Recently the Tertiary Education Commission said it wanted to invest more money into primary sector training because there were plenty of jobs.
The primary sector continues to struggle to find staff and this week the Government announced an extension to the Recognised Seasonal Employer Scheme allowing another 1000 foreigners to work on the coming harvest.
But, incongruously, primary sector training is in upheaval with several high-profile providers responsible for training about 1000 young people, exiting the industry, others looking for a new provider and, in the case of Lincoln University, making 51 staff redundant to balance its books.
It is a scenario that defies logic but, above all, should be of huge concern. Understandably Lincoln Telford Division is exiting off-campus training having been burnt by third parties not teaching the hours for which they were paid.
Reputable training providers such as Primary ITO and Taratahi have been untouched by this upheaval. But as we saw when training of wool harvesting became fragmented, the quality of skills taught became mixed and inconsistent to the point where the shearing industry stepped in and took over training.
What this highlights is the need for a centralised, concerted structure to promote primary sector careers supported by a consistent, reputable and sustainable training system such as trade apprenticeships.
The Ministry for Primary Industry has forecast the wider sector will need between 20,000 and 50,000 extra staff by 2025 depending on sector growth.
Efforts to attract workers have so far been piecemeal with different sectors or groups doing their own thing and all struggling to attract sufficient numbers.
The reality is that much of our future workforce will come from urban backgrounds with enthusiasm but little or no institutional knowledge and they will need training.
The primary sector is becoming more complex and technical which heightens the need for ongoing training and, we would argue, for an industry-wide structure that ensures they have the right skills.
