Jackie on board to help growers with labour options 

Jackie on board to help growers with labour options

16 June 2021

Growers can contact new Citrus Australia team member Jackie Heaysman for help on available options for sourcing labour, both immediate and for next season.

Jackie has joined Citrus Australia as Seasonal Workforce Industry Support Officer and aims to help growers gain a better understanding of labour options and government assistance.

“I am available to talk to growers about any workforce challenges they are facing and to hopefully provide them with some ideas and point them in the right direction to finding some solutions,” Jackie said.

Jackie’s past roles have included working for the Sunraysia Institute of TAFE for 17 years and the Victorian Government, where she managed a range of economic development initiatives for businesses to facilitate growth opportunities.

“I’m excited with this opportunity to help growers and give them some tools to help source workers, and help them navigate the system.

“I see myself as being able to listen to people’s concerns and questions, find out what they need and then find a solution or help them find a solution, pointing them in the right way, and helping them to navigate the system.”

Jackie said the pandemic has clearly presented new challenges to industry with growers finding themselves in a completely new situation finding workers.

“Growers are capable of adapting to these changes, but they need the knowledge, and they need to plan,” she said.

“It’s all about planning and that’s where this year they were caught a bit by surprise.”

Jackie is an active member in the Sunraysia community, is a member of the Rotary Club in Mildura and a graduate of the Northern Mallee Leaders Program. She has also spent two years working in Mallee Family Care in a non-profit program, Chances for Children, providing support for young people to enable the pursuit of education or to realise talents in sport or the arts.

We encourage our growers to call Jackie on 0456 628 560 or at Jackie.heaysman@citrusaustralia.com.au