The three-day courses, put together by training provider WOMOlife, are part of a pilot programme contracted by the New Zealand Shearing Contractors Association (NZSCA) through Kaiaka Wool Training NZ.
Twelve trainees, made up of shearers and wool handlers, attended the first course at Tautane in Tararua, with another 22 at the second one near Taumarunui.
Jedd Houpapa-Barrett, who shears for Mackintosh Shearing out of Taumarunui, couldn’t believe the care and support he experienced and would recommend the course to others.
“It wasn’t just showing us about our work, it was the whole package,” Houpapa-Barrett said.
“They showed us about stretching, eating well, and all the benefits.
“It helped me figure out with this work that I’m a rural athlete. I didn’t realise how many calories I burned when I’m working.
“I was really nervous before the course but I’m really glad I came. It’s given me the tools of the trade to look after my long-term future.”
Finn McColl, who shears for Mark Barrowclough out of Piopio, says he underestimated beforehand just how beneficial the course would be.
“I’ve been blown away with the quality of the training,” McColl said.
“Everyone’s done shearing courses and stuff like that but these guys, they really work with you.
“They’re not telling you to change your style too much. They’re working with you and helping you to adapt to the challenges in the industry.”
McColl says those on the course were provided with the tools to be well-rounded members of the wool harvesting industry.
That includes everything from learning how and why to warm up properly, to shearing patterns and gear, to the importance of looking after your mental state.
“It all goes hand in hand. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” he said.
“Each of those little parts is great to have but when you add them together, it’s going to help people enjoy their work and they’ll be in the industry longer, which is crucial for an industry like this. It’s a tough industry but it’s a proud one as well.
“People who are doing it want to be doing it for a long time and these guys are giving us the tools to do that.
“It’s been really relaxed and that’s allowed everyone to really open up and ask questions when they want to and break down their issues and work on them to fix them and come right.”
Finn McColl appreciated the wide range of information the course provided.
McColl recommends the course to others in the industry who want to upskill.
“If you can get a spot, jump in and grab it. It’s worth every minute. I sort of came in expecting a certain level of training but there’s so much more to it,” he said.
Wool handler Chalet Bidois, who also works for Barrowclough, says she found the course eye-opening, not only because of what she learned about movement and health, but how that was conveyed by the trainers.
“It’s easy for everybody to understand. They make it simple. It’s a totally practical environment where you can learn and engage and observe, like you can do all kinds of learning,” Bidois said.
“We’ve learned so many different tips and tricks (from the trainers). It’s made our jobs a lot easier and will help us keep our bodies well.
“The old school idea was that pain’s a part of your job but it doesn’t have to be that way, which is what WOMO really pushes – look after your body, eat well, sleep.
“A lot of the lessons we’ve learned aren’t just for the wool shed, it’s applicable outside of work as well.
“I couldn’t push this course enough to others. I want all our rousies to go on it.
“It teaches you things that will help make your career last longer.”
One of the head trainers Carmen Smith says the concept behind the course involves looking at both body and mind.
“What you put into it and what you get out of it,” Smith said.
She says the approach of sharing knowledge and encouraging engagement will work for people who may not have been comfortable at school.
“We try to be inclusive. We’re not up there lecturing, we just want to be relatable, to get across that people can ask questions,” she said.
“The shy ones can be a bit stand-offish if we’re up there teaching them like we’re school teachers.”
The in-shed training is reinforced through trainees having access to online content, which includes a series of short videos they can access through their phones after they return to work.
Smith says the trainers have been pleased with the way the first two course intakes have responded to the programme of learning.
“We’re just trying a different approach. I often say it’s a holistic approach – mind, body and soul,” she said.
“It’s about making them think, it’s not only about working hard.
“As trainers we just love the different approach.
“We get quite emotionally invested in them (trainees). We care about them. We want to see them do well.”
