Farm internship programme is changing lives
“What we are achieving gives me goosebumps.’’
That is the response of Whangarei Agricultural and Pastoral Society chief executive Chris Mason to the early success of the Society’s Farm Intern Programme.
She said the programme was changing people’s lives, and seeing happy interns and farmers was extremely gratifying.
The first graduates completed one year of the course and attended a graduation ceremony on December 10.
“Seeing the beaming smiles of the graduating interns made it all very worthwhile,’’ she said.
In a modern twist on the old farm cadet scheme, the new live-in, on-farm training initiative aims to grow future farmers on the job.
The programme, set up in response to the shortage of skilled workers in the farming industry, has allowed trainees to stay in Northland when they would usually have had to leave the region to pursue training opportunities.
The A&P Society has established the programme with funding support from the Provincial Growth Fund for the administration for the first four years.
The aim is for graduates of the two-year training scheme to come out with Level 3 and 4 New Zealand Certificate in Agriculture, as well as practical experience and life skills to allow them to
hit the ground running in the industry.
Mason said more than 20 people have applied for the 2021 intake, and a second tutor has been hired to handle tutoring interns in a second cohort in the Far North.
“With a Far North and Whangarei cohort, we can now support trainees from Kaitaia to as far south as Kumeu more easily,’’ she said.
Peter Currie, an experienced farmer and Far North local has been engaged by Land Based Training to run the Far North cohort.
Of the 14 enrolments last year, five withdrew for various reasons from health to incompatibility to leaving the region for fulltime work. The remaining nine have either already graduated or plan to finish the course this year.
“Life hands out some curve balls sometimes which made it hard for some interns to complete
Crutching is one of the jobs tackled by interns. Here Hannah Parsons gets down to business.
All the farm interns are fully trained in chainsaw safety. the programme last year, but for a first year programme, we are pleased with how it went.’’
Mason said pastoral care was an important part of the programme as many interns were straight out of school and having to adjust to a new way of life staying with the farmer’s family and working non-school hours.
“Sometimes we moved interns a couple of times to get the best match.’’
Initially the programme offered no pay in the first year, with the interns eligible for study funding. Normal wages start in the second year once the intern had gained some skills and confidence and is employed under a normal employment contract.
“However, we have decided to change this model as we found that the study allowance did not cater for interns under 18 and older interns were reluctant to go into debt so none took up the funding. Some of the farmers were also more than happy to start paying their interns as they were so happy with their progress.
“We also found some interns did not need to
be accommodated on the farm and preferred to commute which suits some of the host farmers as well.
“As a result, the Farm Intern Programme is much more flexible.’’
A new payment module has been set up on an increasing scale to reflect the value of the interns as they become more competent. By the end of the first year, the intern is expected to be moved into fully paid employment.
“In effect, they have worked themselves into a fulltime job, and many will continue to work on the same farms.’’
Mason said she was proud of the results achieved so far “particularly that we can offer such an individualized and flexible programme”.
More farmers are lined up to take the next batch of interns with an equal mix of dairy, and sheep and beef.
“We have strong interest from new interns and we would always welcome more farmers who might be interested in joining the programme.”