Category: Agri Labour

Spring has arrived in Australia and in the more northern areas of the country, so has a distinct change in season. Noticeably warmer days with the sun allowing for earlier starts and later finishes, Spring is the season that marks an abundance of growth and activity across the Australian agriculture sector.

While the absence of spring rain and ongoing drought has most certainly made things challenging for many primary producers, the demand for workers remains high and the team at Agri Labour Australia have been busily recruiting a range of skilled staff for our many agriculture clients.

From machine operators for the much anticipated North Queensland mango season and forklift drivers servicing the Australian grain harvest in NSW, down to citrus workers in Victoria and vegetable pickers in Tasmania – farms all over the country are hugely active at this time of the year.

Spring also sees the arrival of many overseas backpackers looking for work – it’s a great time of year to start building skills for the harvest trail or other farm work while travelling and enjoying the diversity of this amazing country.

With over 300,000 people employed within the Australian agriculture industry, it is one of the largest industries in the country and provides a countless opportunities for those seeking to find work within the field.

Casey Brown, Managing Director, Agri Labour Australia says, ‘Australia’s has over 394 million hectares of farmland located in vastly differing geographies and climate. This in itself allows for diversity of produce all over the country and delivers a constant demand for agriculture workers across all states and territories at any given time of the year, most especially in spring and summer.’

Whether it’s horticulture, livestock, poultry or one of the many other industry areas within agriculture, Spring is an exciting time for agribusiness and paves the way for the bumper summer produce that is just around the corner.

This week officially heralded the beginning of the Bushfire season with fires affecting every state and territory of Australia – most significantly in South East Queensland and around the NSW border.

These devastating fires that fiercely damaged homes and land in Stanthorpe, Mt Tamborine and Peregian Beach over the last week are very much a part of the ongoing drought that’s been challenging rural and regional communities in Queensland, NSW and South Australia since the start of 2017.

With hotter than normal temperatures over the last two summers and drier than usual winters – Australia’s annual rains have failed to arrive in many of our major farming areas and, as the drought goes on, the threat of fire increases drastically.

The continuing drought has a major impact on the agriculture sector – from livestock, wool and dairy jobs, to vegetables and grain, with farmers everywhere experiencing huge challenges as they try to maintain production with little or no water.

Partnering with our clients who range from family owned farming operations to ASX listed agribusiness, the Agri Labour Australia recruitment team are always at the forefront of the industry and seeing the changes in demand for workers in some areas.

While Victoria is set for a bumper crop, according to the Australian Bureau of Agriculture and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES), the annual Australian Grain Harvest in Queensland will be down 60% less than its ten year average and NSW, more than 50% less.

This kind of economic impact resulting from drought is far reaching – businesses, families and workers are all hurt financially, followed by the impact on their rural communities and the diminishment of key services such as education, retail and medical in those areas.

For those of you who have friends and family affected by the fires and this epic drought, we urge you to lend your support through these tough times.

In the spirit of R U OK? Day on 12 September, it’s a good time to make a call or pay a visit to see how our rural and regional friends are really doing.

The Australian poultry industry is a thriving one. It is also one of the industries that doesn’t fall ‘foul’ of the issues so many other crop and livestock producers experience with seasons, weather and other environmental factors affecting their output and profitability.

The stability of the poultry industry is just one of the many reasons why it’s an excellent field to pursue a career in.  It’s this continuity across industry that allows for longevity in jobs, which in turn develops individual skill sets and opens pathways for legitimate career progression.

While disease has been an issue in the past, the strict Australian biosecurity measures and animal welfare standards now in place do an excellent job in protecting the industry, its workers and the birds – making it a great choice for people looking at safe and steady employment options.

The Australian poultry industry also offers excellent renumeration with many employers often provide great wage incentives and employment packages for staff that include accommodation, vehicle plus a great salary as a starting point.

Candidates who are considering a career in the poultry industry don’t need trades or a specific skillset. Tim Chapman, GM Permanent Recruitment, Agri Labour Australia says ‘The Poultry industry is one where you can really build your career and earning capacity quickly. For those just starting out, we welcome people who display good common sense and a great work ethic. For management roles, you need to be a forward thinker, skilled in people management, equipped with computer skills and good with numbers.

Tim adds, ‘We have also seen some of our ALA workers transition into management roles over the space of twelve months.  It’s all a matter of being able to quickly pick up the skills they needed, showing a commitment to the job and being proactive at all times.’

What Can You Expect to Earn in the Poultry Industry?

• Farm Hand                 $45 – $50K
• Farm 2IC                     $50 -$70K
• Manager                      $70 – $90K
• Site Manager              $90 – $110K
• Operations Manager $100 – $130K
• State Manager            $130 – $140K
• General Manager       $150K +

At Agri Labour Australia we’ve been working with some of the country’s largest egg and chicken meat producers for over a decade, delivering a range of employment solutions for their needs. From broiler farms and breeders, to rearing and laying across traditional and organic organisations – we know the industry inside out and work with the best operators in the business. Stay tuned for poultry hire & poultry recruitment updates.

 

A Growing Force in the Field

Historically the Australian agricultural workforce has been one predominately male, with women playing critical, yet often ‘behind the scenes’ roles. In earlier times, women were usually in unpaid work – dedicating their time and support towards the family farm or volunteering in various ways to help their local businesses and communities.

However, over the last decade there has been a significant rise in the number of women becoming more visible in paid jobs across the agriculture employment landscape. This is an exciting and much welcome change to the industry and of particular interest to the Agri Labour Australia recruitment teams.

From fruit picking and cotton ginning to poultry and piggery attendants, women are now employed across all areas of agriculture. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, women have also been outnumbering men in agriculture degree enrolments at universities since 2016.

With the agriculture skills shortage an ongoing problem and the lack of succession planning across an aging workforce becoming more prevalent, Casey Brown Director, Agri Labour Australia believes that having more women in agriculture is exactly what the industry needs to start addressing these longer term issues.

‘The scarcity of good quality staff has definitely forced businesses to open their views on employing females which is really positive. Women have outperformed and proven themselves to be of huge benefit to agriculture businesses and it is this that’s helped pave the way for that much needed change in perception across the industry.

Casey also adds, ‘Women are great communicators and offer a great deal of improvement around reliability with coming to work. Based on the constant feedback we receive from employers and our internal workforce management data; we know that safety statistics improve significantly when women are on the job. When it comes to machine operating, women take less risks, can have greater attention to detail and take more care when it comes to handling the machines – this has seen a growing trend in a preference for females filling certain roles.

Our statistics (Table 1) show a clear trajectory of growth relating to women working in agriculture. With females representing 30% of Australia’s farmers and farm managers, we are going to be seeing a lot more women in leadership and industry leading roles in the very near future, said Casey.

Historically the Australian agricultural workforce has been one predominately male, with women playing critical, yet often ‘behind the scenes’ roles. In earlier times, women were usually in unpaid work – dedicating their time and support towards the family farm or volunteering in various ways to help their local businesses and communities.

However, over the last decade there has been a significant rise in the number of women becoming more visible in paid jobs across the agriculture employment landscape. This is an exciting and much welcome change to the industry and of particular interest to the Agri Labour Australia recruitment teams.

From fruit picking and cotton ginning to poultry and piggery attendants, women are now employed across all areas of agriculture. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, women have also been outnumbering men in agriculture degree enrolments at universities since 2016.

With the agriculture skills shortage an ongoing problem and the lack of succession planning across an aging workforce becoming more prevalent, Casey Brown Director, Agri Labour Australia believes that having more women in agriculture is exactly what the industry needs to start addressing these longer term issues.

‘The scarcity of good quality staff has definitely forced businesses to open their views on employing females which is really positive. Women have outperformed and proven themselves to be of huge benefit to agriculture businesses and it is this that’s helped pave the way for that much needed change in perception across the industry.

Casey also adds, ‘Women are great communicators and offer a great deal of improvement around reliability with coming to work. Based on the constant feedback we receive from employers and our internal workforce management data; we know that safety statistics improve significantly when women are on the job. When it comes to machine operating, women take less risks, can have greater attention to detail and take more care when it comes to handling the machines – this has seen a growing trend in a preference for females filling certain roles.

Our statistics (Table 1) show a clear trajectory of growth relating to women working in agriculture. With females representing 30% of Australia’s farmers and farm managers, we are going to be seeing a lot more women in leadership and industry leading roles in the very near future, said Casey.

After some smaller cases were identified earlier in the year, the outbreak of African Swine flu in China has now spread to over 55 countries across three continents. This particularly virulent strain has seen over 2 million pigs destroyed across China and Vietnam with numbers set to rise as the disease continues to be spread by migrating wild pig populations and humans moving contaminated pork products.

As the world’s largest consumer of pork and home to 440 million pigs (half the world’s entire pig population), the effect on China’s pork industry is set to be catastrophic.

While not dangerous to humans, the disease is one that Australian authorities are desperate to keep out of the country. Casey Brown, Managing Director of Agri Labour Australia says, ‘This is a tragic event that is going to have an ongoing effect for many years to come. While pork prices are yet to reflect what’s happening in China and Vietnam as they are still able to draw on their frozen stocks, the world is most definitely going to see significant changes in the pork industry.’

‘The Australian pork industry has experienced challenging times due to the large quantities of cheap pork being imported from Asia. With Australia’s strict biosecurity measures in place, these imports will be significantly reduced which should see an increase in demand for local pork across the domestic and export markets,’ said Casey.

Casey adds, ‘There’s also going to be a further demand and potential expansion opportunities for the beef and poultry industries in Australia as China seeks to source alternative meat to fill the consumer requirements of their country.

With Australia well known for its high quality meat and dedication to animal welfare standards, it will be great to see our country’s pork producers increase their production to fill those imminent supply gaps. Not only will this boost the profile of the Australian pork industry, it will also create additional jobs and help stimulate local industry.’

This month’s ‘Candidate Conversation’ is with Siti Nur Ashikin Saad. Siti is a Malaysian national who has been in Australia and working with Agri Labour Australia (ALA) for just over twelve months.

Our recruitment team identified Siti as a great candidate for her flexibility and great attitude when it comes to roles. Not afraid of hard work, Siti has proven herself as a reliable, happy and positive staff member who gets the job done with no complaints!

From Tasmania and NSW, then up to North Queensland for the mango season, Siti was doing quality control for our citrus client in South Australia when we got talking to her about what she loves most about living and working in regional Australia.

What’s the best part about your job?

I have made so many new friends from lots of different countries. I get to know about their cultures and learn their languages. I have also learned a lot about how important organisation and communication are at work. Travelling and working in different places in Australia is also great.

What is the most challenging part of your work?

For me, learning the new role and the skills I need to do my best and keep up the pace – making sure everything is of the best quality, weight is correct etc. Travelling around for each job can sometimes be a little challenging.

What are you career goals?

I like to multitask! I would like to know much more, work more and plan to keep learning a new role for every job in the future. I’d also like to become a supervisor and lead teams.

What has been your favourite job since being with ALA?

Cutting asparagus in Cowra has been my favourite so far – it was physically challenging, and I wasn’t sure that I was going to be able to do it, but I did!

How has ALA helped you while you’ve been working in Australia?

ALA has really helped me to grow in different ways. My confidence has grown and ALA have assisted me in gaining skills and learning so much in a short time. Before I started with ALA, I was shy but now I am more social and can communicate with people freely.

Where to from here?

I plan on doing what I can to stay in Australia! For now I will be heading back to Tasmania to do vegetable sorting and packing.

Favourite place in Australia and why?

Penguin in Tasmania. It’s a super stunning place, the people are lovely, it’s a great work environment and the company I was working for is super systematic with a good supervisor. That’s why I’m going back!

Earlier this year, the poultry industry was put on high alert after a rare strain of salmonella was found on three farms in NSW. The outbreak affected properties across NSW and Victoria, resulting in the destruction of thousands of eggs and laying chickens.

These outbreaks are not only fraught with huge financial and emotional impacts on farmers but also have a catastrophic effect on the industry. The extent of such impact was seen in 1999 following an outbreak of Newcastle Disease resulting in the slaughter of almost two million chickens across the NSW Central Coast and taking a further ten years to recover.

Working closely to provide our poultry clients with staffing solutions over the last decade has provided Agri Labour Australia (ALA) with a firsthand knowledge of the biosecurity processes necessary to maintain the safest and healthiest industry standards possible.

Casey Brown, Managing Director of Agri Labour Australia says ‘Absolutely everyone in the poultry industry needs to be aware how far reaching and significant these disease outbreaks can be. ALA works with both large and small egg producers around the country, and regardless of the size of the farm, the biosecurity measures must be the same in order to protect the industry as a whole.’

Constantly working in partnership with our clients and with a view to supporting the poultry industry, ALA has invested in developing a documented biosecurity standard for workers. The document is aligned with the strict requirements and processes in place for all poultry farms across the country and forms an integral part of the orientation procedure for ALA poultry workers.

Casey continues ‘We also recognise that our training processes need to be more than reading and signing a document. To better engage and inform our workers, we are developing an animated biosecurity training video that provides a more holistic understanding of the procedures, dangers and legislation.

By incorporating these biosecurity requirements and going above and beyond in our recruitment processes, ALA clients should feel confident that we are equipping workers with the knowledge they need to do their part in protecting their organisation and the poultry industry.’

For more information on how Agri Labour Australia can solve your poultry recruitment needs, visit www.agrilabour.com.au or phone 1300 247 823

As Australia’s leading agriculture recruitment agency, Agri Labour Australia are always at the forefront of industry trends and changes. Working closely with our clients to assist them in sourcing the right candidates provides us with firsthand knowledge into high demand skill and qualification areas.

One role consistently in high demand is that of licenced forklift operators. Forklift operators are sought after across a wide range of industries and it’s also a role that can provide interesting job diversity with other duties often making up the full position.

With this skill in much demand, candidates with forklift licences have a great deal of choice and variety when it comes to choosing job types, pay rates and locations.

What does a forklift operator do?

• operating controls to align forklifts and raise and lower forks to stack and unstack items in warehouses, factories, timber yards and shipping terminals
• operating forklifts which run on rails or use electronic guidance systems to control movements in narrow aisles
• loading and unloading trucks with bins or pallets of stock
• transporting goods to designated areas in warehouses and factories
• ensuring goods are stored in correct areas so that they can be easily located when orders are made up
• monitoring equipment operation visually through gauges and instruments and through computerised monitoring equipment
• inspecting and controlling equipment to identify wear and damage
• servicing and performing minor repairs and adjustments to forklifts
• may operate specialised trucks to carry items beneath elevated frames

How much can I earn?

Forklift operators can expect to earn (on average) $25-$30/hour, however many operators can earn higher rates with overtime and leave loading available with some organisations.

How do I get my forklift licence?

To be eligible to apply you must be at least 18 years of age, have a basic understanding of English and be able to follow directions. You will also need to provide 100 points of identification – passport, driver’s licence, birth certificate, address.

You must obtain your training and licence from a Registered Training Provider (RTO). There are two classes of forklift licences:

1. LF – Forklift equipped with a mast and an elevating load carriage with a pair of fork arms or other attachment
2. LO – an order picking forklift truck where the operator’s control elevates with the load carriage/lifting media

How long does it take to get a forklift licence?

Most forklift courses are competency based meaning you need to undertake enough hours in order to be able to show you can effectively operate the machine. Each student has different abilities therefore the time taken to become certified can vary but most courses take around two days and cost approximately $400-$600.

For more information and to apply for one of our great jobs, visit the Agri Labour Australia job board or call 1300 247 823