Suburban students are getting "curious" for a career in agriculture, outside the typical farm gate.
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Students at Summer Cross Grammar School, Caroline Springs, joined scientists at Agriculture Victoria's AgriBio research hub at Latrobe University, Bundoora, on Friday.
The Year 10 pupils and their teacher Ms Suzanne Helou visited the state-of-the-art labs and took part in a workshop with Agriculture Victoria's community education manager Ms Anna-Leisa Vietz.
The department's free 'AgStem' program is in full swing for the school year with opportunities for students across the state.
The 17 biotechnology students, all from non-farming backgrounds, learned about some of the latest DNA sequencing technology.
The science, so new it's not yet rolled out in many universities and all schools, could be used to get real time data on viruses and bacteria on farms, vital for biosecurity control.
Ms Vietz said while the technology may not yet be on the secondary school curriculum, it was an excellent opportunity for the class.
"We can be flexible with the curriculum because these students aren't about to be assessed," she said.
"[The DNA technology] was used for foot and mouth testing in Indonesia."
She said the students learned how to analyse bacteria and viruses, from their DNA sequence.
They also learned how to use an online DNA database to detect pathogens and identify a disease.
Ms Vietz said the session, part of Agriculture Victoria's work to support science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in Victoria, "opened up their eyes".
She said it "absolutely" showed students that there were jobs in agriculture in research and innovation and it wasn't all just about being on a farm.
"You don't have to be at a farm anymore," she said.
"You can be in a lab or at a computer and you don't have to actually be in the regions.
"Students don't know that."
The scientist said keeping up STEM subjects was "really important" for young people looking to develop a career in agriculture in future.
She said overcoming the challenges of climate change and agricultural biosecurity all required such skills and suggested farming was becoming ever-more technical.
Ms Helou said her Southern Cross Grammar class "really enjoyed" the experience.
"These advancements in technology are happening so quickly," she said.
"The students enjoyed it probably because it was practical.
"They got to experience with their own hands and it was related to something that was real.
"Having this latest technology in the classroom gives students an idea of what they might be doing in the future if they're in that field."
She said the workshop inspired her students for a career in agriculture.
"They're curious and they were excited to do something like that in the future," she said.
Ms Helou said it gave students a different perspective on agriculture and farming, one they hadn't had before.
The AgStem strategy was deemed a win-win for both the children and Agriculture Victoria - students getting access to the latest technology and Agriculture Victoria getting to inspire those potentially working in the industry in the future.
