Mark Hopkins has worked, travelled and snowboarded all around the world - and is now pursuing his ideal career at Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre as a second-year dairy student.
Mark left school at 16 to enrol in WelTec's Certificate and Diploma in Cookery and Culinary Arts. After graduating he gothis first job at the iconic restaurant Shed 5 in Wellington.
Mark spent his leisure time pursing snowboarding and surfing which resulted in a number of injuries. The worst was a fractured skull which resulted in Mark losing his sense of smell (and consequently, his sense of taste). Despite this he continued to work as a chef and travel, spending time in Australia and Japan honing his skills both in and outside work.
Mark says the switch from hospitality to agriculture came as he realised he'd done what he wanted with cheffing.
"Although I loved the job, it dawned on me that I did not want to still be doing this when I was 35 years old."
Mark remembers spending time on the family farm when he was young. "I'd got a sense of what the farming life might be like from an early age and I liked the fact that all my family was involved. The opportunity to live in the country and enjoy New Zealand was a real bonus."
After enrolling with Taratahi last year, Mark won the Dairy Theory Prize and The National Bank Cup for Top Dairy Student.
"I love the dairy industry for the basics like being able to care for animals and being outside.
