‘Find your future’ for teens

One hundred students destined for tertiary study and possible eventual careers in primary industries have taken advantage of ‘Find Your Future’ events in Whangārei and Kerikeri.

Northland Regional Council chair Tui Shortland says the recent interactive careers events were run in conjunction with the Whangārei A&P Society.

Chair Shortland says the first of the events took place in Whangārei on Tuesday 01 August at the Barge Showgrounds Event Centre.

“Participants were able to take part in interactive workshops run by inspiring industry professionals from Northland’s primary industries and get a taste of the exciting things happening in their working world.”

Workshop leaders included staff from the council (caring for Northland’s environment with environmental monitoring and land management), Rabobank (banking for farmers, growers and other food producers) and Beef and Lamb New Zealand (growing the sheep and beef industry).

Additionally, Whangārei participants were able to choose a site visit to one of three sites; Kotare Subtropicals (growing bananas, pineapples, papaya, figs and feijoas), the Hopua te Nihotetea Detention Dam (surveying, drone mapping and water testing) or Northpower (engineering, solar power and control room).

Chair Shortland says the Kerikeri event was held Friday 11 August at Pāmu Farms of NZ: Kapiro Station on Stanners Rd.

Participants worked with on-farm experts and off-farm advisors in bull beef (growing for sale and auctioneering), forestry (sustainably managing native and exotic forests), veterinary (applying good animal husbandry) and sheep (using research and technology to improve sheep returns).