Five Taranaki graduates gain hands-on farming skills with Growing Future Farmers course

Peta Fearon won the top academic award in New Zealand for the Growing Future Farmers course.

Five young graduates now have hands-on farming experience thanks to a local course.

On Thursday, November 19, Gus Waite, Joel Dodunski, Peta Fearon, Ryan Williamson and Zoe Jordan graduated from the Growing Future Farmers course.

The two-year programme provides practical on-farm experience to build confidence and skills in young people entering the sheep, beef and deer industries.

The course participants worked and lived on the farms as well as completed assignments and attended training and information days covering topics such as shearing, chainsaw, fencing, dog training, vehicle lessons and beef and lamb day.

Many people helped make the course work but special thanks must go to Nicky Macdonald-Wells who went over and above to make it all happen and was a huge support for both students and farm trainers.

All the students achieved NZQA level 3 qualifications with Peta Fearon taking out the award for highest academic achievement not only in Taranaki but the whole of New Zealand.

Raising and training a puppy to work ready is an important part of the programme and Ryan Williamson took the honours in that department.

The five graduates are all staying in the central and eastern Taranaki region.