Big push to promote kiwifruit jobs

Mike Chapman (left) and Sian Bent from Plant and Food are super Kiwis.

An innovative idea to promote kiwifruit industry career pathways began at the National Fieldays in Hamilton last week.

"Super Kiwis" was an initiative supported by New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc, Plant and Food Research, Zespri and Land Your Dream Job, a website designed to showcase primary industry vocations.

New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers chief executive Mike Chapman said it was trying to give young people the idea that there were a lot of careers and excitement in horticulture.

"We definitely need to attract a lot more workers at all levels and that is why we have got this programme to try to get a whole range of people into the industry.

"You don't have to be a scientist, we need a range of skills from marketing at Zespri through to accounting, running orchards and quality control and packing.

"There is a whole range of very exciting careers in the kiwifruit industry and horticulture."

It already fostered close relationships with the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, University of Waikato and Waiariki Institute of Technology, he said.

"We try to integrate our programmes with their programmes so they can move through training with these organisations and advance their careers."

However, Mr Chapman said he would support the idea of Tauranga having its own university, especially if it focussed on what the industry and region needs.

"Job satisfaction, work variety and the people make horticulture the best industry to work in." Zespri chief executive Lain Jager said New Zealand was positioned well for growth in the primary sector with the rising global population and the impact of climate change.

"Join the primary sector to catch the wave."

Plant and Research chief operating officer Bruce Campbell said there were excellent career opportunities.

"An expanding demand for talented people growing, supplying or marketing food means you have an excellent range of future career options that can make a difference in the world."

The Ministry for Primary Industries People Powered Future Capabilities report said the horticulture industry would need over 34,000 workers in the next decade to cope with growth and departures.

Most would require some form of qualification.

In 2012, 40 per cent of the horticulture workforce had a formal post-school qualification.

It was expected by 2025 that would need to increase to 66 per cent.