Former students Aaria, Jess and Kassie return as tutors to AGC Training in Whanganui

Former students Aaria Hepi (left), Jess Drinnan and Kassie Abel are back at AGC Training for more, this time teaching. Photo / Supplied

AGC Training is proving the ideal nursery to supply its own staff in the teaching ranks.

While former students returning to tutor new intakes is not unusual for the Whanganui-based company, to have three return within days of each other is breaking new ground.

Kassie Abel, Aaria Hepi and Jess Drinnan trained together in various agricultural fields over the past five or six years before going their separate ways then returning together in the past month.

All three have been raised in farming environments and spent time in or near Whanganui during their lives.

Abel graduated from farm skills, dairying and rural animal technician courses after arriving at AGC Training, or Ag Challenge as it was back then, with equine certificates gained at a rival PTE (Private Training Establishment).

Abel grew up on an aunty's dairy farm in Taranaki where milking cows was a daily routine, but she also has experience working on sheep and beef units.

"Horses have been a big part of my life," Abel said.

"Firstly with thoroughbreds, but lately I'm into endurance horses. I'm definitely a farm girl at heart and I'm now loving the teaching role. I started working for AGC Training a few weeks back doing administration mainly, but filling in wherever I'm needed teaching as well," Abel said.

Hepi is originally from the Far North and for 12 years travelled the North Island working on dairy farms her Whanganui-born partner, Tane Ratana, managed.

"Two or three years ago I graduated from the vet nurse assistant course here and then the rural animal tech course," Hepi said.

"I first came to AGC Training off the back of dairy farming on properties my partner managed – everywhere from Kerikeri to Bulls, Taupō and Rotorua.

"While I was a student I often thought about the possibility of returning as a tutor. Tane is also a graduate of AGC and he also toyed with the idea of returning as a tutor, so it's funny how it was me who returned to teach. Since we have moved back to town, Tane is working in the trucking industry.

"I've been working for AGC for a couple of weeks now and wearing many hats mixing administration with teaching – it's surreal, but I love it."

Drinnan has perhaps the most history with AGC Training, graduating from the milk harvesting L3 course in 2014 and then the general farm skills programme immediately after. She then began working on the main farm operated by AGC Training owner Stephen Gudsell.

"I worked on the main Gudsell farm for two years after I graduated and then left to work on a Waverley dairy farm for four seasons – I'm back at AGC Training now as a tutor," Drinnan said.

"I never really thought that would happen. Stephen [Gudsell] asked me a few years ago, but I turned that down at the time. I'm teaching agriculture, mainly dairy, although I have been doing a bit of administration as well.

"I'm originally from Taranaki where my parents worked on dairy farms and then I lived in Whanganui for nine years. In Year 8 I went to Whanganui Intermediate School and then to Whanganui Girls' College until Year 12 before leaving to train at AGC Training.

"I'm back at AGC now and I'm loving it," Drinnan said.