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Learn how GRO Rural, 2024 Innovate with nbn^® Grants Program Agriculture winner, is connecting rural professionals with businesses in need of specialised skills.

The idea for GRO Rural first occurred to Managing Director Dimity Smith where many good ones first crop up. No, not in the shower but on a long drive.

“I was driving to Port Macquarie and my graphic designer, who was working on the website for my events business, asked if there was anything else I needed doing,” says Dimity.

“I was like, ‘Well, I’ve got this idea.’”

It was to create a job search platform focused solely on the rural agricultural industry – a gap Dimity felt was left wide open and largely ignored by existing online recruitment platforms.

And so the seed of GRO Rural was planted.

The roots of it

“GRO Rural was born from my own need,” says Dimity.

“I was looking for an agricultural expert for GRO Events Group and was really struggling. I wondered why there wasn’t a platform where you could search for people who are in regional agriculture and who specialise in niche areas.

“I knew those people existed, I just needed to find them.”

That’s what GRO Rural now enables.

The digital platform is designed to connect and empower professionals, service providers and businesses across Australia's rural, regional and agricultural sectors.

Based in Tamworth, New South Wales, the business helps rural professionals showcase their expertise, find job opportunities and build strong relationships with organisations in need of their services.

Think tasks like milking cows (dairy farming) and roles like agronomists (plant and soil scientists).

“Existing platforms or traditional recruitment agencies simply don't work for the rural space, where personal connections and specialised skills are essential,” says Dimity.

"We want to create a more digitally-connected and prosperous future for dairy communities, and set the stage for expanding GRO Rural into other agricultural sectors like cotton, grains and livestock.

“It's all about making regional Australia stronger, smarter and more connected."

Connectivity is key

What’s next for GRO Rural

So, what does the next 12 months hold for GRO Rural, and how does it plan to use its Innovate with nbn grant?

“Paid ads and marketing are our first plan of attack – investing in things that are really going to build reach and improve awareness of what we do,” says Dimity.

“I'd also love to tap into the markets of Western Australia and the Northern Territory. There are so many remote regional areas over there that would benefit from what we’re doing.”

And that’s not all.

“Then, talking with our web developers about how we can integrate better tech features and tools, like AI, to learn more about customers and tailor their experience to their skills and priorities.

“We’re not here to list jobs or even work as a recruiter – we want to connect real people with the right people.”

Financial support aside, Dimity says nbn’s recognition of GRO Rural’s impact and burgeoning future has been the most validating part of the experience.

“It feels really special to have started something that is seen as having potential to help a lot of people.”