Dissecting a fanworm may not be everyone’s idea of a great day out, but it was a popular activity for secondary students participating in two recent Find Your Future careers events.

Around 80 students from eight schools took part in the Whangārei event and a further 40 students from six schools attended a similar event in Kerikeri. Both events were aimed specifically at attracting young people into careers within Northland’s professional primary industries.

The events, a first for Northland, were organised by the Northland Regional Council and its Enviroschools team and the Whangarei Agricultural & Pastoral Society, with support from the Ministry of Primary Industries, NIWA, Plant and Food Research, Rabobank, Seeka and Tahi Honey NZ.

In addition to interactive workshops, the students had the opportunity to see professional primary industries in action with visits to NIWA or Tahi Honey in Whangārei, and SEEKA or Plant and Food Research in Kerikeri.

“Northland’s professional primary industries offer well-paid, diverse and rewarding career opportunities, yet often struggle to fill positions,” regional council Chairman Bill Shepherd told the students. “These events can open your eyes to new opportunities and may influence what you want to study when you leave school.

You don’t have to leave Northland for good to get a high paying career in the professional primary industries – you can do it right here.”

Primary industries professionals acted as role models during the events, sharing their career pathways and engaging the students through practical experiences including soil analysis, sediment sampling, microscopic examination and identification, GIS mapping, rural banking farm purchase calculations and quizzes.

In one room, young people in white laboratory coats gathered around a table, trying their hand at fanworm dissection, subjecting the marine invaders to microscopic examination and asking questions of regional council marine biosecurity professionals.

In another, a lively quiz with thought provoking questions created a keen sense of competition and gave students a better understanding of the role and work of the Ministry for Primary Industries.

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