Graduates celebrate apprenticeship

From left, Billy-Joel Irving, Fusi Vakaimeilalo, Alastair McGregor and Tane Manahi are justifiably proud of their efforts.

Four Silver Fern Farm employees are celebrating being the first to complete the Primary ITO export boning (sheep and lamb) apprenticeship at a special awards ceremony in Fairton, the industry training organisation reports.

"We're really proud of our four employees, they've stuck at it and put in a lot of hard work," says Silver Fern Farms personnel officer Francis Renner.

"It's important for our staff to view the meat processing industry as a competitive, challenging and rewarding career, with a clear career pathway.

"At Silver Fern Farms we're committed to developing our employees and like to promote from within."

Tane Manahi is one of the four apprentices who was awarded his certificate by Primary ITO chief executive Mark Jeffries during the awards ceremony this week.

"I am so humbled and proud to achieve this apprenticeship," Manahi says.

"It feels really good to be one of the first people in the country to complete it as well, and now other people have the opportunity to get involved."

Manahi says there were some aspects of the qualification he found a challenge.

"I don't generally do a lot of bookwork and theory in my day-to-day role so that was a challenge for me.

"I really enjoyed it though because I think you should exercise the body as well as the mind."

There was an element of camaraderie that came from having all four apprentices completing the apprenticeship together.

"We worked together in a team and supported and motivated each other," Manahi says.

Brian Waltham, Primary ITO's food processing account manager for the meat processing industry, believes it's vital for companies like Silver Fern Farms to invest in the training and development of their employees.

"This apprenticeship programme contains a package of training encompassing health and safety, food safety and hygiene, knife skills, optimising yield, delivery of on-job training, self-management, conflict management and export boning techniques. It was developed to give export boners the opportunity to progress in the meat processing industry.

"The aim was to improve their knowledge of not only the species that they are currently involved in, but also give them an understanding of the export boning requirements for all species and improve their understanding of the yield requirements and to maximise returns," Waltham says.

"A qualification enables employees to gain a greater depth of understanding about the company they're working for. They get an insight into where the company is going, which can be incredibly motivating."

"Silver Fern Farms were hand-picked to trial this new apprenticeship programme with Primary ITO," Waltham says.

"They're a progressive company who are committed to the progression of their staff."

The meat industry earns more than 13 per cent of New Zealand's exports and employs 30,000 people.

For more information about Primary ITO qualifications visit primaryito.ac.nz/qualifications/meat-processing or call 0800 20 80 20 to speak to a Primary ITO training adviser.