Whanganui’s Land Based Training institution sold to Australasian education group

Rob Gollan says he has "reached Gold Card age" and it is time to let someone else make the next move. Photo / Mike Tweed

Whanganui’s Land Based Training (LBT) tertiary institution has changed hands after nearly 30 years.

Founded by Rob Gollan and Jeremy Higgie in 1996, the primary industries training organisation operates over 40 sites around New Zealand and has run courses as far afield as Botswana.

Gollan said LBT taught “wherever there was a need” and reconnected people with education.

“They might have struggled at school and had low achievement,” he said.

“I guess I’ve always been about people.

“It’s giving them some skills to get a job and prosperity in their lives.”

At the time of the sale, LBT had around 90 staff and was a category-one provider, the highest ranking that can be given by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).

Gollan said LBT’s head office had always been in Whanganui.

“We used to buy paper by the pallet from Warren Ruscoe (Meteor Printers) for photocopying, unit standards and resources,” he said.

“I’m only guessing but we must have been one of his biggest clients.”

Current courses range from agriculture and horticulture to civil infrastructure and property maintenance.

“We have also supported several training farms around the country, like Fairlight Station on the border of Otago and Southland, Lake Coleridge station at the back of Canterbury and the Otowhiti station at Hunterville,” Gollan said.

“There have been wallaby control programmes at Lake Tarawera, and through the Provincial Growth Fund, we taught pest control to three iwi groups that were taking their share of the Mamaku Kaimai Ranges.”

Gollan said LBT had two contracts with Botswana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade that lasted around eight years.

A range of staff travelled there to work in the communal beef sector but the outbreak of Covid-19 “stomped on that a little bit”.

Regardless of new technology, training through (NCEA) levels one, two and three remained the same, he said.

“Students need to deal with animals safely and efficiently, ride bikes and tractors, ride a horse and train a dog.

“The management end – at levels four and five – there are more apps, more tools and more websites.

“But, shearing sheep and chasing them off a hill hasn’t changed.”

Technology has changed but students are still "shearing sheep and chasing them off a hill", Rob Gollan says. Photo / NZME

Gollan, who also runs a farming consultancy business, said he and Higgie had “done our time” with LBT.

“Now, we’ve reached our Gold Card age.

“At the end of the day, it’s time to let someone else make the next move.

“It’s well set up, it’s well funded and more than paying its way.”

He said Higgie moved to Hawke’s Bay close to 20 years ago, running the business in that part of the country as well as being part of overall governance.

The largest single LBT site is in Hastings.

“Jeremy and I have been 50-50 partners the whole way,” Gollan said.

“It’s been brilliant and he’s been great to work with.”

What comes next?

Australasian organisation UP Education bought LBT earlier this year.

According to its website, it is a multi-sector education group that “delivers vocational education and training, higher education, university partnerships and online education”.

In New Zealand, it runs courses in partnership with the Auckland Institute of Technology (AUT), Massey University and the University of Auckland.

In a statement, chief executive Mark Rushworth said working within the community, adapting delivery to unique learners' needs, and incorporating tikanga Māori were essential to its operation.

“The primary production sector is showing signs of a much-needed recovery and growth to help our economy rebound,” he said.

“Supporting educational pathways here is key to New Zealand’s economic future and to ensure a healthy future for the sector.”

Gollan said UP Education would possibly look to deliver on-job training, which LBT had not previously offered.

“They’ve done that with the building industry and have been very successful.”

The Chronicle asked UP Education a series of questions regarding the future of LBT, whether it planned to cut courses and/or add others, and if the current set-up in Whanganui would be affected.

In response, the company said its team could not currently answer them as it focused on integrating LBT into the wider business.

Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.