Support for grain industry workers
Workersjoining the grains industry for this season’s harvest will benefit from online training designed to bring them ‘up to speed with necessary skills and knowledge’.
Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes announced $175,000 from the Agriculture Workforce Plan would go towards the Grains Industry Skills Development and Induction Program, to be developed by Grain Producers Australia.
She said the training focused on creating a safe and efficient workforce as peak harvest season arrived, given the availability of regular seasonal workers from overseas and interstate had been affected by border restrictions to slow the spread of coronavirus.
“These new training courses will prepare workers by giving them the knowledge to safely and quickly transition into a role in the grains industry,” she said.
“Grains workplaces are highly technical and workers need to have the best possible training to be kept safe and to make sure the important harvest work can be done.”
Ms Symes said new workers would complete comprehensive online courses covering farm safety, new hygiene and distancing practices and a thorough induction of what to expect during harvest.
She said this included understanding the main aspects of grain harvesting such as the operation of harvesters and chaser bins, grain handling and grain transportation.
An important part of the training will lay out for farm managers and centres how to effectively induct employees and how to provide a safe work environment.
There will also be a section to support existing workers to get up to speed on best-practice farm safety.
The online training will be provided to Victorian businesses free of charge.
Grain Producers Australia chairman and Rupanyup farmer Andrew Weidemann welcomed the funding.
“We thank the Victorian government for this support for our online training program, which will give workers and employers the tools they need to create a safe, well-trained workforce for this harvest season and into the future,” he said.
The Agriculture Workforce Plan is also supporting other industry-led training programs including the Dairy Passport and Horticulture Farm Worker Induction Program.
In addition to targeted skills development, the plan is supporting businesses in key agriculture and food processing industries through adaptation grants, job matching, worker accommodation and relocation support and measures to help Victorian producers connect into new markets.
People can visit www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/ agworkforceplan for more information about the Agriculture Workforce Plan.
HELPING HAND: Sarah Netherway helps out on her family’s dairy farm at Quantong. The Netherways are busy keeping track of about 250 calves up to two months’ old. The calves are mostly replacement friesian dairy cattle. Picture: PAUL CARRACHER