Friday, March 29, 2024

Earning while learning

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Nicholas Bailey, Hawke’s Bay-Wairarapa Dairy Trainee of the Year, says growing up next to a dairy farm was the next best thing to being on one.
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Weekends and holidays spent working on the neighbour’s farm got him hooked on the industry and eventually led to his first full-time farm assistant role when he left school.

After a year in that role he landed a 2IC role working for contract milker Robert Hartley. He is in charge of the day-to-day running of the 330 hectare farm and has two staff who report to him. At peak they milk 950 cows but because of the poor summer they are currently milking 800.

Nicholas, 21, says he entered the awards to test himself and see where he was at, and to gain some experience with interviews and meet some new people.

“I saw it as a stepping stone,” he says.

“My long-term goal is farm equity or ownership, and stepping stones along the way are contract milking, farm managing and progressing up through that way.”

Getting feedback from judges was invaluable for Nicholas, who is keen to take on advice to expand his skill set and help set up his career.

Nicholas says his boss, Robert, was very supportive of him entering the awards.

“He’s great to go to when you have questions and always keen to help me learn.”

Nicholas is an active member and vice-chairman of the South Wairarapa Young Farmers club and vice-chairman of the East Coast region, and says Young Farmers has been a great way to meet other people in the industry and up-skill through practical days.

He completed his Level 4 in Dairy through AgITO last season and is considering doing a diploma in agribusiness management and “earning while learning” to advance his career. Second place in the trainee competition went to 19-year-old Carterton herd manager Ben Bosch, while Pahiatua farm assistant, Logan Mott was third.

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