Attracting the next generation

Steve Thomas (left) 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.

By Anne Hardie

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. “It’s necessary with the growth in the industry, and without those positions in place there will be issues with the ageing workforce.” 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.

It offers a multitude of career opportunities that can revolve around technology, marketing and research as well as trade jobs

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. Steve says the programme prompts apprentices to ask questions about the orchards, such as about soil pH (acidity/alkalinity) or biocontrols, and that not only improves the apprentice’s knowledge but also gets a discussion going that others can learn from as well. “It means there’s more brains working on the one goal. And I learn too.”

Most of their supervisors on the apples and kiwifruit orchards have been through the apprenticeship programme or had some form of training, and Steve says they are finding the need for more in-house training as the business and industry continue to evolve. “Five or six years ago I would supervise the kiwifruit, and now we’ve got two supervisors focused solely on quality, and the same thing is happening in the apple division and around the packhouse.” Last year they instigated a day course for their supervisors before thinning to go over changes in technology and how to get the best out of their staff. “We’d usually done that on the wing, but this time we designated a day for eight to ten in a group and that worked well.”

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.

REX 4. THE SPECIALIZED REDEFINED.

LANDINI REX 4. TOP OF THE CLASS FOR PERFORMANCE, COMFORT AND DESIGN.

The idea was to combine performance and extraordinary ease of handling with automotive-grade operator comfort, ergonomics and safety standards plus stunning design as an added value. The result? The new Rex 4 Series. A well thought-out range of innovative specialist machines featuring two or four wheel drive, cab or platform and leading-edge, efficient, reliable 70 to 112 HP engines. Different types of transmission, reverse shuttle, PTO, axles and suspensions provide the ideal configuration for every job. Landini Rex 4 Series sets a new benchmark for this category of tractors.

Distributed by