YOUR LEVY AT WORK
ATTRACTING THE NEXT GENERATION Words by Anne Hardie “It’s necessary with the growth in the industry, and without those positions in place there will be issues with the ageing workforce.”
Steve Thomas with kiwifruit supervisor Aaron Finlay
The one thing that can’t be taught to employees is attitude, so it’s the main criterion for selecting staff for training at Thomas Brothers Orchard near Motueka. The intergenerational orchard lies at the base of the Takaka Hill where Thomas Brothers runs a diverse operation encompassing 70ha of kiwifruit, 70ha of apples, 2ha of cherries, packhouses and coolstores. Through the apple and kiwifruit harvests they employ up to 330 people and even in winter there’s 120 staff including permanent, semi-permanent and RSE (Recognised Seasonal Employer) scheme workers. To date the orchard has sourced staff, especially for seasonal work, from those who turn up at the gate or have heard through word of mouth that jobs are available. Longterm staff are often picked up from the intakes around thinning each year, fresh to the industry and looking for a basic job in between long-term jobs. Those that stay are the ones that begin taking an interest in the work and asking questions. If they have the right attitude, they will be given permanent roles and get in-house training. It’s generally worked and staff turnover is low, but Steve Thomas has always wanted to work with schools more to attract school leavers into the industry as a career. He has visited the local high school in the past to talk to horticulture classes about the industry, and though there has been interest, more was needed to link their aspirations and needs with a clear career pathway. Now Horticulture New Zealand has career progression managers in the regions to do just that, and Steve says that provides the missing link between schools and industry. 14
NZGROWER : AUGUST 2020
In the Nelson-Tasman region, career progression manager Robyn Patterson says schools have been overwhelmingly positive about connecting with the industry now there are designated coordinators, and they want to include external learning in their courses. She says schools and students are starting to realise that the horticulture industry is not just about picking apples and is not just a subject for easy credits at school. It offers a multitude of career opportunities that can revolve around technology, marketing and research as well as trade jobs. Connecting with the schools and students, coordinators can then point them in the direction of the GoHorticulture website which provides information about careers and training as well as profiles of young people working in horticulture and jobs on offer. On the orchard, Steve hopes it leads to more young people seeking a career, knowing they can join the apprenticeship programme and get in-house training to help them progress up the career ladder. “Staff are the absolute critical factor and your key staff need to be trained and trustworthy,” he says. “It’s attitude we look for from the beginning because it’s the one thing that can’t be taught.” Those with the right attitude are encouraged into the apprenticeship programme and further in-house training into roles in quality control and as orchard supervisors. This year they have five staff enrolled with the Primary ITO horticulture apprenticeship programme. The business pays students for the time they spend at class which is a couple of hours per month, plus half the course fee, with the remainder paid once the student passes the course.
Staff are the absolute critical factor and your key staff need to be trained and trustworthy,” Steve says Though they have a low staff turnover, Steve says it is critical to do the work now to attract the next generation into the industry with its ageing workforce. For that reason, the business will be staying connected with the school initiative to provide real experiences with horticulture to encourage students to view it as a potential career.
