That’s an increase of close to 1000 on dairy trainee numbers two years before, when numbers were at 4448.
Primary ITO, now encompassing the former Agriculture ITO along with horticulture, water, equine, sports turf and food processing, trains more than 20,000 people each year.
The numbers are fairly evenly split when it comes to which levels trainees are working at until level five when a significant drop-off occurs. That higher level is now a prime focus.
Primary ITO chief executive Kevin Bryant said the organisation is working with DairyNZ to educate more managers in an industry that needs 1000 people a year qualified at an agribusiness diploma level although the current graduation rate is about 150 a year.
“Currently we have 700 people involved in training in that area so the curve is coming up and completion rates are continuing to go up because we are changing some of the delivery options to make training more available to you,” Bryant told DairyNZ’s Farmers’ Forum.
Wintec and Dairy Training are also involved in the project to boost numbers enrolled in the National Diploma in Agribusiness Management which is made up of five professional development modules:
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Business and Finance
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Taxation and investment
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Ownership and Risk
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Resource Management and Planning
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Human Resource Management
Bryant, who is soon to stand down after 15 years with the organisation, said 2015 will also have new-look programmes based on a review of qualifications and new approaches to delivery that are more responsive and allow easier access to courses.
He urged farmer employers to make the most of “a good deal” from the ITO which was making a significant investment with $1.5 million from DairyNZ, $10m directly from government and $3m from other sources.
Asked by the audience at DairyNZ’s Farmers’ Forum if ITO courses could use school facilities to cut travel from farms, Bryant said the ITO had looked at using primary and secondary schools but there was “a capability issue”.
On mentoring, he said the ITO had 200 mentors around the country encouraging young people in their learning and this was not enough for the number of students.
