Mr Smith said this was a direct response to the Mercury’s May 16 report “The Milky Way” that revealed farmers planned to raid New Zealand because of a dire lack of workers.
He said the industry also planned to start pre-employment training courses next month to help fill the more than 200 jobs expected to be available over the next 12 months as the industry expands by an estimated $340 million and 50 new farms come online.
“Resulting from the Mercury, talks are in progress with the Federal Government and industry to fund pre-employment training,” Mr Smith said.
“We already have a list of 25 people and it’s only starting.
“We are planning on a practical, short and sharp training run in each major urban area of the state late June and early July.”
The register is a hotline to which unemployed and farmers needing employees can ring and leave details. Staff then match the two.
If the individual does not have experience, they will then be registered for the courses.
The courses would run for one week, with four days in the class learning OHS, animal health, milking procedures and basic farm operation, with one day for farm visits.
The industry said the jobs could pump an extra $8 million of wages into communities, which would benefit the North and North-West, where youth unemployment was upwards of 20 per cent.
“It’s a good thing for the industry and we are very pleased with the response,” Mr Smith said.
“From the publicity we have had good discussions with job service agents who will also match possible candidates.
“People from Hobart have expressed interest in working in the industry, which is great.
“We are also promoting the job register to farmers and they are coming forward.”
The jobs register was good news for leading Australian dairy farmer Grant Archer, who has bought another farm at Liffey, as he struggles to employ qualified people.
“It’s a good idea and great way to bring people together having a central register, because often it’s done by word of mouth,” Mr Archer said.
“We are working our way through filling vacancies.
“I just spoke to a bloke this afternoon about a position.”
The register comes as a new agricultural training college in the far North-West also is upskilling workers.
Agritas agricultural training college had its first intake in February, and has about 30 students doing apprenticeships through to farm management.
To help farmers employ staff, the college has set up AgriTas HR to liaise between farmers and trainees.
There are about 1500 people employed on dairy farms and a further 3000 in dairy processing and services.
Meanwhile, fruit growers are setting out to identify skill needs for an industry development plan.
Fruit Growers Tasmania business development manager Phil Pyke said there was more to the industry than fruit picking.
The skills analysis will identify jobs and career paths.
“The state’s fruit industry is increasingly playing a pivotal role in the economic health of regional areas and identifying current and future skills needs has become a priority of FGT,” Mr Pyke said.
With sponsorship from Agrifood Skills Australia, in July FGT will conduct a skills needs analysis across the industry during June and July.
Hobart-based consultancy Stenning and Associates has been engaged to develop the survey.
Source: Weekly Times
