110,000 people in restaurants and corporate offices Australia-wide and is the largest employer of youth in the country. McDonald’s creates more than 3,000 new jobs each year and spends over $40 million per annum on training and people development.

For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com.au or McDonald’s social channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or YouTube.