Farming families sought for international trainees

News Release – for immediate release

August 12, 2010
AgriVenture - International Agricultural Exchange Association (IAEA)

Farming families sought for international trainees

International agricultural trainees are flocking to New Zealand for a ‘Kiwi’ farming experience but AgriVenture is struggling to keep up with the demand.
The international organisation is urgently seeking farming families to meet the influx of agricultural trainees due to arrive in New Zealand.

The number of trainees set to arrive over the next two months is currently outstripping placement families and the organisation is at a quandary as to why it is short of farming families this year.

“We are very short of host families for the September and October intakes of trainees and we have no real reason as to why we have landed in this situation,” says AgriVenture New Zealand manager Robyn Baron.

Baron suggests a combination of the continued poor economic situation and ongoing extreme weather events in several regions could be the reason for farming families to be lying low.

While employment opportunities have tightened due to the economic downturn the International Agricultural Exchange Association (IAEA) believes it has an added-value employee opportunity to offer the agricultural industry.
“The scheme is a great way for farmers to get an extra pair of hands to help over the busier summer period and also to learn about another culture and country, as well as having the satisfaction of giving a young international person the chance to learn about New Zealand’s agriculture and way of life.”

New Zealand, as a leading global agricultural nation, is one of the most popular destinations for IAEA trainees. Its clean green reputation with good opportunity for a variety of experiences continues to attract trainees keen to work on New Zealand farms.

“These trainees can add real value to farming families and farming life as they share their working and cultural experiences and become part of the family to which they are hosted, often fostering relationships between hosts and trainees that lead to adopted sons and daughters, and even grandchildren, around the world.”

Trainees can work either solely on the farm or some of them, both male and female, do a mix of work on farm and in the home with childcare, gardening and housework.

While many trainees have experience there are some with very limited or no experience.

“Even when a trainee has little experience it can be an extremely rewarding experience for both parties. But what is important is that they all come with a give-it-a-go attitude and are very keen to learn about Kiwi farming and life,” Baron said.

IAEA is currently looking for families across all farming sectors – sheep and beef, arable, dairy, with sheep and beef in highest demand.

Some specific requests for placement also include host family opportunities for trainees wanting horticultural and vineyard work.

With just six weeks until the main intake of 80 trainees arrives there are still 35 trainees unplaced. These are young folk from Canada, UK and Europe.
“Host families anywhere around the country will be just fine,” a desperate Baron said.

The IAEA programme this year has round 120 trainees coming to New Zealand from the UK, Europe, Canada and the USA.

Trainees either live in with the family or in accommodation provided by the family with hosts encouraged to include the trainees in their everyday family life.

There is an assistance network within the IAEA for both the trainee and the host family.

The trainee is generally placed in the programme for a minimum of four months with most in New Zealand for six months. There are a few who stay a longer period up to one year.

The IAEA has been running the AgriVenture programme since 1963, with over 30,000 young people travelling with the organisation over the past 47 years.
The AgriVenture programmes run by the IAEA are aimed at young people aged from 18-30 years.

Anyone interested in further details about the IAEA programme, or willing to host a trainee, should contact Robyn Baron on freephone 0508 328000. Email nz@agriventure.com

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