Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall and Deputy Premier John Barilaro, both centre, with students and teachers at the recent Wool Works program at Glen Innes.
Monday, 15 July 2019
MEMBER for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall and Deputy Premier John Barilaro pulled on their dungarees picked up a broom and called in to lend a hand at the successful Wool Works shearing and wool handling training program at Glen Innes recently.
During a tour of the region Mr Marshall and Mr Barilaro visited the Glen Innes Department of Primary Industries Agriculture and Research station to meet with 25 local high school students who were taking part in the three-day course, conducted by TAFE NSW.
Mr Marshall said the program, running in its second year, encouraged young people to get involved with an industry which has great historical significance to the Northern Tablelands.
“Not everyone wants to work in an office and what this school does is teaches local kids the skills to work as part of a team on farm and in a in a functioning wool shed,” Mr Marshall said.
“The workshop has been designed to teach students the requirements of running a wool shed, everything from the art of shearing through to animal husbandry, wool handling and safety.
“Unfortunately the drought has caused a decline in the state’s sheep flock, but hopefully one day soon the weather breaks and those numbers will return, and when they do these students will be ready with the skills to jump into the shed and earn a decent living.”
The first Wool Works program was a trial which took place last year and was supported by the NSW Government, Regional Development Australia Northern Inland (RDANI), Glen Innes Severn Council, Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) and Heiniger.
Mr Barilaro was impressed by the level of hands on experience the course offered.
“As a carpenter and employer I understand how important it is to hire and work with people who have had experience and practical training,“ Mr Barilaro said.
“Sadly many important skills like shearing are falling by the way side and I think what’s happening at the Glen Innes Agriculture Research Station is a really positive way of showing school children there are alternatives to university that earn a good wage and means they can stay in their home towns.”