September 19 2011

Farming families sought for international trainees

The world’s largest agricultural exchange organisation is eagerly seeking Kiwi host families as it establishes its agricultural programmes in New Zealand.

Excited about offering training opportunities to international students and young professionals, Communicating for Agriculture Education Programmes (CAEP) recently opened a New Zealand office in Cambridge and with growing international interest is seeking hosts families to meet the demand from international students wanting to come to New Zealand.

CAEP NZ manager Robyn Baron has trainees from South Africa, Europe, Canada and the Philippines all set to come to New Zealand over the next couple of months but more host families are needed. A group of experienced dairy trainees from the Ukraine is geared to arrive in New Zealand before the end of November, and as well there is keen interest from a group to come from Uruguay.

“We are getting quite desperate for host farming families to meet this influx of agricultural trainees due to arrive in New Zealand over this next couple of months. Certainly the present influx of trainees wanting to come in October and November is well outstripping placement families,” Baron said.

Current trainees cover all sectors of the agricultural industry in particular dairy, sheep, viticulture and horticulture, including nursery and flowers.
“I am very keen to recruit hosts for all these areas.”

The CAEP programme enables experienced trainees to be placed on farms and agricultural operations for up to 12 months and creates opportunities for a cross-cultural exchange of ideas. Generally a trainee is currently pursuing studies or recently graduated in a related field through a university and has at least one year’s experience.

The intent is that the international trainee will arrive experienced, gain additional training, share their knowledge with the host farm, and return to their home country to further their agricultural career and improve their community. In return the host farm gains a motivated participant to fill temporary agricultural roles, while also gaining an international perspective for their business and making long lasting global relationships.

“We are really looking forward to welcoming participants to New Zealand through the CAEP programme that offers host farms the benefit of motivated, qualified trainees, keen to learn about New Zealand farming methods, and share some of their own knowledge, and of course the helping hands at busy times are welcome too,” Baron said.

ENDS