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Woolshed laments the lack of industry skills
17 Jun 2003
The wool industry is facing a skills shortage in grazing country. Producers say it's becoming increasingly difficult to find workers skilled in shearing, wool-pressing, wool-classing and shed-handling. One South Australian sheep farmer, David Lindner, said training has been neglected for years.
The South Australian Government has spent $672,000 over the past eight years on shearing training, but the numbers continue to dwindle. The SA Minister for Further Education has commissioned a review of shearing training but says the industry is "structurally unsound". There's a huge drop-out rate which perhaps means that people starting have no long-term prospects in the industry, she said. The SA government won't be fleeced by putting more money into a structurally unsound industry, she added.
Wool-classer and former rural studies teacher Andrew Brown will deliver his assessment of the training program.
Mr Lindner thinks training should be targeted at keeping people in the wool industry. It's bloody hard work though, he said, and we struggle to find people. There's a lot of travel, dangerous equipment and some "pretty ordinary" working conditions.
The Australian, 17/6/03, page 7.
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