2027 AWI Graduates Program Placements Announced

The program continues to attract exceptional interest from graduates eager to build a career within the Australian wool industry.

This year, more than 50 candidates from across Australia competed for a place in the highly sought-after program, representing a diverse range of disciplines including Agricultural Science, Agriculture, Agribusiness, Economics, Fashion Design, and Sustainability.

AWI Chief Executive Officer Bryan Fry says there was a rigorous and highly competitive recruitment process.

“AWI is thrilled to see such strong enthusiasm and passion for the wool industry and its future among the next generation of emerging talent.

We look forward to welcoming Jessica Cousins and Lydie Taylor and supporting them in their career journey through wool”.

Jessica Cousins

Jess is in the final stages of completing a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at the University of Adelaide and currently works as a casual Farm Research Assistant with the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), where she supports agricultural research projects.

Growing up in South Australia's Mid North, wool has always been a constant in Jessica’s life, and she quickly developed an early appreciation for the role sheep farming plays in regional Australia. However, it wasn't until stepping into the workforce that her understanding of the industry truly began to grow.

A role as a roustabout with Extra Mile Shearing sparked a keen interest in wool handling and the broader wool industry. Working alongside shearing teams provided Jess firsthand insight into the skill, precision and teamwork required to produce a high-quality wool clip, while highlighting the significant effort that takes place beyond the shearing shed.

Since then, Jess has broadened her agricultural experience across several livestock enterprises. A gap year in Victoria saw her working on a mixed farming operation running crossbred sheep, while station work in South Australia provided exposure to sheep focused on meat production. These experiences reinforced the diversity of Australian sheep enterprises and the different breeding objectives, production systems and business strategies that exist across the industry.

While her background has been predominantly on-farm, Jess’s curiosity extends well beyond the farm gate. Having worked closely with producers and experienced the realities of livestock production firsthand, she is eager to deepen her understanding of the wool supply chain, particularly the processing, manufacturing and global marketing sectors through the AWI Graduate Program and is excited to combine her hands-on agricultural background with a deeper understanding of the global wool industry.

“I’m really looking forward to the AWI Graduate Program as an opportunity to build a deeper understanding of the wool industry across its entire value chain, from on-farm production through to research, development, and market engagement. I’m particularly interested in learning more about demand creation, extension and education, and how research can be translated into practical outcomes that deliver real value to growers. More broadly, I’m excited by the diversity of the experiences the program offers and the opportunity to learn from industry experts, develop my skills, and gain a holistic understanding of the Australian wool industry. It’s such a comprehensive program that it’s difficult to pinpoint just one area of interest. I’m genuinely excited about the entire experience and the opportunity to contribute to the future of the industry”.

Lydie Taylor

Raised in New England on Taylorsrun, her family’s Merino sheep farm Lydie developed an early connection to wool through hands-on experience working as a farm hand and growing up immersed in the wool industry.

While studying fashion design, she became known among friends as “the wool girl” due to her passion for wool and fascination with its journey from farm to fashion.

Lydie’s commitment to understanding and promoting wool has led her to engage extensively across the industry.

In 2025, she attended the IWTO Conference in Lille, France, as part of the Young Professionals Program, where she gained insight into the global wool supply chain

This experience inspired her to advocate for greater supply-chain education within fashion and to strengthen connections between producers, processors and designers.

Passionate about sustainability, Lydie is particularly interested in wool’s environmental potential and the opportunities to combine the fibre’s natural performance attributes with innovative materials and manufacturing technologies.

Before joining AWI in March 2027, she will undertake a five-week internship with REDA, gaining practical experience within a vertically integrated wool mill, which will complement her learning through the AWI Graduate Training Program.

"I am thrilled to have been selected for AWI's graduate program, I look forward to learning more about Australia's wool industry and its global impact. I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to contribute to wool as a sustainable fibre”.