“I grew up in the industry,” he says. “My grandfather got our family started in the industry 50 years ago by building one of the first meat chicken sheds in Taranaki.
“My father, Terry Paul, took over the business in 1982 and I started working on the farm part-time while completing an IT qualification. After nine months in the UK I started full-time work six years ago.”
Now as farm manager he is responsible for every aspect of running a meat chicken farm.
“We raise 135,000 birds in each batch, doing about 6.5 batches per year. My brother-in-law, Stephen Wolfe, assists me with this job.”
Paul was the 2014 top-performing trainee in the National Certificate in Poultry Husbandry Certificate course (level 3). Its standards and qualifications are developed by the poultry industry and the Primary ITO.
The one-year, level 3 course is for people in or heading for supervisory or management jobs. It comprises a mix of on-the-job training, written assessments and attendance at a block course.
“A highly skilled and knowledgeable workforce is vital for the growth and profitability of the industry,” says Michael Brooks, of the Poultry Industry Association of New Zealand (PIANZ). “This award reflects our commitment to training and education. The poultry sector has more personnel with PrimaryITO qualifications than any other agricultural sector.”
As part of his award, Paul was flown from New Plymouth to Auckland to meet the PIANZ Board and attend a lunch as guest of honour.
He says he found the experience of studying and training for the certificate interesting. “I got to learn more about other areas of the industry I wouldn’t normally be involved in during the day-to-day running of the farm. On the block course I also got to meet others involved in various roles apart from meat chicken growing.”
Tanya Ingram, Paul’s course coordinator at PrimaryITO, says he was a “quiet achiever”. “He completed the on-farm component of the course with commitment. He is a valued member of the local Tegel team and his stockmanship and overall ability on-farm is evident.”
Paul’s farm recently built a 2300m2 shed.
