Harvest a prime opportunity
Claire Burke will look to take advantage of harvest employment opportunities in the Wimmera to financially support herself through her university degree.
Ms Burke, 20, comes back to Horsham twice a year for a study break from her bachelor of primary education at Ballarat and is always looking for casual work openings.
She will be among many people in the Wimmera seeking casual harvest work later in the year.
Major grain handlers Viterra and Graincorp are expecting higher than average grain production this harvest – and an even greater volume of harvest casual applicants.
Viterra at Dooen received 300 applications last harvest and is expecting that number to swell this year with the COVID-19 pandemic causing uncertainty and job losses across the state.
Graincorp intends to employ more than 3000 harvest casuals across Australia, including 900 in Victoria.
Graincorp’s recruiting drive is based on Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences data which forecasts 2020-21 crop production will be above the 11 percent 10-year average to 2019-20.
Ms Burke said it was a ‘massive relief’ to be able to save money to support herself while she was studying.
“Having a good harvest and heaps of work throughout the summer allows me to not have to work as much, if at all, during my uni year, so I can focus more on my studies,” she said.
“It also means I don’t have to rely on my parents, and I can support myself through my degree.”
Ms Burke started harvest jobs at 16 and has been helping at Viterra ever since.
“I heard a lot of people around my age at the time saying to do a harvest job because it’s really good money,” she said.
“I feel really blessed to have been able to get work every year.
“I’m not from a farming background, but it’s good to gain the new skills.”
Viterra operations manager Adam Carter said Viterra would focus on employing people from across the region.
“We really rely on local and returning employees – we’re probably looking to employ 40 to 50 casuals depending on how the winter rains go,” he said.
“In the past couple of years, we had backpackers come on-site to help out.
But with COVID-19, it will be hard to get those people.”
Mr Carter said the company was expecting a ‘bigger than average’ volume of applicants due to COVID-19.
“With the current environment with employment, we’re expecting big numbers,” he said.
“Last year we had in excess of 300 online applications – we anticipate we’ll get that and beyond.”
Both Graincorp and Viterra will offer casual positions to operate weighbridges and sample stands at receival sites, as well as hopper attendant and grain handler positions.
“You’ve got to do a medical exam prior to getting the job position, but there’s no real skills required for a fair few job descriptions,” Mr Carter said.
“But if they’ve got their licences, tickets for forklifts or front-end loaders and things like that, it is an advantage.”
Viterra applications went online on July 13 and Graincorp, July 1.
Ms Burke said this winter break she found work at Wimmera Health Care Group to meet demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s just really nice to know that I’m helping out and contributing to our local industry and filling that demand as well as doing my little bit to help out with the health care group as well,” she said.
“I’ve been lucky enough to pick up work as a junior to help hand out dinners to patients in the hospital.”