New farm training opportunities for local college students

Piers Fuller Reporter from News of Wairarapa

A new initiative between Masterton Trust Lands Trust (MTLT) and Wairarapa College will provide more farm training and career opportunities for college students in the region.
The initiative will see greater industry involvement in the Wairarapa College farm which is located on MTLT-owned land adjacent to the college campus. MTLT has provided the land to Wairarapa College for the past 64 years to enable practical, hands-on learning for agricultural students.
An advisory panel involving local industry experts has recently been established to provide advice and expertise to the college for its agricultural programme and courses.
MTLT Deputy Chair Karl Taucher says the Trust is looking forward to working more closely with the college and local farming industry to ensure the teaching and skills developed on the farm are in line with what the rural sector needs.
“This new approach will make the most of this significant community asset as a training base for local students and potentially the starting point in their farming career.
“Working with local industry will not only ensure we’re supporting local students to be work ready with the most relevant and useful skills, it will also help open doors to jobs within our region,” he says.
Wairarapa College head of agriculture Dan Grace says the initiative is the latest step in the college’s efforts to develop the range of training options available to the increasing number of students enrolling in agricultural courses. Over 330 students are enrolled in agriculture courses at the college this year.
“The panel will provide us with a diverse range of people who can provide input into our curriculum and ideas for how we can further develop the farm and the work we do with students on it.”