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News

13 Dec 2021

Teachers introduced to primary sector

8 Dec 2021

Teachers learn firsthand about careers in food and fibre

29 Jul 2021

Careers and Education Hub: Consider a career in the food and fibre sector

30 Jun 2021

Leadership & Understanding Each Other

21 Jun 2021

Careers and Education Hub broadening horizons at Fieldays 2021

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Original story from <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.fieldays.co.nz/careers-and-education-hub-broadening-horizons-at-fieldays-2021/" target="_blank">Fieldays</a>
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The age-old question: What do you want to be when you grow up? If you’re not sure, a good place to visit is the Fieldays Careers and Education Hub.
Hosted by GrowingNZ and supported by Inspiring the Future, the Fieldays Careers and Education Hub is a fun and interactive zone for school students to learn and be inspired by the wealth of opportunities available in the food and fibre sectors. It’s also open to anyone who is curious about the career and training options available, so everyone is bound to leave learning something new or feeling inspired.
A new introduction to the Hub this year is the mystery panel event run by Inspiring the Future. Students can play ‘guess who’ to figure out the careers of four mystery role models in the food and fibre sector. The event provides an engaging way for students to learn about new career pathways and breaks down barriers of prejudice about what people have to look like to work in a particular role. In Thursday’s afternoon session, Kaipaki School students asked questions like, “do you save people?”, “do you work in the countryside?”, and “do you work from home?”
Then, the mystery panel reveal their job titles, presenting a diverse mix of food and fibre roles which often the students haven’t been exposed to before their visit to the Hub. The role models share their career journeys with the students and sit down with them in groups to chat and answer any questions they may have.
Promoted by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), Inspiring the Future is a programme backed by New Zealand research, Drawing the Future, which reveals robust evidence on children’s career aspirations. The TEC received over 7,700 drawings in just a few weeks from primary and intermediate school-level children, of what they wanted to be when they were older. The findings from this research led to the creation of a four-hour programme that is now run at schools and has been condensed into a 45-minute slot to run at the Fieldays Career and Education Hub.
Andrea Howey, Senior Marketing Advisor at the TEC, says the research shows that currently, children’s career aspirations are shaped by people they know.
“Less than 1% of young people aspired to a role as a result of spending time with a volunteer from the world of work. Nobody can be what they can’t see. That’s why we need New Zealanders from every walk of life participating in events like these.”
Together with GrowingNZ, Inspiring the Future aims to widen children’s awareness of the broad range of career and study options on offer and reduce future skills gaps in the food and fibre sector along the way.
Michelle Glogau, CEO of the Primary Industry Capability Alliance (GrowingNZ) says we have a critical workforce shortage and need a diverse range of talented people to join our sector. This is both in the short term and longer term – it’s been calculated that we need 50,000 more workers by 2025.
“New Zealand’s food and fibre sector needs talented people with skills in science, business and engineering to help us grow food, wood and wool, better and smarter.
Michelle says that introducing children to role models in food and fibre sector careers in a fun and interactive environment is the futureproofing we need to do now to support the sector. GrowingNZ andInspiring the Future need role models on board to share their story and inspire the next generation. If you can spare a few hours of your time to broaden the career aspirations of New Zealand children, you can sign up at <a href="https://www.inspiringthefuture.org.nz">inspiringthefuture.org.nz</a>.
“The conversations we’ve had with children, teachers, and parents at Fieldays has shown that there is a real appetite for this. We need more businesses on board to help us sow the seed and widen children’s career aspirations and strengthen the resilience of our sector.
“You might not think of yourself as a role model, but if you love what you do and you want to give back, we encourage you to sign up. Also, seeing your career from a child’s perspective can be refreshing and it’s nice for the volunteers to reflect on their own jobs.”
Drawing the Future food and fibre sector-related findings:
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<li>Less than 0.1% of children aspired to work in the forestry industry</li>
<li>Less than 0.1% of children drew themselves in a specific horticulture job</li>
<li>Only 1.6% of children from urban schools aspired to be farmers, compared to 7.3% from rural schools</li>
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Original story from <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.fieldays.co.nz/careers-and-education-hub-broadening-horizons-at-fieldays-2021/" target="_blank">Fieldays</a>
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Original story from Fieldays

The age-old question: What do you want to be when you grow up? If you’re not sure, a good place to visit is the Fieldays…

18 Jun 2021

Government agri-industry service encourages more rangatahi to join food and fibre sector

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Original story and video at <a href="https://www.teaomaori.news/government-agri-industry-service-encourages-more-rangatahi-join-food-and-fibre-sector">Te Ao Māori News</a>
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The Careers and Education Hub at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fieldays.co.nz/">Mystery Creek Fieldays</a>&nbsp;in Hamilton was started in 2016 and is dedicated to showcasing careers in the primary industries in a fun, interactive and engaging way, with a focus on rangatahi.
GrowingNZ&nbsp;is hosting the hub and its vision this year&nbsp;is to inspire a new generation that will build New Zealand’s economy through both traditional and newly evolved careers in the sector. GrowingNZ's Deborah Lynch says that they have many initiatives in which they encourage rangatahi to get involved in the industry.
“Our mission is to essentially inspire the next generation of people to come and work in the food and fibre sector,” she says.
The opportunities in the industry reach far beyond what many people think of when it comes to the food and fibre sector, Lynch says. Many of these are support networks that are critical for the success of that dairy, forestry, and fisheries.
“There’s the traditional dairy farming but then there are&nbsp;also the support services that go around it so like the scientists, the engineers, the rural consultants.
“They are the ones who are supporting those that are on the front line so to speak.”
Original story and video at <a href="https://www.teaomaori.news/government-agri-industry-service-encourages-more-rangatahi-join-food-and-fibre-sector">Te Ao Māori News</a>
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Original story and video at Te Ao Māori News

The Careers and Education Hub at the Mystery Creek Fieldays in Hamilton was started in 2016 and is dedic…

19 Apr 2021

Doing Things Differently

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At our recent <a rel="noopener" href="/research-forum-2021-i-10106.html" target="_blank">forum</a>, Thea Wallace of the Ministry for Primary Industries&nbsp;and a PICA Advisory Group Member, facilitated a session featuring four different <a href="/speakers-i-10207.html#Different">initiatives</a> that address a different issue facing food &amp; fibre. Each initiative was a powerful example of how doing things differently can have a big impact.
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</div><a name="Initiatives"></a><h2>The initiatives</h2><ul>
<li>Rural Employee Support Hub (RESH) Jane Muir, Lead Advisor - People, Dairy NZ 
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“Resh.co.nz offers legal advice and other support for rural employees throughout New Zealand. Our focus is deliberately on employees and our approach is impartial so we can build their trust. We’re asked about everything from employment contracts, wages, and health and safety.”
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Visit&nbsp;<a rel="noopener" href="https://www.ruralemployeesupport.co.nz" target="_blank">www.ruralemployeesupport.co.nz</a>
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<li>Pickled! Gamification for Health &amp; Safety Raewyn Baldwin, Principal Advisor - Education; &amp; Kylie Agnew, Advisor - Digital Channels, WorkSafe 
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“The app Pickled! uses humour and gamification to break complex ideas into bite-sized chunks. It was designed to be accessible for reading levels 1 and 2 (people with low levels of literacy) and a wide range of users. It helps people at work understand the abstract idea of risk and make safer choices.”
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Visit&nbsp;<a rel="noopener" href="https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/managing-health-and-safety/managing-risks/pickled/" target="_blank">www.worksafe.govt.nz</a>
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<li>Beef + Lamb New Zealand Generation Next Programme&nbsp; Olivia Ross, Extension Manager Southern South Island, Beef + Lamb New Zealand 
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“Generation Next is a free series of workshops/modules to help sheep and beef farmers retain their staff, understand their business better, make better decisions and learn about mental health and wellbeing.”
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Visit&nbsp;<a rel="noopener" href="https://beeflambnz.com/your-levies-at-work/blnz-generation-next-programme" target="_blank">www.beeflambnz.com</a>
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<li>Tāne Mahuta Learn While You Earn Kaupapa Māori&nbsp; Tāne Cook, Pou Matua - Inaugural CEO, Tāne Mahuta 
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“We train, qualify and employ rangatahi to work on their whenua. We need to break down the language barriers and be bicultural to resonate with people. Sometimes you have to cross lines and step on toes to partner and grow.”
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Visit&nbsp;<a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tanemahuta.org.nz/services" target="_blank">www.tanemahuta.org.nz</a>
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</ul><a name="Delegates"></a><h2>What our delegates said</h2>“I always get a kick out of learning about other people’s ideas. It was inspiring to see so many passionate people doing different and practical things to help our sectors thrive.”— Thea Wallace,&nbsp;Ministry for Primary Industries“I learned about the many bespoke training and upskilling options out there.”— PICA 2021 Forum Delegate“Great examples of initiatives to future proof our sector. I enjoyed seeing how other organisations are using different approaches – websites, apps, learning environments – to appeal to different generations, different learning styles and different needs.”— Olivia Ross, Beef + Lamb New Zealand <h2>Learn more</h2>To find out more, check out the speakers' different&nbsp;<a href="/presentations-i-10208.html">initiatives</a>.

At our recent forum, Thea Wallace of the Ministry for Primary Industries and a PICA Advisory Group Member, facilitated a session featuring four differ…

6 Apr 2021

What really matters in the workplace?

23 Mar 2021

Retaining young talent

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One of the most highly valued sessions at our annual <a href="http://growingnz.org.nz/research-holder/research-forum/research-forum-2021">PICA Research &amp; Insights Forum</a>&nbsp;was the Q&amp;A with a panel of young talent working in our food &amp; fibre sectors. The focus of this year’s panel was on transitioning young people into their first role and how to retain them once they’ve joined.
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</div>Our <a href="http://growingnz.org.nz/research-holder/research-forum/research-forum-2021/speakers#e1062">five panellists</a> were:<ul>
<li>Hiraina Tangiora, Policy Analyst, Ministry for Primary Industries</li>
<li>George Hyauiason, Massey University Student</li>
<li>Jack Ternouth, Area Manager, The New Zealand Merino Company</li>
<li>Paige Harris, Dairy Farm Assistant</li>
<li>Katie Moffat, Agribusiness Partner, Bank of New Zealand</li>
</ul><h2>What our panellists said</h2>Our millennial facilitator Deborah Lynch, asked each panellist a series of questions including: ‘What was the most important thing that helped them transition into the workforce’?’ and ‘What would have helped them in the transition process?’When she asked them about what the sector could do to retain young people, they were bursting with ideas:<div class="box box-default">
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Build on the pride people have about working in food &amp; fibre, and promote it as an attractive and positive sector full of smart people doing good things
Understand what motivates people - ask young people what they want, they’re all different, one size doesn’t fit all
Reduce the stigma of mental health
Encourage different career pathways and progression, help people learn, grow and have fun, and enable cross-sector collaboration
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</div><h2>What our delegates said</h2>A number of our delegates shared their take-outs with us after the panel discussion:"We need to reduce our jargon and speak to young people’s values. The panel reinforced that we need to make food &amp; fibre seem appealing, positive and trendy. Giving young people some context and meaning also seems important. Wool is not just wool. It’s about clothing and other products too. Pruning grapes isn’t just pruning grapes. It about making world-class wine.”— Eve Williams, Primary ITO"It made me think that we need to paint a better picture of what different pathways can look like for young people; giving them a better line of sight with entry and exit points along the way would encourage them to give something a go."— Shelley Rose, Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology“One of the panellists suggested that employers take ‘experience required’ out of their job ads. Instead, employers can explain what they’re looking for from certain experience in case a young person with passion and the right skills and attitude could do the job without any experience.”— Alice Schofield, NZ Plant Producers Association<h2>Learn more</h2>For a summary of insights and tips shared by the young professionals on the panel, check out the <a rel="noopener" href="https://farmersweekly.co.nz/section/agribusiness/view/learning-allows-young-employees-to-grow" target="_blank">article recently published by Farmers Weekly.</a>You can also view the findings from a <a href="[sitetree_link,id=86]">survey of recent graduates by Nick Prince&nbsp;at Lincoln University.</a>

One of the most highly valued sessions at our annual PICA Research & Insights Forum was the Q&A with a panel of young talent working in our food & fib…

19 Mar 2021

Learning allows young employees to grow

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Original story from <a rel="noopener" href="https://farmersweekly.co.nz/section/agribusiness/view/learning-allows-young-employees-to-grow" target="_blank">Farmers' Weekly</a>
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</div>[image src="/assets/oldimages/NewsMain/Young-talent.jpg" id="550" width="1000" height="523" class="img_inline ss-htmleditorfield-file image"]Although the food and fibre sector will need new people to fill 50,000 jobs by 2030, it also has to retain the young talent it already has at its disposal. At the recent <a href="/research-forum-2021-i-10106.html">Primary Industry Capability Alliance research and insights forum called Growing Our Workforce Through Quality Workplaces</a>, a panel of young people already in the sector discussed ways of achieving that.&nbsp;Colin Williscroft&nbsp;reports.Encouraging and providing learning opportunities to help young employees grow, both into their jobs and as people, will help the food and fibre sector not only retain the talent at its disposal but also foster its development.That was one of the overarching themes that emerged from the panel made up of Ministry for Primary Industries skills policy analyst Hiraina Tangiora, New Zealand Merino Company Canterbury area manager Jack Ternouth, Bank of NZ agribusiness partner Katie Moffat, Massey University bachelor of horticultural science student George Hyauiason and Southland dairy farm assistant Paige Harris.Moffat says learning, growing as a person and having some fun are three areas that mean a lot to the next generation of workers and helping them achieve those goals is something employers would do well to keep in mind. Providing staff with known and clear pathways on how to rise up the ranks would also help.Ternouth agrees and says fostering training in a potential next step up the ladder is one way of doing that. He also advocates more cross-sector collaboration, even if it’s only for six weeks. Then employees can go back to their original job, taking with them the different perspectives they have learned. That will keep them agile and allow them to move into new roles, which will make the overall food and fibre sector more attractive.He says providing staff with some sort of ownership and responsibility will make it more likely they feel like they are contributing, which will make them more effective workers.&nbsp;Tangiora says she would be unhappy if she felt unconnected to her work and being able to learn on the job strengthens that connection, so it’s important to provide those opportunities. That feeling of satisfaction will also help them achieve outside work as well, which all feeds back into more contented employees.Young employees are also likely to be more productive if they are treated as individuals.Harris says for an employer to get the best out of her, they need to understand what motivates her and then tailor that to the workplace. Job satisfaction, including what she gets out of it, will lead her to stay in a job longer.All the panelists have university degrees but they agree that, although the pathway worked for them, it’s not the only way into rewarding careers in the sector.Tangiora says improving vocational training opportunities will help to raise skills standards across the board, while Harris says although she would not have the career she has now without going to university, that was more about her individual circumstances. She says university might teach people to learn and a degree might help find a job, but it’s someone’s work ethic that will allow them to keep it.Harris, Moffat and Hyauiason all say ensuring staff are proud to be part of their industry will go a long way to ensuring they stay in it, with Harris and Hyauiason pointing out the damage campaigns like dirty dairying can do.Hyauiason would also like to see more workplace discussions about mental health.Relative youth and inexperience has been a hurdle for Moffat and Ternouth to sometimes overcome when dealing with farmers who might be twice their age, especially for Moffat who says being a young woman adds another level to that.However, they both say sitting down and building trust, showing they are knowledgeable and passionate about what they do, will help overcome that.“But you’re not expected to know everything straight away,” Ternouth says. “And if you don’t understand, just say so, so you don’t destroy that trust.”Harris agrees.“Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help.”&nbsp;<h3>Meet the panelists</h3>Hiraina Tangiora – MPI skills policy analyst<ul>
<li>Currently studying a master of business studies in mutually prosperous trade at Massey University.</li>
<li>Lincoln University, bachelor of commerce double major in supply chain management and international business.</li>
<li>Spent 18 months in the Zespri graduate programme.</li>
</ul>Jack Ternouth – New Zealand Merino Company Canterbury area manager<ul>
<li>Lincoln University, bachelor of commerce (agriculture).</li>
<li>First role as a graduate was with Synlait.</li>
</ul>Katie Moffat – Bank of New Zealand agribusiness partner<ul>
<li>Lincoln University, bachelor of agricultural science in soil science (first class honours).</li>
<li>First role as a graduate was with the BNZ in Hamilton before moving to Palmerston North.</li>
</ul>George Hyauiason – Massey University Student<ul>
<li>Career possibilities in the food and fibre sector opened up by a teacher at Bethlehem College.</li>
<li>In the final year of bachelor of horticultural science at Massey University.</li>
<li>Uses summer breaks to gain experience in the sector, most recently on an internship programme with Zespri.</li>
</ul>Paige Harris – Southland dairy farm assistant<ul>
<li>Lincoln University, bachelor of agricultural science (first class honours).</li>
<li>Honours research in collaboration with DairyNZ and Southern Dairy Hub&nbsp;</li>
</ul>Original story from <a rel="noopener" href="https://farmersweekly.co.nz/section/agribusiness/view/learning-allows-young-employees-to-grow" target="_blank">Farmers' Weekly</a>

Original story from Farmers' Weekly

Although the food and fibre sector will need new people to fill 50,000 jobs by 2030, it also has to retain the yo…

3 Dec 2019

On farm technology impresses teachers

Original story from <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/rural-general-news/on-farm-technology-impresses-teachers?fbclid=IwAR20W0YUZPEw1AmIQsuGy2ebBxIIN0Cu4Fbq1jj61Woia5ksg72oDWmCMVg" target="_blank">Rural News</a>They were ‘blown away’ by the amount of the technology on farm.<div class="itemFullText">
That’s how a group of secondary school teachers from the lower North Island described a day out in the country.&nbsp;
They were on a trip to learn about employment opportunities available in the food and fibre sector for young people.&nbsp;
The trip was organised by DairyNZ and the Primary Industry Capability Alliance (PICA), made up of various primary sector organisations. This is the sixth year the trip has been staged.
About 30 teachers visited Lewis Farms in Horowhenua, a major asparagus grower that also produces strawberries and runs a dairy farm. The teachers were shown the high-tech sorting and packing operation for the asparagus and they had a chance to see strawberries grown hydroponically in large tunnel houses.&nbsp;
At Massey University’s Keeble Research farm they were briefed on a project looking at the meat quality of lambs fed on different forages such as chicory and red clover. Later, at the main campus, they heard about a study of the development of ‘hybrid meats’, a project which involves blending meat and plant proteins.
Finally, the group visited dairy farmer James Stewart’s property on the outskirts of Palmerston North.&nbsp;
Here they saw the start of the afternoon milking – a first for many – and heard Stewart speak about his philosophy of farming, his people management and the massive amount of technology that he uses.
The chief executive of PICA, Michelle Glogau, says the perception remains that the agri sector is all about getting up early and milking cows, wearing gumboots and doing hard physical work. Though some jobs that are like that, many other roles involve science and technology, she says.
Working with teachers and taking them out in the country to see what is actually happening is pivotal to giving them the knowledge to pass on to their students about the career prospects in the sector, she says.
“Teachers are key influencers of young people’s career paths, but also we need to engage with parents which is challenging,” she told&nbsp;Rural News.&nbsp;
Glogau says at Lewis Farms it was interesting to hear them talk about having a seasonal workforce, but also their huge need for people who have tertiary qualifications to run the property, such as agronomists and engineers.
Their eyes have been opened
John Bleakley, a physics and science teacher from Heretaunga College, Hutt Valley says it was great to see what is happening on farms.
“We have issues with a lot of kids being unsure about their future and we are trying to think about possible vocations for them,” he told&nbsp;Rural News.&nbsp;
“So it was interesting at the Lewis Farm to see how there’s a whole lot of technology in farming these days that wasn’t there before and it’s going to grow. This is especially interesting for me because I have kids who are into robotics.”&nbsp;
Shelly Pender, a careers advisor at Chanel College in Wairarapa and a former dairy farmer, says it was good to come and get an insight into the various farming operations.&nbsp;
“We were able to see what people are doing not only for themselves and their own business, but for the future generations,” she said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“It was good for teachers to see the career opportunities and to understand that there is more to farming than just putting cups on cows.”&nbsp;
Pender says kids just don’t get the options that are on offer.
For Carl McIntyre, of the Cornerstone Christian School in Palmerston North, the day was outstanding. He says it highlighted the broad range of career opportunities within the agri-sector.
“I personally never realised the breadth of jobs and this was born out, especially going down to Lewis Farms and seeing the range of mechanical, engineering, computer and animal science they have within their group,” he told&nbsp;Rural News.&nbsp;
“It was quite amazing and encouraging that just about anyone can find a job in agriculture, contribute to the economy and feel satisfied at the same time.”&nbsp;
Ends
Find out more about the <a href="http://growingnz.org.nz/educator-resources/activities/teachers-day-out">GrowingNZ Teachers' Day Out</a>.
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Original story from Rural News

They were ‘blown away’ by the amount of the technology on farm.

That’s how a group of secondary school teachers from …

31 Oct 2019

New food & fibre careers hub launched

[image src="/assets/oldimages/NewsMain/NewsArticles/FoodFibreHub.png" id="544" width="599" height="351" class="img_inline ss-htmleditorfield-file image"]The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) has launched its <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.careers.govt.nz/food-and-fibre/" target="_blank">Food &amp; Fibre Careers Hub</a>.&nbsp;The online resource is one of many initiatives identified in the <a href="/collaborative-food-fibre-skills-action-plan-20192022-launched-i-10100.html">Food &amp; Fibre Skills Action Plan 2019-2022</a>&nbsp;to help attract people to food &amp; fibre careers.Tim Fowler, the Chief Executive of TEC said, “The primary goal of the Hub is to raise awareness of the diversity of the food and fibre sectors and the breadth of career opportunities available, while dispelling some of the myths associated with these sectors. We see the Hub becoming the one-stop-shop for people seeking out information on food and fibre careers, showing everyone that these sectors are an attractive vocational option, encouraging learners to take up relevant food and fibre training and qualifications.”Find out more about the TEC <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.careers.govt.nz/food-and-fibre/" target="_blank">Food &amp; Fibre Careers Hub</a>.

The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) has launched its Food & Fibre Careers Hub. The online resource is one of many initiatives identified in the Fo…

30 Oct 2019

Collaborative Food & Fibre Skills Action Plan 2019-2022 launched

6 Jun 2019

Wool industry campaigner recognised in Queen's Birthday Honours

17 Dec 2018

Capability Research Resource Launched Online

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To complement our annual&nbsp;<a href="/research-forum-2018-i-10050.html">Research&nbsp;Forum</a>, and to facilitate the sharing of capability&nbsp;research, we’ve created a new online tool that makes it easy for you to find the latest&nbsp;research&nbsp;and reports all in&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="/research_papers.php" target="_blank" data-auth="NotApplicable">one place</a>.
We’ve collated studies,&nbsp;research&nbsp;papers and reports, and sources of data – including those commissioned by us on behalf of our members. We’ve also included&nbsp;research&nbsp;from other sectors, so we can all learn from their challenges and experiences.
To find the&nbsp;research&nbsp;most relevant to you, you can search by keyword or country, and by case studies, reports, qualitative and quantitative&nbsp;research. You can also review&nbsp;research&nbsp;from a range of publication dates.
Visit the <a href="/research_papers.php">Research Resource</a>.
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To complement our annual Research Forum, and to facilitate the sharing of capability research, we’ve created a new online tool that makes it easy for …

23 Nov 2018

New partnership to promote careers in primary sectors

8 Nov 2018

Carmel College wins Innovation Challenge!

1 May 2018

New Chair for PICA

In February, Beef + Lamb NZ’s GM Innovation, Richard Wakelin was appointed as PICA’s Chair. He replaces our previous Chair Mark Paine (DairyNZ) who will retain his position as a board member until May.&nbsp; While Richard is new to his position as Chair, he is no newcomer to PICA or New Zealand’s primary sectors. Richard was involved in&nbsp;the initial working group&nbsp;that identified the need for a more collaborative approach to building capability across our primary sectors. He replaced Beef + Lamb’s Di Falconer as a PICA board member in August 2017 and has over 40 years’ experience in New Zealand’s sheep and beef industry.&nbsp; Richard has a strong background in wool, sheep genetics and breeding, and sheep and beef farming systems. In his current role at Beef + Lamb, Richard leads the development of strategy and investment in Research, Product Development, Extension Design and Sector Capability.&nbsp; Operating in an environment dominated by frequent change and a mobile workforce, Richard’s focus as PICA’s Chair is clear. “I want to help make it easier for people to choose a career in our primary sectors. It doesn’t matter at what level they choose to join us but it’s important that they have the ability to&nbsp;transfer their skills&nbsp;between sectors.” Having worked throughout New Zealand for nearly 30 years in the commercial agricultural servicing sector, Richard is committed to being&nbsp;customer-centred.&nbsp;“We need to see career changers and students as customers. PICA members are also customers. They’re committed to PICA’s cause and contribute in many tangible and intangible ways. I’d like to ensure that they experience the many benefits of participating in the alliance.” Richard believes that thinking and acting&nbsp;collaboratively&nbsp;is essential to PICA’s success. “We can target schools and school leavers relatively easily because we know where there are. But potential career changers? We (members) need to work smartly, and together, to attract young people working outside our sector who might already have the skills we need.” Diversity is a factor Richard sees as important to PICA’s pan-sector approach. “We need to promote the fact that we (our primary sectors) think&nbsp;people are everything- an asset not a cost. We need to attract a diverse range of people with formal qualifications and informal experience, people academically and practically minded, and everyone in between. Someone with excellent skills in business or with people or policy are transferrable and valuable to&nbsp;every&nbsp;primary sector. If we can get this message across to students and career changers, we’ll all benefit.”&nbsp; Richard is convinced that the breadth and depth of PICA’s membership will only help grow and strengthen its position.&nbsp; “PICA plays a valuable role in facilitating the sharing of its&nbsp;members’ knowledge and skills,” he says. “The more we leverage off each other, the more we can access expertise we might not have in-house. For example, at Careers Expos or Get Ahead Days that see multiple members come together to tell our collective story. These events wouldn’t be possible if we didn’t all band together.”

In February, Beef + Lamb NZ’s GM Innovation, Richard Wakelin was appointed as PICA’s Chair. He replaces our previous Chair Mark Paine (DairyNZ) who wi…

12 Apr 2018

GrowingNZ scholarships database relaunched

4 Apr 2018

The National Council of New Zealand Wool Interests Inc. joins PICA

29 Jan 2018

PICA and DairyNZ co-hosted research forum on human capability

On 6th December 2017 in Wellington, Primary Industry Capability Alliance (PICA) and DairyNZ co-hosted a <a href="[sitetree_link,id=44]">one-day research forum</a> with a focus on human capability in our innovative primary industries. The new and joint initiative was a unique opportunity for industry, government agencies, and education providers to access valuable research and knowledge not readily available. Attendees also had the opportunity to contribute their ideas about areas of future research which would help them achieve their goals.Following an opening address by Associate Minister for Primary Industries, Hon Meka Whaitiri, three sessions addressed three key questions:<ol>
<li> What kind of workforce do we need to meet our primary industries’ future needs?</li>
<li> Return on Investment – if we invest in such human capability, what is it worth?</li>
<li> Measuring success - how will we measure the progress and success towards our industry’s goals?</li>
</ol>To conclude the forum, delegates took part in a workshop focussed on ‘Where to from here with the research agenda?’&nbsp;With over 40 delegates attending from PICA members and non-member organisations, the forum was a great success. While many reported ‘light bulb moments’ throughout the day, others are still reflecting on the knowledge they gained from the broad range of speakers, and considering how they can apply their insights to current and future projects.DairyNZ’s Strategy and Investment Leader for People and Business, Mark Paine was pleased that the forum exposed a raft of research well underway: “It started a valuable conversation about several key research themes and highlighted areas that need further investigation. Based on the level of attendance and engagement, the forum has the potential to be an annual or biennial event.”For Thea Wallace,&nbsp;Skills and Regulatory Stewardship Manager for MPI, the forum was a great opportunity for PICA members to share insights from previously completed research and discuss the priorities for future research: “It highlighted that the primary industries are not alone in their endeavour to attract, train and retain high calibre employees with the construction industry facing similar issues. We’re looking forward to receiving the write up of the key research needs and discussing how we can contribute in future.”The forum also attracted attendees from schools and employers with an interest in our primary industries.Peter Hampton, deputy headmaster at St Paul's Collegiate School was grateful to join a like-minded group of people working towards the same goals: “The forum helped me get up to speed with the latest research and was a valuable networking opportunity. I’ve since had 5 – 6 delegates contact me about our initiatives and how we can work together. The sense of partnership throughout a wide-range of discussions amongst people from different sectors was fantastic.”For Charles Taituha, Māori Agri-Business Development Manager for rural services company Carrfields, the research forum confirmed what he’s observed in the field: “We’re struggling to find the right people for jobs we need to fill. There’s a huge gap between the talent we need and the pool of people available. Training and education are important but we need to get more people excited about working in our sector first. 1 in 4 people we interview have the qualifications but not the soft skills or the passion which are essential to our success. A lot of people want to be farmers but we also need people who can provide support services too. If someone is passionate about our sector, we’re off to a great start. Once they’re in, we can offer them the training and education they need.”While many reported ‘light bulb moments’ throughout the day, others are still reflecting on the knowledge they gained from the broad range of speakers, and considering how they can apply their insights to current and future projects.

On 6th December 2017 in Wellington, Primary Industry Capability Alliance (PICA) and DairyNZ co-hosted a one-day research forum with a focus on human c…

21 Dec 2017

CATE Conference 2017

30 Jan 2017

New CE for GrowingNZ

16 Nov 2016

A young person's view on working in the primary industries

2 May 2016

Over $3.5 million a year to grow primary industries talent

Young Kiwis with an interest in the primary industries can apply for over $3.5 million in study assistance each year, says Andy Somerville of GrowingNZ.GrowingNZ is representing the primary industries at the upcoming national Career Expo series.GrowingNZ’s new directory presents more than 150 types of scholarship offered by a wide range of organisations. These are targeted at secondary-level students to help them in their next step, or to students on tertiary courses.“This adds up to nearly 1000 individual scholarships being handed out each year.“The common factor is that all these scholarships are for young people with an interest in helping take quality food and fibre to the world, or working with water, land, plants or animals – which is what the primary industries are about.“We have many challenges and opportunities – such as reducing our environmental footprint. We are looking to young people to help shape the future of these important industries, which earn about 70% of New Zealand’s export income each year.“The roles range from water scientists and robotics engineers to food safety specialists and the farmers of the future who will work with sophisticated technologies.&nbsp;“And the scholarships focus on different personal strengths or subject areas, so every young person should have a look to see what could be there for them.“For students and their families wanting to know more about the primary industries, we will be at the Career Expos coming up in Christchurch, Auckland, Hamilton and Wellington in May and June.”The scholarships directory is on the GrowingNZ website&nbsp;www.growingnz.org.nzGrowingNZ is an initiative of the Primary Industry Capability Alliance, a membership organisation. The members are: DairyNZ, Beef+Lamb NZ, Ministry for Primary Industries, NZ Young Farmers, Primary ITO, Lincoln University, Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre, Ara Institute of Canterbury, Foundation for Arable Research and Forest Owners Association.

Young Kiwis with an interest in the primary industries can apply for over $3.5 million in study assistance each year, says Andy Somerville of GrowingN…