Opportunity Grows Here offers a range of options for getting started in the food and fibre sectors. From immediate jobs and careers, to training and taster courses to get started, people are needed with a range of interests, skills, experiences, and backgrounds.
While some are seasonal jobs, many could lead to long-term careers with opportunities to grow and advance.
Visit Opportunity Grows Here.
The Horticulture & Agriculture Teachers Association (HATA) website hosts information about a wide range of scholarships to help fund study or training in the food and fibre sector.
Visit HATA Scholarships to help fund your future.
The food and fibre sector is constantly challenged to innovate, adapt, and remain competitive. With advances in artificial intelligence and sophisticated digital technologies, food and fibre sectors are adopting agritech, which is set to transform the sector and could boost exports by $9.7bn.
Agritech technology increases precision farming, enabling farmers and growers to make data-driven decisions that can optimise productivity while reducing input costs, as well as reducing the impact on the environment.
Our industries need digitally confident employees to work with the wide range of digital technologies, including technical skills to operate and maintain technologies such as drones, robotics and automation.
Read more about the future of agritech:
A key aspect of rural contracting roles is the operation of agricultural machinery such as tractors, harvesters and trucks. Skilled drivers bring expertise in handling advanced equipment to complete tasks, often under tight seasonal deadlines.
Check out this awesome video about Machinery Operation and Agri-Chem Application.
The World Economic Forum forecasts significant growth in frontlineagricultural roles, including farm workers, labourers, and equipment operators, over the next five years. Skilled mechanics and machinery repairers are also in high demand, and Agricultural and Horticultural Mobile Plant Operators are in the top 10 jobs across food and fibre industries.
To learn more about the many specialised career opportunities across these varied industries check out:
Aotearoa New Zealand’s dairy industry offers a wide range of career opportunities, appealing to a diverse range of interests and skill sets. The Dairy industry generates about $25 billion in revenue and is the country’s largest export earner. In 2021, there were 44,100 people in the dairy workforce. Māori play a significant role in the sector with 14 % of people identifying as Māori and 11% of businesses being Māori-owned.
Dairy NZ believes the industry has a bright and positive future and, that by working together with farmers and others, purposeful change can be achieved.
Visit Dairy NZ for more career information.
Rural contractors play a crucial role in supporting Aotearoa New Zealand’s dairy, livestock (sheep, beef cattle, and deer), horticulture, and crop production industries. They help farmers complete crucial tasks efficiently and cost-effectively, particularly during busy seasons.
These services include providing expert knowledge and skills in technical, mechanical, design, and management roles, as well as labouring, and driving and operating specialised machinery. Contractors are often self-employed and in recent years there has been an increased demand for workers.
To learn more about the life of a rural contractor, read about Jessica Bills – Rural Contractors Trainee of the Year 2023.
Sarah Foley-Smith has taught the Primary Industry Academy atGeraldine High school since its inception 13 years ago. It is a 100% practical class, covering NCEA Levels 1-3 and now has 40+ students. Sarah believes every student is a superstar in the making and reminds students daily that “attitude is everything”.
Sarah has a passion for all things Ag, loves that every day is different and her students say she is “quite competitive”. 99% of Sarah’s students achieve Level 2 NCEA and 86 % become employed in the food and fibre sector, but all her students go on to further training or employment.
Sarah penned some of her thoughts on best practice and student pathways for us, or watch this YouTube clip where she discusses these in detail.
Maniapoto Fencing Ltd is a Māori-owned, whānau-based fencing company with two crews currently servicing the wider King Country and Waikato region.
Patea Muraahi (Ngāti Maniapoto) is the Owner, Director, and Fencing Crew Leader of Maniapoto Fencing. He has strong whānau and cultural connections to the King Country / Maniapoto region. He started in the fencing industry for many reasons but his main WHY was for his whānau “to be able to give back and provide employment and knowledge for whānau and friends”.
To find out more about Patea and his success story go to: maniapotofencing.co.nz/meet-the-team/
Haumako, the Horticulture arm of Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa, is celebrating its first commercial apple harvest, and the first cohort of cadets graduating from its horticultural cadetship programme.
Haumako began the “earn as you learn” approach to empower rangitahi and offer employment opportunities. The programme began by welcoming students aged 15 to 17, fresh out of school and new to the industry, but has since expanded to include ākonga aged up to 30 years old.
Listen to the full County Life article on RNZ Audio Player.
This story showcases innovation and collaboration between a secondary school and its local Polytechnic to smooth the transition from school to workforce. Each year, a group of Greymouth High School students spend four days a week at Tai Poutini Polytechnic in a pioneering dual-enrolment programme where ākonga learn foundational skills in a variety of fields such as cooking, mechanics, carpentry, and outdoor recreation.
Is there an opportunity to create this pathway in your community?
Dual-enrolment programme continues to give West Coast ākonga scope to succeed (Ministry of Education).
