Primary Pathways

With Owl Farm on the doorstep of St Peter’s school, students studying agriculture have plenty of opportunity for hands-on practical experience.

Pathways to the future

By Rebecca McGuire

There’s an exciting future ahead for those wanting to be involved in the food and fibre sectors in New Zealand and internationally. Students are seeing studying ag/hort science, agribusiness and primary industry courses at St Peter’s College in Cambridge as worthwhile options as the continued labour shortage becomes more evident.

Gone are the days when ag/hort was known as a drop-out subject and you were “just a farmer”.

The non-farmers are starting to appreciate the plethora of skills needed to own, operate, manage and work in any primary sector business.

At St Peter’s and many other secondary schools in NZ, specific courses are being designed to give students the opportunity to understand what the different primary sector involves. Practical skills, research, innovation, field trips, competitions and work experience opportunities are a few of the aspects of the different courses.

As more students choose ag/hort as an option in the junior years, it has become evident at St Peter’s that appropriate courses need to be designed to cater for student needs and interests and to show the many different employment opportunities that are available post school.

St Peter’s currently offers 10 curriculums over 16 classes to 330 students ranging from ag/hort science as an option in years nine to 13; agribusiness options in years 12 to 13; and a practical primary industry skills option in the same senior years.

Some students choose to complete several of these options at the same time as they are determined to be part of the primary industries once they leave school. It is important that there’s an opportunity to be both practical and academic. Supporting students for afterschool decisions is an important aspect of our philosophy at the agri centre. The extensive pathways we offer are driven by industry demand.

Currently the demand for motivated, hardworking and educated people in these industries is very large, both within New Zealand and internationally, as the stress of feeding an expanding population continues to grow.

Whether students choose a more hands-on after-school education such as Growing Future Farmers or are university oriented, we try to support them by giving them experiences inside and outside the classroom.

Tertiary institutions are promoting new courses to encourage students into agribusiness industries. Students tend to merge to Lincoln and Massey universities to continue with their agri studies.

Choosing a pathway post school for students can be incredibly daunting and students are challenged with finding information from so many different sources over so many industries. Marketing and social media seem to have a huge influence over the pathway they take.

This is a space that needs to be worked on by industries to promote the opportunities and more importantly the pathways that their industries offer. It is a competitive market. Students are wanting to be part of the food and fibre sectors, but at the moment the pathways are hard to find.

An initiative we are exploring at the moment is getting students on working placement on local dairy farms. This may be a short stint for simple exposure for

The head of St Peter’s agricultural and horticultural department, Rebecca McGuire, says more students are choosing to study ag/hort. The school offers 10 curriculums over 16 classes to 330 students in years nine to 13.

“Choosing a pathway post school for students can be incredibly daunting. This is a space that needs to be worked on by industries to promote the opportunities and more importantly the pathways that their industries offer.”

a student who may not have been on a dairy farm, or a longer stint throughout a term for a student who is more experienced and wants to learn the everyday running of the farm.

We have started this experience on Owl Farm for selected students and have had other farmers and industries approach us to be part of this initiative. It would be great to have this offering for the majority of industries. Students’ choosing university or going straight onto the farm or into the orchard is a decision they do not take lightly. For either decision, it is helpful for them to have some experience of how the product is produced, paddock to plate.

Having Owl Farm on our classroom doorstep helps students identify and understand the theory they are taught in the classroom with the practical application. We are very lucky to have this and are continually tweaking courses to make the most of the farm. For example, this year the farm introduced the Halter technology. Students got to study the technology, see it in action, study the major influences of investing in such a technology and got to use the app and shift the virtual fences and release the cows onto their new break.

They also get to see traditional management practices such as weighing, vaccinating and drenching and the importance of such practices in meeting weight targets and budgets.

The agribusiness programme we offer gives students opportunities to understand and see in real life some of the decisions agribusinesses have to make. Understanding future-proofing ideas, creating cash flows and looking at innovations to help farm sustainably are some of the units we cover.

We offer substantial programmes at St Peter’s to support the future of the food and fibre sectors New Zealand relies on for domestic and export products. The labour shortage currently being experienced in the primary industries is an indication of where possible employment opportunities will be for our students both in NZ and internationally.

From practical hands-on experiences to in-depth studies on sustainable farming practises and innovation, our students have many pathways to experience. n

Yr 13 Ag/Hort and agribusiness students work together on Owl Farm to plant shade trees to help reduce heat stress in cows. Year 13 Ag/Hort agribusiness student Bex Watson gets involved with calf rearing on Owl Farm

Who am I?

Rebecca McGuire is the head of St Peter’s agricultural and horticultural department.

‘Great couple of days, fantastic interactions and I learned heaps.’

Join one of our next 8 Steps programmes to: • Grow and develop your leadership and management skills • Increase team cohesion, enjoyment and retention • Get productivity gains that mean everyone feels better With a proven track record for accelerating the leadership journey for Farm Managers and 2ICs. 14 & 15 November 2022, Waikato 1 & 2 December 2022, Canterbury 17 & 18 January 2023, Waikato 14 & 15 February 2023, Southland

Careers hubs at Fieldays

Fieldays 2022 will be showcasing agricultural careers at its Opportunity Grows Here Careers Hub to entice more people into the various sectors.

By Gerald Piddock

The agricultural industry needs more passionate and skilled people to keep the sectors ticking over.

The depth and breadth of New Zealand’s food and fibre sector are set to be showcased at this year’s Fieldays at the Opportunity Grows Here Careers Hub.

The hub, which was created in partnership between Fieldays and the Ministry for Primary Industries, is an engaging platform for attendees to learn about food and fibre career pathways and consider joining a thriving sector.

The hub will be a hive of activity, with education providers and sector groups teaming up to showcase the industries that have led NZ’s recovery from the global pandemic.

NZ National Fieldays Society chief executive Peter Nation says the hub is an important part of its mission to advance agriculture.

As such it sits under Fieldays’ strategic pillar of education.

“As the southern hemisphere’s largest agricultural event we have a duty to help futureproof the sector through educating people on where the opportunities lie in food and fibre.”

MPI director-general Ray Smith says the primary industries have grown despite the covid-19 pandemic.

“New Zealand’s food and fibre sector is leading the nation’s recovery from covid-19 by keeping vital food and fibre flowing domestically and overseas. For the first time, annual export revenue reached more than $52.2 billion in the year to 30 June 2022.”

This growth highlights the urgent need for skilled and passionate food and fibre workers.

Opportunity Grows Here addresses this need through connecting people with exciting careers in food and fibre, which will be further facilitated within the hub.

“With such a key sector contributing to the New Zealand economy and the wellbeing of our rural communities, it’s important we have the necessary workforce to meet the demand,” Smith says.

Food and fibre careers range from work on farm, in science, technology, business management, and logistics, to animal welfare, marketing, and research and development in locations across the motu.

Smith says those considering a career in food and fibre will be joining a sector they can be proud of, as NZ export products are highly sought after.

“New Zealand has a proud history of producing high-quality, innovative, and world-class food and fibre products, with care for people and place remaining front of mind.

“We export most of what we produce, and our food is demanded and enjoyed in more than 130 countries around the world – for a small country at the bottom of the South Pacific, this is pretty impressive.”

Running alongside the hub is a careers trail for visitors to follow around the Fieldays event to showcase career options and vacancies, a speaker and engagement series, and a jobs board where visitors can see available food and fibre roles.

School groups interested in visiting Fieldays can receive the discounted entry price of $10 per student. Further details are available on the Opportunity Grows Here website. n

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Opportunity Grows Here Careers Hub this summer, from November 30 to December 3.

Scope out the wide range of exciting career options at www.opportunitygrowshere.nz/ and visit Fieldays 2022.

Upskill with free training

Dairy Training, a subsidiary of DairyNZ, is offering a range of free training courses across New Zealand, including online options.

Among the courses is Progression

Management, which is aimed at assistant managers and managers, and covers the management skills needed on a busy farm. It helps manager’s upskill in their current role; get up to speed with computers, tools and technologies; and improve their financial management skills.

With increasing costs, the Business by the Numbers course is a great way to stay on top of farm finances. The course covers farm budgets and future options to help achieve farmers’ longer-term goals, like self-employment or growing their sharemilking or farming business.

It’s open to people with all levels of financial management experience – including those new to managing budgets.

Writing a business plan might sound daunting, but the short course Write a Business Plan steps farmers through the process. The course helps farmers clarify their business and personal goals, and complete a business plan in class. At the end of the course farmers walk away with a five-year business plan.

The Contract Milking training workshops are suited to both current and future contract milkers and sharemilkers. They cover contract responsibilities, assessing the viability of contracts, and help contract and sharemilkers navigate potential risks to achieve their goals. n • Business by the Numbers – starting dates: online November 3, Matamata November 8,

Temuka, Canterbury November 2, and Southland (10 November) • Write a Business Plan – starting dates: Reporoa November 17,

Canterbury (2023) Southland (2023) • Progression Management – see dairytraining.co.nz for more information on this course • Contract milking – starting dates:

Dunsandel November 1 and

Stratford November 3

Free dairy training courses are on offer to farmers wanting to upskill themselves and their team members.

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The call of the cow

Invercargill assistant herd manager Laura Murdoch, who is the 2022 Southland/Otago Dairy Manager of the Year, swapped a desk job for cows and grass and has learnt through Primary ITO.

By Sonita Chandar

When a passion for cows grew too strong for one townie, she took the Primary ITO route to a better career on farm.

Dairy farmers engaged in training with Primary ITO constitute the biggest single sector in terms of people studying. In the past year 5731 people in dairy farming undertook some form of study and completed 1833 programmes, and overall 18,000 people have engaged in training across 21,000 programmes.

Primary ITO aims to help New

Zealand’s primary sector flourish by growing people’s skills through leading work-based education and training across the many industries in the primary sector. A spokesperson for Primary ITO said the organisation supports on-thejob training, which it believes is the future of learning.

Learning can be supported by online and in-person delivery where those are the best options. People earn while they learn, and businesses get value from their staff from day one. Support is provided from start to finish right through from introductory programmes and the schools-based Trades Academy, through to apprenticeships and management diplomas.

“At Primary ITO we pride ourselves on being up driveways, at the end of dirt roads, on the factory floor, online or in the classroom. Whatever it takes to support our learners,” a spokesperson said.

“We also design the programmes that enable people to gain skills and qualifications in their chosen field.”

Laura Murdoch knows full well the value of Primary ITO, having moved from a desk job to dairy farming. She now works as an assistant herd manager for Chris Reilly on his 89ha, 250-cow Mokotua property. Earlier this year, she was named 2022 Southland/Otago Dairy Manager of the Year. She also won three merit awards for Livestock Management, People and Leadership, and Personal Planning and Financial Planning.

Growing up as a townie in Invercargill, Murdoch had her first taste of dairying as a teenager when she tagged along with a friend who was working on a farm. She liked what she saw, but a wrist condition meant she was unable to go farming.

Leaving school, she went to work in administration and learnt accounting while on the job and gained several qualifications. She kept a small hand in dairying during this time by doing relief milking in the weekends.

It was around that time that she met a Primary ITO training adviser and asked about the programmes available.

“I wanted to get some qualifications and be as upskilled as possible. I also wanted my CV to reflect that I was qualified and competent,” Murdoch says.

In 2016 with her wrist condition deteriorating, she took a break from her accounting job and had surgery to correct carpal tunnel syndrome.

But rather than return to the office she decided to get into the dairy industry as

that was where her passion lay.

“I was relief milking on a farm and heard that one of the workers was leaving so I went and had a chat with the owner and asked him to give me a chance,” she says.

Now she is an award-winning Southland dairy farmer who loves sharing stories of the cows she works with and the industry she works in.

“I love my cows and I love showcasing them and the industry and how rewarding it is.”

She says learning through Primary ITO made her more marketable.

“I felt the training gave me a better chance at a job in the industry,” she says.

“I realised that if I wanted to get into the industry, I needed a piece of paper to say I had done these courses and had learnt so I could be as competitive as possible against other applicants.

“I have a passion for learning, progression and animal welfare, as well as excellent best-practices for farming in general. And I wanted to be the best employee for a good employer.”

She began studying the Primary ITO Milk Quality One programme and Animal

Her CV now includes a list of qualifications she’s completed through Primary ITO, often studying two programmes at once. Most recently she completed the New Zealand Diploma in Agribusiness Management (now known as the New Zealand Diploma in Primary Industry Business Management) and Level 5 Primary Industry Production Management at the same time.

She puts her success down to being given opportunities to learn and grow in the industry and says the casual environment in which she learnt was a lot better than school.

“It was great to meet like-minded people and bounce ideas off each other. That was really invaluable.

“I would not be where I am today if I did not have the help from Primary ITO. They do so much for those who are wanting to learn. My tutors have been really awesome, especially my main tutor who challenged and pushed me to achieve more so that I am the best person that I can be. For me and my job that has paid off.”

She aims to be a leader in the industry and inspire others with her journey and the joys of dairy farming. She has popular Facebook and TikTok pages where she shares her mahi and love of cows.

“I’d love to showcase the joys and highlights of dairy farming, it’s a very rewarding industry to be a part of.

“I love my cows. It is just me and my manager here, so my cows are my workmates and friends – they are massive cuddly dogs really.” n

“At Primary ITO we pride ourselves on being up driveways, at the end of dirt roads, on the factory floor, online or in the classroom. Whatever it takes to support our learners.”

Work-based learning for dairy farmers

Work-based learning provides your team with a solid knowledge-base to confidently undertake their job and set them (and your business) up to be successful.

New to farm? The New Zealand Certificate in Primary Industry Skills (Level 2) builds their foundational dairy farm skills and includes the option to add vehicle skills (e.g. tractor, quad bike, LUV, motorcycle).

Farm Assistant? The New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture Dairy Farming (Level 3) covers all seasonal activities throughout the year. Whether that’s calving, mating, feeding, optimising milk quality and dealing with effluent, the topics align with the whole farming calendar.

Herd or Assistant Manager? The New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture Dairy Farming (Level 4) is a comprehensive programme that will enhance their skills to progress their careers and to take the lead on implementing production plans.

Already have staff enrolled? We have recently transitioned into Te Pūkenga, the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology, that brings together on-the-job, on campus, and online learning. Rest assured that you can expect to see your same trusted Training Adviser to support your business and your team.

More ways to Get Milking

By Linda Skates

People entering the dairy industry can now get the skills they need to succeed on farm without getting into debt.

Atraining model with an innovative approach has been launched for the dairy sector to equip people new to the industry with the practical and online skills they need to succeed in the early years of employment.

Get Milking, which is powered by agricultural training organisation Agricademy, offers online and on-farm courses targeting the next generation and the way they learn.

There are no classrooms, no campuses and no student debt. The online and on-farm training is intended to provide a practical pathway from study to work and build skills quickly. This will appeal to farmers who need trained workers, and also to students who want the right skills for the dairy industry but do not want to be back in a classroom.

Get Milking courses develop the practical skills needed to operate effectively in the sheds, be part of a team, reduce costly mistakes and increase productivity.

Anyone new to the industry who wants to become a relief milker or dairy assistant can take a Get Milking online course, which includes short, professionally shot videos, so they are familiar with what to expect on a dairy farm. They are then offered on-farm training with an accredited trainer so they get practical, hands-on experience.

Managing director Alister Shennan founded Agricademy and Get Milking as he could see the industry was not getting the training it wanted and young people were not gaining the skills they needed to do well.

“There needed to be a complete rethink of agricultural training so that it works for the generation who live online and connect via social media but who also need hands-on training on farm,” he says.

He says vocational training that is classroom based does not work well for industries where practical skills are needed.

“Delivering online courses, including these task-by-task short videos, allows this next generation to access the information they need in a way they want, and they can learn from the best 24/7, at any time and anywhere. It is an innovative approach and a step forward for the way training is offered,” he says.

“We then use accredited trainers to provide practical training on the farm to build the skills needed to become a dairy assistant or a relief milker. This happens quickly without a farmer having to backfill or send workers off to classrooms.”

Get Milking courses will be delivered in Waipa by Agricademy’s first licensee, Regan McCorquindale, who grew up on a dairy farm and has his own farm consulting business, RECO.

“One of the challenges in dairy is that you’re often relying on the employer to do all the training when farming is very busy and often understaffed. People aren’t getting the training required to progress in the industry, which leads to a lot of churn,” McCorquindale says.

He says he became a licensee because the dairy industry needs the combined online and practical training Get Milking delivers.

“I think Get Milking’s online component is essential – when you come to a farm you’re familiar with the way that the cowshed works, the cupping works, the whole process from start to finish,” he says.

“That is then backed up by having a trainer come to a farm so workers are getting on-farm training in the shed that they’re most familiar with.

“It makes for faster learning and

Managing director Alister Shennan set up Agricademy and Get Milking as he could see the industry was not getting the training it wanted and young people were not gaining the skills they needed to do well.

getting ahead in our industry”.

Shennan says Get Milking is now looking to attract great licensees in other parts of the country.

“We know that the right people grow everyone’s business, and having licensees who are connected to their community, who are passionate about dairy and training, will provide a muchneeded pipeline of trained workers for the industry,” he says.

McCorquindale says the dairy industry offers many great opportunities for those willing to work hard but the rewards need to be sold to those who would enjoy it and could build a career.

“We want to see young, enthusiastic people enter our dairy industry. It’s a great place to work but we need to increase the awareness about how good the opportunities are so we get the right people wanting to be trained,” he says.

“Farm owners are giving workers who are showing enthusiasm and willingness to do the job lots of opportunities, and I want more people to know about that and come on this journey with us, so let’s Get Milking, and make it a success story for the industry.”

Shennan says Get Milking as a name and brand was deliberately chosen to emphasise the positives about the country’s largest industry, and what it delivers for those who work in it and all New Zealanders.

Get Milking courses will be delivered in Waipa by Agricademy’s first licensee, Regan McCorquindale, who grew up on a dairy farm and has his own farm consulting business, RECO. Regan meets the team on farm.

The right people grow everyone’s business. Become a licensee for Get Milking.

A working plan

The dairy sector has launched a new workforce plan setting out how it will attract, retain and grow the farm workforce in the next decade.

The Great Futures in Dairying plan is the sector’s strategy for shaping dairy farming as a competitive career option through a range of workplace and technology advances.

“Dairy farms employ 37,000 people on farm. The success of dairy is critical for those working in the sector and to New Zealand as a whole,” DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle says.

“New Zealand is facing significant social changes, which will require many businesses to work harder to attract and retain staff. These include an ageing population, increasing urbanisation, wider career options, lower fertility rates and technological change.”

Mackle says these trends mean the dairy sector needs to be forward-thinking and develop fresh ideas to attract and keep the right staff.

“Farmers are resilient and practical people, and we know they are focused on finding solutions to this challenge.”

The Great Futures in Dairying plan is led by DairyNZ in partnership with farmers, the government and farming sector representatives. The plan identifies three key focus areas to make dairy a competitive career option.

“As a sector we firstly want to shape up to ensure we are attractive in an increasingly competitive labour market. We are looking at a range of initiatives, including piloting an induction experience for new dairy staff and developing clear career training pathways for people to progress into more senior roles,” Mackle says.

The second focus area – changing the job – looks at embracing new technology and strategies to improve workplaces. Smart cow collars, milking cup removal technology and flexible milking are some initiatives proposed to provide staff with a better work-life balance.

“Lastly, we want to look in new places – like Pacifika communities, women and people with disabilities – for our dairy teams to draw on a larger and more diverse talent pool,” Mackle says. 2021 Ahuwhenua Young Māori Farmer of the Year Quinn Morgan is one of the farmers supporting the new plan.

He grew up in the city and previously worked in the fitness industry. Now he manages a team of eight on a Taupō dairy farm.

“For people who aren’t familiar with farming, it can feel intimidating to consider applying for a dairy job. So, it’s awesome that the dairy sector is looking to encourage a wider range of people to work on farms,” he says.

His team is already focused on developing their skills by using online video learning, and they are looking forward to welcoming a staff member who is new to farming soon.

Taranaki farmer Hayden Lawrence is one farmer who is embracing new technology with his farm team.

“We use a project management platform which allows our team to see and manage farm tasks. This gives us the flexibility to better manage workloads to avoid too much overtime,” Lawrence says.

He says it is a priority to support his team to upskill themselves so they can move into more senior roles in the sector.

Mackle says that the Great Futures in Dairying plan is ambitious and will require contributions from many organisations to succeed.

“We already have some of the initiatives in the plan underway – like our GoDairy recruitment campaign. The next step will be working with other stakeholders to secure funding for other projects and plan their rollout. We hope to see the government get behind the plan, as the dairy sector is vital to New Zealand’s future.” n

Taupō farm manager Quinn Morgan is a big supporter of the plan and says it is great the sector is working on attracting new people. DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle says the success of dairy is critical for those working in the sector and to New Zealand as a whole.

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To read more about the Great Futures in Dairying plan view the plan at https://www.dairynz.co.nz/

Acing the regs

By Ross Nolly

Massey University offers short courses for farmers looking to understand and comply with new freshwater farm regulations.

Freshwater farm plans are on the horizon, and many farmers and agriculture professionals are realising that furthering their knowledge about how to implement those plans is an essential part of their business.

Massey University has been operating intermediate and advanced Farm

Environment Planning courses for two years. The courses provide students with the detailed knowledge and integrated skills necessary to produce New Zealand industry-standard, farm-scale, freshwater

Farm Environment Plans for dairy, beef and sheep and arable farms.

The intermediate course is delivered through online distance learning and intended to facilitate a flexible learning style. It consists of approximately 100 hours of online study including 50 hours of self-timed learning activities, 48 hours of assessed learning, and approximately 1-2 hours of video conference tutorials and assessment.

The Advanced Farm Environment

Planning course equates to approximately 150 hours of work and is designed for online blended delivery.

Four hours are designed for self-timed access, two hours are scheduled for

Zoom tutorials and 24 hours for “in person” farm engagement visits on dairy, arable and sheep and beef farms. The participants then leave and develop their own freshwater plans.

School of Agriculture and Environment

Associate Professor Lucy Burkitt coordinates and teaches the intermediate and advanced Farm Environment

Planning professional development courses.

The Farm Environment Planning course focuses on teaching students the skills to develop freshwater farm plans.

“Many participants are considering a career change or looking to become more involved in freshwater farm planning. Some realise that they need to upskill in their current role,” Burkitt says.

“Farmers are beginning to attend. Some are fulltime farmers and others also take on consulting work. The recently released Cabinet paper has clarified some of the freshwater issues and requirements, but it’s not totally clear cut.”

Many of the participants are already comfortable with nutrient management. The course also covers the regulations, Te Mana o te Wai in the catchment context, and cultural community values associated with waterways on or near the farm.

The course aims to have the participants in an advantageous position when the freshwater regulations are implemented. While it’s still unclear what the new plans will involve, the courses will be modified when the situation is clarified.

This year a freshwater ecology component has been added to the courses, based on developing information provided by the Ministry for the Environment.

“The intermediate course has a virtual farm tour and the students then produce a farm plan based on it. We’ve put a lot of time and effort into the videos, spatial information and flyovers,” Burkitt says.

“The course focuses heavily on the farm’s natural resources and how they influence the risk of contaminant loss. Many people seem to find this aspect very valuable and have never realised its importance.

“Farmers need to keep ahead of the curve so they’re not blindsided by new regulations and requirements. Knowledge is power, and if they understand what’s going to be required they’ll feel much more comfortable.”

Taranaki farmer Donna Cram recently took the Intermediate Farm Environment Planning Course. She and her husband milk 280 cows on their 117ha Auroa dairy farm.

She is the chair of Taranaki Catchment Communities, on the executive of Taranaki Federated Farmers, and has just been elected to the Taranaki Regional Council.

Cram wanted to gain an understanding about the issues for her farming business and understand their implications, and mitigate their risks surrounding freshwater.

“I also wanted to understand how we could help our farmers understand more about fresh water management and help with solutions. Being the chair of Taranaki Catchment Communities meant that I had to learn about the sheep and beef aspect too,” Cram says.

The course component on the Massey sheep and beef farm gave her a wider understanding of freshwater issues.

“The course was challenging but very worthwhile. The staff are very accessible and always replied promptly to any queries.

“Farmers need an understanding of the critical source points on their farms. They should be aware how they can mitigate these critical effects on waterways outside their farm, and that there are things they can do to improve the waterways for their entire community.” n

School of Agriculture and Environment Associate Professor Lucy Burkitt says farmers need to keep ahead of the curve so they’re not blindsided by new regulations and requirements.