Dairy Exporter December 2021

Page 89

SOLUTIONS What’s NEW? AG CAREERS

Gen Z to make their mark

F

ood and fibre sector leaders are counting on Generation Z (loosely defined as those born between 1995 and 2010) to take on the future of New Zealand’s food and fibre sector and meet the challenges it faces. The key to attracting Generation Z (Gen Z) to the sector will be making them aware of the scope of opportunities across the sector, says Madison Pannett, the Kellogg Rural Leadership scholar behind the report, Generation Z and the environment – how can we use their passion to attract them into food and fibre sector careers? “I have found my journey into the sector so personally rewarding, so I was keen to explore how to inspire young people to join,” Madison says. She now works for the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) as a senior adviser in the Animal Welfare Liaison team. “From my research, I found that Gen Z mainly associates food and fibre sector careers with roles onfarm and not with the wider opportunities that are available.” She says that sector leaders need to tell the story of the scope of rewarding and diverse roles available for Gen Z to contribute and work in line with their values. Head of Massey University School of Agriculture and Environment at Palmerston North, Paul Kenyon, says Massey has a wide range of study options that cover the spectrum from pre to post the farm gate, encompassing animal health and welfare, and the environment – key interest areas for Gen Z. “What sets us apart is the fact that we have many disciplines together on one site that individually contribute to our agricultural ranking. “Obviously, there is our agricultural programme of study, but we also have horticulture, animal science, agribusiness, environmental science, earth science, ecology, food science, and veterinary science, with all groups working together collaboratively.” Paul notes Massey ranks particularly high in employer reputation, as in what employers think of their graduates. Job prospects are so good for agricultural tertiary students, that they need more students to meet industry demand. “Many of our students have roles confirmed halfway through their last year and the majority have roles confirmed before the end of their last year,” he says. Ben Crane, who was awarded Massey’s 2021 Agriculture Student of the Year, can advocate for Massey’s agricultural programme. Originally from urban Taranaki, Ben had zero experience in agriculture, and his first glimpse into the field stemmed from being part of his school’s trial of the NCEA Agribusiness courses. The driving force for his decision to attend Massey University was the range of industry scholarships available and the job prospects upon graduation. This meant a minimal student loan, and a maximum return on investment for Ben, which has indeed paid off for him as a graduate. Here is his sound advice for school leavers considering their options: “My number one piece of advice for school leavers, or anyone Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | December 2021

wanting to do a degree, who are unsure exactly what to do, is to choose something that is so broad you can work in any sector or business. “As a school leaver, or anyone in fact, you are highly likely to be a different person when you finish your degree. Agribusiness allows you to complete a wide range of papers giving you the ability to pick up an understanding on business and science topics.” Ben was a part of DairyNZ’s scholarship programme during his Ben Crane. degree, which led to the opportunity to be the student representative for the NZ Institute of Primary Industry Management. Recently, he has been awarded the graduate placement for H&T Agronomics where he will begin training to become a qualified forage and crop advisor, following his strong passion for the seeds industry. Another notable Massey University alumnus is Hannah Wood, a food technologist who is now paving the way for NZ’s gelato scene with her award-winning business Little ‘Lato. Hannah, who features on the This Working Life series on Fieldays TV, says she was unsure about what she wanted to do after school, but a representative from Massey University inspired her to study food technology there. “I think food technology was a great platform for learning about different areas [of the sector], and everything you do is going to give you breadth of experience that will help you,” she says. “The ultimate goal would be to bring authentic gelato to New Zealand and get people on the bandwagon!” To check out how other young people are making their way in the food and fibre sector, head to the This Working Life channel on Fieldays TV at fieldaysonline.co.nz and watch on demand. Head to massey.ac.nz to explore their programmes of study.

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Articles inside

The Dairy Exporter in December 1971

3min
pages 90-92

Gen Z to make their mark

4min
page 89

Tracmap unit eases compliance pain

3min
page 88

Never too late to learn

5min
pages 86-87

A beetle to beat the thistle

2min
page 85

Plants waiting to be weeds

2min
page 84

The art of saying no

5min
pages 82-83

Variety from consulting to composting

7min
pages 78-81

Vet Voice: More to it than

4min
pages 74-75

Fast track to management

5min
pages 76-77

Reducing heat stress over summer

2min
page 73

M. Bovis: It had a head start

6min
pages 71-72

Restoring Horowhenua’s waters

6min
pages 65-67

And now, freshwater plans

3min
page 64

Sustainability: Gaining the knowledge

8min
pages 58-61

Open Country: Online tool for FEP

3min
pages 62-63

When will all this end?

5min
pages 54-55

Social media and anti-vax The dirty dozen

6min
pages 56-57

How to handle Covid-19 coming onfarm

3min
pages 50-51

No Jab, No Job in the milking shed

4min
page 48

It’s a health and safety issue

4min
pages 46-47

Dealing with vaccine reluctance

3min
page 49

Taranaki soft core

12min
pages 34-38

When the lights go red

5min
pages 44-45

Prepare for a virus attack

6min
pages 42-43

Ryegrass: Twelve years of torture

6min
pages 39-41

Benchmarking: Measure it to be sure

5min
pages 32-33

Ahuwhenua Trophy: Taking the leap to manager

5min
pages 26-27

Spending the payout: new kit or cutting debt?

8min
pages 14-17

Ahuwhenua Trophy: Quality on the coast

9min
pages 22-25

Frances Coles loves being an ambassador for Kiwi farming

3min
page 10

Future farming will need to give more than profit, writes George Moss

3min
page 12

What a payout, writes John Milne, but what prices

2min
page 13

Market View: Hedging bets on Singapore

3min
pages 20-21

Global Dairy: All change at FrieslandCampina

5min
pages 18-19
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