Otiwhiti farm owner Charlie Duncan said Hunterville and surrounding hamlets had struggled to retain young people in the district, especially young people with the skill sets to effectively work hill country units.
"Other training establishments just weren't producing graduates with the specific skills we needed in the hill country, so we set up our own in partnership with Land Based Training," Mr Duncan said.
"If people can drive an ATV on the flats it doesn't necessarily mean they drive one on the hills and we need stockmen who can ride a horse, shear and fence."
Today 100 per cent of Otiwhiti students find jobs after graduation and most are in the Rangitikei.
The Otiwhiti Station Land Based Training Agricultural School caters for 12 students a year living on farm, combining practical everyday farming activities with theory in the classroom one day a week. Accommodation is located on the station, with the cookhouse an integral part of the complex.
Fees are $15,000 plus GST, but an allowance is given while students are on the station. Student loans are available.
If people can drive an ATV on the flats it doesn't necessarily mean they drive one on the hills and we need stockmen who can ride a horse, shear and fence.
Mr Duncan said graduates of the L3 Certificate in Agriculture can get jobs with a starting salary of $38,000 with the chance of advancing rapidly through the pay scale.
"Those employed can progress to L4 management studying one day a week."
As an example of how good it gets, Mr Duncan described the progress of former student Nick Tipling.
"For the past two years Nick has managed Ferndale Station, a 7000-acre sheep and beef farm. He graduated 11 years ago, so nine years after graduation he is managing a large station, has a young family and is a big part of the local community.
"I know other young people who have graduated from university with huge student loan debt and have gone into the workforce on $40,000.
Starting salaries are $38,000 for our graduates. It is a total misconception that farm workers are overworked and underpaid. It may have been like that 20 or 30 years ago, but certainly not today.
"We do not guarantee jobs after graduation, it's up to the student to find work, but we have a 100 per cent success rate and now we have young people back in rural Rangitikei," Mr Duncan said.
Unlike other training providers, Otiwhiti Land Based Training Agricultural School does not receive government funding other than a TEC (Tertiary Education Commission) payout for a student once New Zealand Qualification Accreditation approval has been given for units studied.
An open day has been scheduled at Otiwhiti on Sunday, June 18.
The property is at 4744 Turakina Valley Rd, 16km northwest of Hunterville.
