Training boost for shearing

The wool sector is looking to education and training to avert a labour crisis which has been looming in the shearing industry for 15 years.

Fewer young people have been entering the industry, and the average age of shearers has increased in an occupation where older workers are forced out by requirements for energy and strength.

Shearing has suffered from the same image problems which hurt other farming occupations - the work is perceived as suited only to the low academic achievers.

Former champion shearer and shearing instructor Colin King says the industry's best attempt so far to address the shortage of skilled workers has been the "modern apprenticeship" for shearing and wool classing, developed over the past three years.

However, it is having problems identifying interested young people early enough, at high school.

"It's always going to be difficult to attract people into physical jobs these days," he says.

In some areas, such as Southland and the King Country, the public perceptions gave agricultural work a higher status, he says. Some of the rural high schools are picking up on agricultural training, and students see it as a viable career path.

King says opportunities for young people are good because there is a shortage of shearers. "They will be fast-tracked into the workforce."

Although shearing and wool handling is now more of a year-round occupation, most people will need a range of skills for parts of the year when they need other work.

"In the rural sector we've got to get industry to buy in so they've got multiple choices in agriculture."

King says that unless a career pathway can be put in place for shearers that leads right to the top, "I don't think we'll be able to retain them".

Shearing contractor Barry Pullin says it is a constant battle to get the right people, but it is a good job.

"You work hard, play hard, and get the continuity of work. If you put the hard yards in, you can get $60,000 a year, but if you just cruise along, it would be $25,000 to $30,000."

He says employers are looking for people with good life skills.

Retention of good people is a big problem. It takes four to five years to turn out a good senior shearer, and Pullin, who is on the executive of the Shearers Association, says that after four years, only 15 to 20 per cent of shearers remain on the boards.

These tended to be the team players: "The art is to be aware of the total team, not just yourself."

- NZPA