Breakers to Bunkers: Bronte’s #AgVenture

"The agriculture industry can open many doors, not just in Australia but further abroad"

Bronte Osborne, Junior Trader at GrainCorp

Bronte Osborne grew up by the beach in Wollongong, south of Sydney, where she was heavily involved with the local surf club.

Studying economics and marketing at the University of New South Wales, Bronte always knew she wanted to work for a large company that had a good work culture, but she didn't know what that would be.

"When I finished studying, I was quite interested in supply chain businesses, so GrainCorp ticked a lot of boxes for me," Bronte says.

"When I started, I had never been on a farm and never seen crops in real life. I took a leap of faith and it's been absolutely worth it."

Bronte joined GrainCorp as part of the company's graduate intake in 2017, which saw her work in the ports, logistics and trading teams.

However, given her interest in trading throughout high school, coupled with her love of travel, Bronte jumped at the opportunity to continue working in the trading team.

She is now a Junior Trader in GrainCorp's Sydney office, beginning as an analyst with the East Coast Australia team before moving to the international desk.

"What I love about my role is the ability to stay connected with Australian growers, while finding new markets and destinations for Australian grain around the world.

Bronte Osborne

"We understand the short and long-term needs of the consumer, and we communicate that back to the grower. In turn, we also have a deep understanding of what growers are producing each year, and we communicate that back to the consumer."

She adds: "The role has enabled me to stay connected with the people at the heart of the supply chain, even when looking at the bigger picture."

For Bronte, the early stages of her 'AgVenture' has shown her that a career in agriculture goes well beyond traditional farming activities, to biochemistry, engineering, law, finance and more.

"Until I stepped into GrainCorp, I didn't realise the wide scope of career options available in agriculture. You can do almost anything you put your mind to."

She adds: "At the end of the day, the grower is at the heart of any agribusiness, so no matter where you end up, there's a connection with the end-to-end supply chain."

Today, GrainCorp's agri-products travel to more than 50 countries and 350 global markets for a diverse range of customers - and the trading team plays an integral role in that relationship.