|
 |
Shearing skills grow at fast clip
A far-reaching community partnership in western New South Wales is producing double-barrel benefits—new blood for the shearing industry to alleviate its skills shortage, and students at risk of leaving school early staying on equipped with new skills, purpose and direction.
Wool is a major industry around Gulargambone, but it suffers from a serious shortage of shearers, wool classers and labourers. In mid-2006, Regional Industry Career Adviser Wendy Pope, the Local Community Partnership and Gulargambone Central School career staff approached Will Reddington, a local shearing contractor, with a proposal to do something about it.
The result was a hands-on event at Gulargambone Showground involving 43 students, mostly Indigenous, from five schools, under the umbrella of the Career and Transition Support program.
A packed induction day
On the day, students from schools at Gulargambone, Coonamble, Walgett, Nyngan and Gilgandra split into three rotating groups.
The first group watched demonstrations by shearers then had a go themselves, as well as trying out wool classing and sorting. The second group did yard work and drenching with Brett Ryan, local agriculture teacher and property owner.
The third group was born of good publicity—Jim Murray from the Western Institute of TAFE read about the day in the Land newspaper and came along to show videos of case studies and discuss career pathways in the industry.
In a moment of serendipity, Alan White from Australian Wool Innovation, which creates new products and markets the benefits of wool, was in the district on the day and called in. This led to a meeting with Alan, Wendy, the Local community Partnership and TAFE shearing staff that cemented a partnership for the future of the event.
The wider community is right behind the project, including through financial support from local primary producers, Macquarie Darling Work Placement and Western Plains Automotive of Dubbo.
Adopt a School project is one outcome
A very concrete outcome has been the creation of an Adopt a School project in which students go out on work experience for a day a week or a whole week with Will or other contractors who’ve come on board.
And the skills learnt are broadening, too—for example, students develop skills in welding and metal fabrication by making wool bins and trailers.
Another shearing induction day was held in early 2007 at Gulargambone, with an increase in the number of schools and students participating. More formerly at-risk students are staying at school knowing they can learn new skills to plan for their future more confidently.
Contact:
Garry Tongs,
Rural Skills Australia
Ph: 02 6273 2308
Mob: 0409 970 912