Education Minister Chris Hipkins has confirmed the Ministry for Primary Industries and the Ministry of Social Development are considering funding DairyNZ to develop and deliver three-week industry familiarisation programmes at the Wairarapa facility.
The future of the campus has been in limbo since the Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre was put in liquidation in December 2018.
Hipkins says an imminent return to permanent long-term vocational training is unlikely.
He confirmed funding is also being considered for shorter three-day taster courses, courses at both Taratahi and the Southland Institute of Technology (SIT) administered Telford campus in south Otago.
Hipkins says the short courses are designed to provide people considering a shift into the primary industries with a look and feel of the sector.
The Institute of Skills and Technology is working with the Primary ITO and the MPI to consider options to deliver a range of short courses over the next six months at Taratahi to support people back into employment and deliver the skills needed by the sector.
Government officials are still investigating the longer-term future of Taratahi.
“MPI and the Tertiary Education Commission have continued to engage with the Taratahi liquidators and education providers about a return of training on the Taratahi Home Farm.
“However, given liquidation proceedings are continuing there a number of issues that must be resolved before any long-term sustainable training can be established.”
The Wairarapa community has been trying since Taratahi went into liquidation to resurrect it as a training centre.
Wairarapa Primary Skills Leadership Group chairman Andrew Freeman says there is still a desire from the sector for training to resume at Taratahi but there are issues over the future of the centre’s assets.
“It appears to be stuck in limbo,” he says.
“There is still a desire for a solution and farmers hope a mark two Taratahi will be born.
“It is still a key part of what we need.”
Freeman says a resurrected Taratahi will be an anchor for the local primary sector community but any training will have to adjust to the sector’s current and future needs such as preparing farmers to use new technology.
The Telford campus has 102 equivalent full time students enrolled this year, up from 48 last year.
The low enrolment last year was clouded by the centre’s uncertain future at the time.
A SIT spokeswoman says Telford students were sent home for the lockdown and have been studying online.
SIT has amended or introduced new courses at the campus to cater for agricultural contractors, more equine programmes, an online apiculture course and wool grading in conjunction with the industry.
It is seeking approval for a new applied agribusiness management degree.
