Get Ahead proving more popular than ever!

Friday, 15 March 2013, 5:50 pm
Press Release: Young Farmers

The first stop on the Get Ahead Experience Days nationwide tour took place yesterday (Thursday 14th March) in Christchurch at the Canterbury A&P Showgrounds.

The day attracted over 200 students from secondary schools in the Canterbury region looking to expand their knowledge on agricultural careers. The attendance numbers were double in comparison to 2012.

New Zealand Young Farmers teamed up with DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb NZ to create Get Ahead; a programme that encompasses the breadth of opportunities available in the agriculture industry. The Experience Days are centred on the Supply Chain story; how food gets from Pasture to Plate.

There were twelve practical modules that focused on everything from animal genetics, herd management, pasture manipulation to finance, and marketing and exporting. Students got hands on with sheep judging, designing a farm layout, working out a budget, and fence building. There was even a visit from Dan Urquhart, a.k.a Rhymestone Cowboy, and co-star Dizzy Bro, a half quarter-horse half thoroughbred he tamed from the high country to entertain the students with his unique hip-hop performance.

“The key outcome of the Experience Days is to show the diversity in agricultural careers and to bury the preconceived notion that working on-farm is the only agricultural career option”, said Get Ahead Project Leader, Rosie Todhunter.

The twelve industries groups who are supporting Get Ahead are NZ Grain and Seed Trade Association, Ravensdown, Beef + Lamb NZ, Fonterra, Vet Association, ANZ, CRV Ambreed NZ, Gallagher, DairyNZ, Ag Research, CLAAS Harvest Centres and Silver Fern Farms.

Students and career advisors alike can visit the Get Ahead website to learn more about the possibilities in agriculture. www.getahead.co.nz

The Get Ahead programme is facilitated by New Zealand Young Farmers and runs alongside the TeenAg programme.

Upcoming Get Ahead dates and locations:

Timaru Thursday 21st
Gore Wednesday 27th March
Rai Valley Thursday 4th April
Masterton Tuesday 9th April
Palmerston North Thursday 11th April
Hawkes Bay Tuesday 16th April
Tauranga Thursday 18th April
Auckland Tuesday 28th May
Cambridge Thursday 30th May

ENDS

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