Reader\'s Digest Australia - 05.2019

May• 2019 | 83

applicants must demonstrate that they
understand the realities of the job.
Those without a family background in
the profession must have a solid plan,
because beginning without land or
animals is near impossible.
It’s a scorching Tuesday afternoon
and the class of 2018, including Julia
and 15 classmates, are hunched over
computers at the local community
centre, examining a multi-coloured
spreadsheet.
Their teacher, Carmen Leal
Munoz, points to an overhead im-
age. “Just click here and everything
adds up automatically,” she says
as her students enter hypothetical

sheep prices into a meticulously

designed spreadsheet.

Carmen is a business management

teacher at the Andalusian Institute

of Agricultural Research and Train-

ing. She has created this document

specifically for people like Julia, who

will soon be depending on every litre

of sheep’s milk, kilo of goat meat and

ounce of manure to ensure a profit

margin and eke out a living.

A student from Granada, Mario

Ballestín, is watching extra keenly.

With a background in telecommuni-

cations, he’s one of the few students

without familial ties to the profession.

Mario’s already worked for five

Tutor Juan Antonio shows Mario and Julia how to weave a sling from fibre.

The sling is an ancient shepherding tool used in controlling herds of animals