Friday, March 29, 2024

Quiet and capable

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A farm apprenticeship course now a year old is starting to have an influence on getting more Kiwis in jobs on dairy farms.
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Tirau farm apprentice Kadience Ruakere-Forbes is among the first year’s intake under the Federated Farmers’ Apprenticeship Dairy Programme, a pilot programme supported by PrimaryITO, the federation and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. 

The scheme kicked off last year amid concerns over the lack of New Zealanders seeking dairy careers.

Ruakere-Forbes is one of 62 apprentices in the programme so far and is confident the programme will set him well on his intended path to becoming a farm manager. 

He works for former Waikato sharemilker of the year Bas Nelis on his 500-cow Tirau property.

It is the Reporoa-born worker’s first season on the farm but fifth season dairying. He is looking forward to ultimately completing his level 4 dairying papers this year.

“The apprenticeship course is good. It runs over the long term so you are not bombarded all at once and there is a lot of support from training advisers through your time on farm,” he said.

He appreciates the open approach taken by apprenticeship organisers to considering other courses to incorporate into training along the way.

“You could suggest something like a welding course, for example, which I am interested in and Bas and I have also suggested they include an AI course for apprentices to do if they choose.”

Nelis said Kadience came into the apprenticeship programme after starting work with him and he sees similarities to the farm cadet scheme he grew up with.

“The apprenticeship scheme helps them set a few more goals and also goals for you as an employer working with them to help them develop. That does not always happen and they cannot upskill unless you work with them.”

He also appreciates the focus on trying to get more New Zealanders onto farms.

“I think we would all prefer to employ Kiwis but the difficulty has often been finding them.”

Kadience is going well in his first year on the farm as a quiet and capable worker with plenty of potential, he said.

“We have six staff members and we like to look after them all and see them do well.”

Federated Farmers dairy chairman Chris Lewis said interest in the apprenticeship programme does not guarantee a place on it, either for staff or employees.

“There is an accreditation process you have to go through. As an employer you have to prove you will be keeping best practice, including an accurate hours roster and good housing and work conditions.

“And to be fair, not all those that apply to be apprentices are the most suitable candidates.”

So far organisers have 180 eligible expressions of interest from potential apprentices and 193 employer expressions of interest with 98 completing farm charters to enable them to enter the programme.

Most of those already on the programme are from traditional dairying areas of Taranaki and Waikato with those regions accounting for almost half the apprentices enrolled.

“We are seeing where we need to have more resources to engage with farmers about the programme. For example, we have no one on it in Bay of Plenty.

“So the next step from here is to look at some funding to get some staff on the road who can visit farmers, sit around the kitchen table and explain the programme. This is what takes the time and money but has to be done.”

Applications have been made through the Regional Development Fund to finance those resources.

Lewis said there has been considerable interest from people in their mid to late 20s who are at a stage where they might have a young family and are just realising how difficult it is to secure and afford a home, even to rent.

“For them, farming holds the appeal of having a home and offering a great career pathway while they enjoy their family as well.”

He also hopes having some field staff will enable stronger relationships to be developed with iwi wanting to have young tribal members upskilled to work on Maori dairy units.

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