Hopes a new ag apprenticeship will be developed to get people ‘farm-ready’ and upskill farm workers

A new agricultural apprenticeship could be the answer to fostering a larger skilled workforce from which WA farms can draw on for labour and “revamp” its outdated training sector, according to an industry leader.

It comes as the $10.7 billion industry grapples with an unprecedented labour shortage with international and interstate border restrictions and the lack of WA workers.

At this stage, those wishing to enter the industry can undertake a traineeship through TAFE or study at university, but there is no qualification in between.

It is a gap that needs to be filled, according to WAFarmers grains section president Mic Fels.

“At the moment all we have is a basic traineeship or an ag science degree, but there is nothing in between,” he said.

“We need people in between with a bit of agronomy knowledge, know how to work machinery ... there’s nothing in that space.”

The idea was floated at the State Government’s emergency Skills Summit held last Friday, with Mr Fels in talks with WA Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan about the possibilities.

They discussed hosting an agricultural and educational training summit following the upcoming harvest, which is tipped to reach dizzying yields of 20 million tonnes off the back of widespread rain.

Mr Fels said he would also like to see a work-based diploma introduced, where workers could study while getting experience on the farm. He said the word “traineeship” may also be off-putting for older farmworkers.

“Having these new qualifications would be great to get more mature, established farmworkers who want to upskill and move up the food chain to managers and overseeing rather than farm-hands,” Mr Fels said.

“With an apprenticeship you finish with a qualification and skills and you can turn up and do the job. That’s what we need — people that can turn up and do the job.”

The advocacy group last month had major success with its inaugural Bootcamp to Employment, with half of the 18 students enrolled in the three-day course at Muresk getting job offers out of it.

The Bootcamp saw young guns from across the State trained up on a range of agricultural topics, including agronomy, drones, data management and workplace health and safety.