There will be more pathways for school leavers in NSW to enter the agricultural workforce.

I am encouraging budding agriculturalists to get involved in the NSW Government's new Agricultural Pathways Program, which targets recent school graduates to join the managing teams of the Department of Primary Industries' 13,000-hectare research station program.

Agriculture contributes greatly to NSW and I encourage those considering a career in the industry to apply for this fantastic program.

The program adds to the NSW Government's approach to supporting the future agriculture workforce of NSW, with education and skill-based programs that start in primary and secondary school, through to tertiary and post-tertiary education levels, including Indigenous Pathway opportunities and the dedicated educational institution Tocal College.

Like many industries, agriculture is faced with the ongoing challenge of an ageing workforce - with the average age of farmers in NSW being 58-60. This program is a great step towards encouraging the next generation to consider a career in agriculture.

NEW VOUCHER PROGRAMS

Eligible accommodation providers across the State can now register to take part in two of the NSW Government's new voucher programs - Parents NSW and Stay NSW.

Both programs will be implemented using the existing Dine and Discover NSW infrastructure.

Families are able to access the Parents NSW vouchers and Stay NSW vouchers since February.

Eligible customers will soon be able to redeem their $250 worth of Parents NSW vouchers and $50 Stay NSW voucher with registered Stay NSW businesses, which is a huge win for the accommodation and tourism sectors that have been especially hard hit by the pandemic.

Whether you're a hotel in Sydney, motel in rural NSW or a holiday park on a coastal town, we want you to take advantage of this stimulus and see more customers come through your doors.

For more information on how to register a business, visit https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/register-business-stay-nsw-vouchers

BOOST FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS

All NSW public schools will benefit from high quality support aimed at improving educational outcomes for their students, with a strong focus on lifting reading and numeracy results.

The targeted support, a central aspect of the School Success Model, means schools receive high impact programs and resources tailored to their unique needs.

The success of every student is at the heart of the NSW education system, which is why it's so important we provide better support for all schools, and especially those that need it most.

Through the School Success Model:

Support ranges from looking at whether teaching practices and learning programs reflect evidence-based best practice, to exploring the best use of a school's unspent additional funding according to educational need.

Support is also being offered in the areas of behaviour, Aboriginal HSC attainment, attendance and financial management.