Tuesday, 11 August 2020 10:26

All go for dairy workers

Written by Staff Reporters

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

Jane Muir.

DairyNZ says some of the people who have completed their training programme – GoDairy are already working on dairy farms.

People Team Leader, Jane Muir, says she’s excited at what has happened in just a few weeks since the programme has been running.

Go Dairy is a $3.5million campaign being run by DairyNZ to try and get 1000 local to fill on farm jobs in the industry. It is targeting NZ residents or citizens of all ages who have either lost their jobs due to Covid or think they might or are looking for a new career path.

The programme consists of a 10 hour on-line introductory course followed by a two-week practical course, with a focus on handling farm machines and also how to manage animals. The aim is to make participants ‘farm ready’ and to give them the necessary skills to apply for a farm assistant job on a dairy farm.

Muir says, so far, about 150 people have completed the on-line course and some of these people have already got jobs on dairy farms, such is the demand for staff.

“Employers are saying they really want access to those people who have done farm ready training. They are showing they are open to employing people who are making a career change and clearly value the ‘fit for purpose training’ which we are offering.”

Muir says one of the aims of the GoDairy programme is to show the NZ public that there are good jobs in the dairy industry, and given the interest to date, this has certainly been the case.

More like this

DairyBase and MINDA Link Up to Cut Farmer Paperwork

Farmers can spend less time on paperwork, thanks to a new data sharing agreement between DairyNZ’s DairyBase and LIC’s MINDA software.

Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics

OPINION: In the 1980s, concern was expressed in West Germany about the falling birth rate. Some simple analysis was performed by Professor Helmut Sies, physician and biochemist at Dusseldorf University. His letter ‘A new parameter for sex education’ was published in Nature in 1988:

Six Priorities to Unlock Growth

OPINION: Dairy farmers know better than anyone that change is constant.

Four-Year Trial Confirms Plantain Cuts N Losses 33%

A four year trial has reaffirmed that mixing plantain into dairy pastures can help reduce nitrogen losses to freshwater while maintaining milk production and profitability, say researchers.

Farm Worker Appreciation Day: Thanking NZ's Dairy Teams

OPINION: Today marks Farm Worker Appreciation Day – a day we’re proud to recognise here in New Zealand.

Featured

NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards 2026: Supreme Champions Named

An Auckland gelato shop and an established New Zealand ice cream maker have both been named Supreme Champions at the NZ Ice Cream & Gelato Awards 2026.

Pork Remains Among NZ's Most Affordable Meats: Stats NZ

As the cost-of-living crisis continues to put pressure on household grocery budgets, new figures show pork remains one of the most affordable fresh meat options for New Zealand families.

Editorial: The Value of Credibility

OPINION: In politics, credibility is and should be big. It must surely rank higher than charisma, which is quite trite and superficial. Yet, voters nowadays are often wooed and influenced by how someone looks or talks at a superficial level. TV plays a huge role in this.

DairyBase and MINDA Link Up to Cut Farmer Paperwork

Farmers can spend less time on paperwork, thanks to a new data sharing agreement between DairyNZ’s DairyBase and LIC’s MINDA software.

Kaikōura Families Get School Run Lifeline After Storm

Kaikōura families affected by July's severe storm have found a practical solution to a problem that's kept some children away from regular schooling for weeks: a washed-out section of Inland Kaikōura Road, which has stopped the local school bus from running its usual route.