SFIRP | Career Q&A Sessions – Vertical Farming Learning Kit

Vertical Farming

Vertical farming is a relatively new concept in agriculture where plants are cultivated in controlled environments. Trays of plants are often stacked to save space and take advantage of using vertical spaces opposed to growing horizontally. Plants are provided with a suitable growing medium, nutrients and specific wavelengths of light e.g red and blue spectrums. The enclosed environment exclude pests and diseases reducing requirements for pest control and presents opportunities for the recycling of inputs like water and growing medium. Vertical farms are typically developed in cities in warehouses, parking garages or purpose-built containers. This enables food production to be very close to the end consumer drastically shortening food miles and improving food security. The design and development of vertical farming systems, understanding the physiology of plants and supply chain logistics are just some areas where students can find new opportunities within vertical farms and find agricultural careers within the city.

This Digital Learning Kit resource contains:

• 3 Videos
• 1 Teacher Guide PDF
• 1 Worksheets PDF

Vertical Farming Digital Learning Kit 

The Vertical Farming Teacher Guide and Student Worksheets are designed to be used in conjunction with the videos. These worksheets give students have an opportunity to answer questions about the videos, create a job description for a role and research agricultural careers in greater detail.

Access Teacher Guide:

Access worksheets:

Associated Agriculture Careers Resources:

• PIEFA Career Paths in Agriculture Poster
• PIEFA Step into Agriculture Poster
• Charles Sturt University Careers in Agriculture Poster

Click on the Poster you would like to download

Vertical Farming Digital Learning Kit – Videos

This series of Career Q&A videos forms part of a suite of resources promoting careers within agriculture. Three candidates are interviewed and asked the same series of questions about their careers in agriculture. The videos can either be watched individually, depending on the topic, or all three of the videos can be watched together. To explore the rest of our Digital Learning Kits, based on the other themes, please click

The following videos discuss some of the industry’s issues as well as demonstrating the variety of roles, both as producers and off farm roles within the industry.

• John Leslie, Executive Director, Vertical Farm Systems 
• Tom Shaw, Horticulture Operations Lead, InvertiGro 
• Noah Verin, Owner/Farmer, Urban Green Sydney 

The candidates are asked the following questions:

• Where did you go to school and what was your favourite subject?
• Describe what you do.
• Describe a typical day.
• Explain how what you do is adapted for Australian agriculture.
• Explain how technology has changed the way you do things.
• Identify something that surprised you about your career.
• Describe the most useful skill you require for your role.
• Identify some of the challenges facing young people starting in your role and explain how they can overcome them.
• What shoes do you wear to work?
• Where do you sit on the CSU Career Pathway Poster?

Career Q&A | John Leslie, Executive Director, Vertical Farm Systems (6.07 min)
View on Youtube

Career Q&A | Tom Shaw, Horticulture Operations Lead, InvertiGro (9.07 min)
View on Youtube

Career Q&A | Noah Verin, Owner/Farmer, Urban Green Sydney (8.26 min)
View on Youtube

PIEFA’s Storm and Flood Industry Recovery Program (SFIRP) is jointly funded by the Australian and NSW Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. Although funding for this product has been provided by both Australian and NSW Governments, the material contained herein does not necessarily represent the views of either Government.