Eden Marine High School year 10 agriculture students are sharing their classroom with two young calves as part of a program aimed at giving them an insight into careers in the dairy industry.
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The students are taking part in Cows Create Careers, a six-week hands-on program which will see the junior farmers take responsibility for the calves - from feeding and weighing, to vaccinating and parading.
Cows Create Careers started in 2004 when dairy farmer members of the Strzelecki Lions Club in Victoria partnered with nine Gippsland schools and has since grown to involve more than 210 schools across Australia with 9456 students completing the program in 2014.
EMHS agriculture teacher Andrew High said the school had taken part in the program for at least six years, adding that it not only taught the students aspects of animal husbandry but also instilled in them a sense of responsibility and other important life-skills.
"The program brings students closer to the industry and raises awareness of what career paths may be available to them," Mr High said.
The calves were donated to the schools by Bega Valley dairy farmer Josh Cochrane with Brodie Chester acting as an industry advocate.
And while the calves may look cute and cuddly, the students quickly learn that being a dairy farmer is a round-the-clock job.
The students even give up part of their weekends to look after their young charges.
