The Cambridge-based business is now offering two-day ATV, two-wheel and side-by-side vehicle courses alongside their existing tractor training programme through its company Ag Drive.
The programme continues to attract people looking for a career change either through loss of employment because of covid, through MSD referrals or because they want to work in agriculture.
The group is made up of several businesses, including agricultural contracting. It established the training last year after it became clear there would be a farm machinery worker shortage in New Zealand because of covid-19-induced international border closures.
Last month, Ag Drive signed a contract with education provider Primary ITO. This meant Primary ITO will send its students to Ag Drive as completion of the courses counted as unit standards for the students’ qualification.
Ag Drive managing director Andre Syben says the farming industry will continue to need staff because it is highly unlikely borders will be reopened and foreign workers will be allowed back in.
“We need to make sure that people in the primary industries are well trained and that they continue their training. We’re going to have to look after the people we have got and upskill them,” Syben said.
“A lot has been happening. We’ve trained 150 people since we started since our tractor driving course and about half have been placed in employment.”
Last month, the company won two awards at the Waipa Network Business Awards – the Excellence in New/Emerging Business award and the Innovation and Adaptation award.
“I’m pretty proud of what we’ve won. The business awards are judged by Waikato University Business School and the comments from the judges, that meant more to me than winning the award itself,” he said.
Syben says the success of the training courses surprised him.
“I didn’t think this was going to be a long-term proposition. We did it to keep our existing staff employed because they couldn’t travel. There’s strong demand there for training,” he said.
The company is close to completing an indoor assessment course for motorbikes, side-by-side vehicles and ATVs.
The course, in a converted warehouse, will have common hazards a driver could face such as a cattlestop, a bank near a waterway, angled slopes and different surfaces such as sand, riverstone and gravel.
“These people coming in from Primary ITO are not new to motorbikes. It’s to assess their capability and do the required unit standards,” he said
These new courses are due to start on May 20.
The 10-day tractor driving course is continuing, with the entire course, including classwork, driver simulation and field instruction conducted at its Matangi base.
An additional five-day tractor training course has been added for Primary ITO students, which will count for their unit standards. This course will begin on May 10.
He believes there are other training options he could still explore around other farm skills, such as fencing once the current expansion is complete.
