Monday, 01 October 2018 15:12

Aucklanders lead dairy apprenticeship intake

Written by 
Aucklanders are looking to dairy as a career option, but more are still needed. Aucklanders are looking to dairy as a career option, but more are still needed.

One in five of all people wanting to take up a dairy apprenticeship is coming from Auckland.

Primary ITO chief executive Linda Sissons says many more will be needed where they came from.

Primary ITO (industry training organisation) and Federated Farmers are celebrating the first year of the joint Federated Farmers Apprenticeship Dairy.

So far around 240 people have registered their interest in becoming a dairy apprentice – with over 40 of them from Auckland.

“It’s a good signal that dairying is a great career and starting out as an apprentice puts you on a premium pathway to leadership and even farm ownership,” says Sissons.

The dairy farming industry needs an estimated 17,000 new workers by 2025, and Sissons says with over 85% of New Zealanders living in urban areas, employers will be looking to the cities.

“We’re really pleased to see that Aucklanders are interested in learning to be dairy farmers. When we launched the apprenticeship programme with Federated Farmers, we wanted to encourage smart, innovative and ambitious people on to farms. One year in, it’s great that people around New Zealand are seeing the benefits of a dairy apprenticeship.

“The benefits of a dairy farming career in the regions, like affordable living and short commutes, are obvious and there are real benefits to the regions too from people joining their communities.”

At this stage, around 60 people have started apprenticeships, with the majority in Taranaki and Waikato.

“The industry needs more people and we’re committed to helping,” says Sissons.

 “We’re working closely with Federated Farmers to identify potential apprentices and match them with the best employers. It’s a great opportunity to earn while you learn with Federated Farmers members investing in your development.” 

The one-year anniversary of the Federated Farmers Apprenticeship Dairy is being celebrated in Stratford tomorrow, with Minister of Employment Willie Jackson and Federated Farmers Dairy chair Chris Lewis. 

Sissons says it’s particularly appropriate to have the function in Taranaki, where 18 apprentices have already started. 

“It’s great that we can celebrate getting dairy apprentices on to farms in one of our dairy heartlands. Federated Farmers and Primary ITO are also seeking more funding from the Provincial Growth Fund for relationship managers to work with apprentices and employers in provincial areas. We believe this will be of real assistance to regions like Taranaki.” 

More like this

Shearing and wool courses

New ‘micro-credentials’ in wool harvesting will help meet a critical need to train shearers and wool handlers, claims Primary ITO chief executive Linda Sissons.

Featured

LIC Space folds for good

Farmer co-operative LIC has closed its satellite-backed pasture measurement platform – Space.

Editorial: Time for common sense

OPINION: The case of four Canterbury high country stations facing costly and complex consent hearing processes highlights the dilemma facing the farming sector as the country transitions into a replacement for the Resource Management Act (RMA).

National

DairyNZ Farmers Forum underway

Over 300 farmers and rural professionals have gathered in Hamilton for the first DairyNZ Farmers Forum for this year.

Machinery & Products

Shearing legend hooked on CanAm

Sir David Fagan, world-renowned competitive sheep shearer with 642 shearing titles worldwide and a knighthood to his name, now runs…

50 years of tractor pull

This year, the Fieldays Tractor Pull, in association with PTS Logistics, mark a major milestone – 50 years of crowd-thrilling…

The Wrangler's birthday bash

It's the Wrangler Limited’s 30th birthday and to celebrate the milestone a prototype of the E Series Wrangler - a…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Free speech

OPINION: The Free Speech Union is taking this one too far.

Drug survey

OPINION: New national data from The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA), a leading workplace drug tester, shows methamphetamine (meth) use is…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter