Category: Agri Labour

This month we are chatting with Agri Labour Australia (ALA) candidate Cristobal Bragagnolo. An Argentinian National, who has been in Australia for eighteen months. ALA is recognising Cristobal for his commitment, hard work and excellent work skills.

Cristobal and his girlfriend Daniela Faggian became well known to the Agri Labour Australia recruitment team for always receiving great feedback from employers about their willingness to learn, dedication to completing jobs and having a positive attitude.

A skilled machine operator who is currently working as a tractor operator for the almond season, we asked Cristobal what he likes most about living and working in regional Australia.

What’s the best part about your job?

It’s like an adventure! We get to know new people and live in places that I would normally never meet or see. I love learning new skills on different machinery and have the excitement that comes with doing seasonal work and saving money!

What is the most challenging part of your work?

Sometimes finding the right timing to work a regional season and then moving onto the next job but ALA are great at helping with this. Also getting the right balance of working hard and looking after yourself – making sure you get adequate rest, nutrition and some personal hobbies. Luckily, I’ve got my guitar!

What are you career goals?

I am saving money to pay for my Bachelor of Biology. I plan on operating machines for a few more years to keep saving and then complete my degree.

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

ALA have been incredibly professional and well organised. They have always been very clear about start dates, wages and what they expect from us in the workplace. My partner Daniela and I previously worked with other agencies but after working with ALA we really noticed the difference. Our agent Mari has been honest, caring and provided us with all the details we need and always helped with any situation that has arisen.

Our pay has always been flawless which is great! But for us, it’s the way we’ve been treated – we only have nice things to say about ALA!

Where to from here?

I plan on working through until the end of the current almond season, then moving on to picking cotton and grain harvests later in the year. And keep saving for my biology degree!

Favourite place in Australia and why?

I love the hills of Alexandra and Yark in Victoria and the incredible sunsets and open skies of Moree in NSW.

When finding labour solutions for our clients, the Agri Labour Australia recruitment team know it’s not always just knowledge that enables someone to make a success of a job. While previous experience is always highly regarded, there are other key attributes that make some workers more valuable than others in seasonal roles.

Proving yourself as a valuable worker doesn’t have to be hard and can deliver great rewards in the form of ongoing work and being assigned better roles. Employers are always reluctant to let their valued workers go at the end of the season and eager to have them return if they haven’t been able to keep them on.

So, what are the attributes of a valuable seasonal worker? Here are Agri Labour Australia’s tips on improving your worth in the workplace:

Positive Attitude

While it can sound a little cliché, having the right attitude to work makes all the difference. Nobody enjoys being around negative people or those who create drama. A cheerful face makes everyone feel comfortable and helps improve productivity in the workplace.

Proactive Approach

Do you take the initiative and look at finding solutions to problems? Being motivated to learn new things and getting the job done without waiting to be told are favourable attributes and can often lead to you being given more responsibility and better roles.

Reliability & Commitment

Turning up to work on time and keeping your word means a lot to an employer. Seeing a job through to its end date is also a big one if you want a good reference or to be considered for future roles.

Flexibility

This is a key one when working within the agriculture industry. Given that nature plays a large part in dictating when seasons start and finish, it’s vital that you can be flexible and understanding. Employers also value those people who show flexibility with work assignments and other changing conditions within the job.

Honesty

Proving yourself to be trustworthy, having integrity and being honest in all that you do goes a long way in proving who you are as a person and as an employee.

Communication

Are you good at following instructions and being an active listener? Having good interpersonal skills is critical to the effectiveness of any workplace and is an attribute that’s high on the list for agribusiness looking for labour solutions.

Capability

Do you have the physical strength or mental endurance to get the job done? It’s not always about being the strongest but more about taking care of yourself to ensure your mind and body are working at optimum capacity. Good diet, plenty of water and adequate rest will greatly assist in helping you stay fit and healthy for work.

Safety

Last but certainly not least – especially on farms and other agriculture industries where risk on the job is high. Employers look for staff who value the safety of themselves and others, by being aware of the dangers and acting accordingly.

How do you rate your value as an agricultural employee? Agri Labour Australia is always looking for candidates who display the valuable qualities we’ve listed here.

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

At 0400 hours on April 25, 1915 Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) landed on the beaches of Gallipoli – signifying their first major battle of World War 1.

Each year since and some 104 years on, the Anzac spirit remains strong. Today Anzac Day now also serves to honour the Australians who lost their lives in the Second World War and in all other military and peacekeeping operations through which Australia has been involved.

In keeping with the Anzac tradition, Agri Labour Australia’s Agri Veterans Ambassador, Peter Thatcher is currently doing the Kokoda Trail for the eighth time! A Defence member himself for over 40 years, Peter is leading a team of forty people which will finish on Anzac Day with a service at the Bomana War Cemetery.

Lending support at a more local level, you can find the Agri Labour Australia team volunteering at the RSL’s Anzac Day stand at Brookside Shopping Centre. With all proceeds going to assist returned servicemen and women and their families, this is a great cause that our Agri Veterans Program is proud to be associated with.

‘From Deployment to Employment’ our Agri Veterans Program bridges the gap to help ex-servicemen and women find stable and rewarding employment aligned to their existing skills and experience. Led by our highly experienced recruiter and former soldier Tim Chapman, Agri Veterans is a unique and award winning program that has successfully placed ex-servicepeople in a variety of agriculture roles all over the country.

From grain handlers to farm managers, the Agri Veterans team are always available to discuss role availability and job placements. Get in touch with us today on 1300 247 823.

Lest We Forget

After a spate of attacks were profiled in a recent edition of the Weekend Australian Magazine, young backpackers have been strongly urged to find rural work through registered providers only.

Richard Guilliatt’s article investigated several unspeakably horrific incidents where young female backpackers were lured under false pretences to isolated locations across Australia via ads on Gumtree and other unverified sources.

Promised unspecified work as ‘farmhands’, ‘travelling companions’, ‘nannies’ or ‘calf raisers’, when arriving at their destination, these women were held against their will and subjected to sickening attacks.

As an accredited agricultural recruitment provider, we cannot stress enough how dangerous it is to travel to the middle of nowhere to meet an ‘employer’ for the first time.

Background

Many backpackers go searching for country placements as they are required to complete three months (or 88 days) of rural work (for example, fruit picking) to qualify for their second year Working Holiday Visa.

What you need to know

• Before accepting a job offer on a free classifieds site, ensure you have been provided with information on the company.
• A legitimate farming operation should provide the company name and a link to its website.
• While beautiful, rural Australia is incredibly vast with limited phone reception in many areas. The last thing you want to do is travel several hours from a capital city alone with only a vague job description and no idea where you are.
• Accredited agriculture employment providers like Agri Labour Australia stringently assess all employers who are requesting backpackers to make sure they’re legitimate and that working conditions are acceptable.
• Reputable providers like Agri Labour Australia will also arrange for safe transportation to your place of employment and handle the work commencement process.

Working on a farm in outback Australia is an overwhelmingly positive place to be for the vast majority of backpackers with most of the people you encounter on your travels being friendly and hospitable. And, while we’re all for living carefree and collecting amazing experiences, don’t let your adventurous spirit lead you into the path of the wrong person at the wrong time.

When it comes to employment in remote locations, we urge you to protect yourself by going through an accredited recruiter with policies and procedures in place. An organisation that demonstrates its commitment to putting your safety first and ensuring you will be protected and well looked after.

Another positive step for the Australian Agriculture sector was the signing of a major new trade agreement between Australia and Indonesia.

Announced on 4 March, the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership (IA-CEPA) will deliver significant gains for many Australian farmers and see producers of grain, live cattle and meat, dairy, and horticulture benefitting from lowered (and in some cases eliminated) tariffs.

Aimed at enabling producers to sell more product and having improved access to Indonesian markets, this is a welcome announcement in light of the challenges many farmers have been experiencing through the recent drought.

This agreement will also bring several thousand more Indonesian workers over to Australia to assist with the labour shortfall in rural areas, after the recent increase to the number of Work and Holiday visa (subclass 462) holders allowed to work in Australia.

Known for their diligence and ability to get the job done, Agri Labour Australia has been utilising Indonesian workers for over four years across a range of agriculture roles including fruit and vegetable picking to farm labouring and machine operation.

Managing Director, Agri Labour Australia, Casey Brown said ‘We really welcome seeing this kind of progression for the agriculture sector. It’s great to see the Australian government looking at other avenues to support our country’s producers and ultimately increasing their capacity to earn.’

‘It’s also exciting to have more Indonesian workers being allowed into Australia. They are some of the hardest workers with a strong work ethic and we look forward to helping place them into roles across rural and regional Australia, where they’ll be highly valued employees.’

For more information on how we can help with labour solutions or employment opportunities, contact Agri Labour Australia today on 1300 247 823.

Autumn in the Australian agriculture industry is an industrious time of the year. The extraordinary weather and geographical contrasts means our country produces a diversity of crops like nowhere else in the world.

At Agri Labour Australia (ALA) the beginning of these cooler months sees us working with many of our clients into their harvests or doing the hard work to prepare for the year’s future crops.

Busy as always, the ALA recruitment team have been connecting clients with the right candidates for some great seasonal work. Happening right now is the annual almond harvest which takes place across South Australia, NSW and Victoria. ALA has been placing candidates into roles within the Victorian processing plants – with the most in demand workers being experienced forklift operators and skilled factory labourers.

Another major activity during the Autumn months is seed sowing and groundwork for broadacre crops such as barley, wheat, sorghum, oats and canola. Located across Queensland, WA and NSW, this large scale farming calls for people with knowledge of broadacre farming, irrigation experience and skilled drivers who can operate a range of heavy farm machinery.

There’s plenty of other roles on hand for those wishing to work in Australia on a Working Holiday visa, with apple, grape and pear picking in the southern states and Tasmania. There’s also the highly lucrative cotton season and a huge range of vegetables ripe and ready for harvest in Central and South East Queensland.

Whether it’s machinery operations, trades, processing, fruit picking, short or long term roles, Agri Labour Australia has an extensive network of long term clients and an impressive candidate base.

Contact us today for more information on workforce optimisation or available roles. 

Agri Labour Australia (ALA) recently had the privilege of attending the Prime Minister’s Veterans’ Employment Awards held on 5 March 2019 in the Great Hall of Parliament House, Canberra. Representing ALA were two of our very own vets; Agri Veterans Program Manager, Tim Chapman and Program Ambassador, Peter Thatcher.

The awards are an exciting annual event that recognise the achievements of organisations and individuals in creating employment opportunities for veterans and supporting their transition into the civilian workforce.

Award finalists in 2018 for our Agri Veterans Program, the ALA team attended in support of our Program which sees us providing career advice and placing returned servicemen and women in agriculture roles all over the country.

Program Manager, Tim Chapman said, ‘This is an excellent event which provided us with the perfect platform to speak to some of the key people involved. It was great to see the Prime Minister and other Ministerial representatives recognising the highly valuable skills and capabilities that defence personnel possess.’

‘ALA’s Program is unique in that we not only provide agriculture recruitment solutions but have also collaborated with Legacy to create our Agri Veterans Family Fund that assists families of fallen ex-service men and women. We are committed to keep building awareness of our Agri Veterans Program and are excited to pursue a meeting with Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Darren Chester later this year, to explore some further options,’ said Tim.

From grain handlers to farm managers, the Agri Veterans team are always available to discuss role availability and job placements. Get in touch with us today on 1300 247 823

The following article was published in the 3 February 2019 edition of The Sunday Mail, written by Michael Madigan (Regional Reporter).

Farmers crying out for help have tapped an unexpected, and reliable, well of new employees – older workers.

Grey nomads are becoming the new backpackers for Queensland farmers, proving to be steadfast, committed and valued workers.

One major recruiter says the grey-backers comprise up to 10 per cent of the workers on their books.

With the National Farms Federation claiming up to 100,000 farm jobs are going begging across Australia, and discussions about a new class of agricultural visa on the backburner, they are filling an important gap.

Casey Brown, managing director of Agri Labour Australia, says there is enormous potential for older workers to move beyond 10 per cent of their workforce, with numbers set to increase as word spreads of the many opportunities available on properties throughout Australia.

Riding the grey wave sweeping the farms are Queensland couple Terry and Leesa Alexander, both 53, who opted out of the rat race in 2008, choosing to sell their house at Hervey Bay and hit the road in car and caravan.

The Alexanders travel for five months of the year and spend seven months, picking pineapples, mangoes, cotton – wherever unskilled labour is needed.

“We don’t think or talk about retirement – this is retirements and we love it,” Mrs Alexander said.

 

Terry and Leesa Alexander were two pioneers of Agri Labour Australia’s Grey Nomad worker stream. 

If you’re considering following in Terry and Leesa’s footsteps, or if you’re interested in accessing hard working grey nomads helping farmers for agricultural projects, get in touch with the Agri Labour Australia team at [email protected] or 1300 247 823.

The following article by Casey Brown, Managing Director at Agri Labour Australia, was published in The Global Recruiter on 17 December, 2018.

SECTOR WATCH – Casey Brown, managing director, Agri Labour Australia on ‘growing’ the Australian workforce in agriculture.

Australia has a problem. We grow some of the world’s premium fruit and vegetables to meet the demand and appetite of local and international markets and yet we can’t find enough staff to harvest the crops.The term ‘skills shortage’ is being bandied around a lot these days and our sector is anything but immune to this, with the National Farmers Federation revealing there will be an expected shortfall of 100,000 agricultural workers annually. It is a critical issue facing our food producers and if we are to find the staff needed to support our farmers, the labour hire sector needs to be prepared and thinking beyond today’s job sheet.

Changing Visa regulations

The shortfall of workers was impacted by changes in 2017 to eligibility for 457 Temporary (Skilled) Visas restricting those who could use them to enter Australia for work. Following this, we saw changes to Working Holiday Visas (417 Visa) and Work and Holiday Visas (462 Visa).

Now a push by the National Farmers Federation of Australia for a new Agriculture Visa (Ag Visa), strongly backed by the National Party and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, has been reinvigorated.

On October 18, 2018, Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison told the National Farmers Federation Congress that the government would “work towards establishing an agricultural visa” giving a renewed push to the program. The Ag Visa had been expected to come into effect before the end of the year, but this has yet to happen much to the frustration of many farmers who are about to kick off their summer harvest seasons.

Finding staff

Given that many agricultural industries have their base in the soil-rich areas around mining basins in regional Australia, they are competing against the comparatively high wages of this sector to secure local staff for their farming roles. It’s a competition the agricultural sector cannot possibly hope to win given the mining sector is one of the highest paying in Australia.

We must continue to look to workers who are prepared to come here from other countries and earn a decent wage, subject to strict oversight by a number of bodies to ensure the worker is not exploited. If, however, Australia is to remain an attractive destination to a prospective seasonal workforce, the labour hire sector needs to be working on ensuring their clients are looking after the welfare of this workforce.

We strongly believe that for us to be effective recruiters for the agricultural sector, we need to interview and vet our clients in much the same way we do our candidates to ensure they are a good fit with the values and ethics of the recruiting organisation.

If you are speaking with a client who is looking to cut corners any way they can and are happy to loosely ‘interpret’ the rights of workers, it is pretty clear how they will treat your contractors. As a recruiter you need to ask yourself if that is something you want be a party to. I don’t know how anyone who would enthusiastically say yes to that one.

I think there are some clear indicators about the kind of employer your client will be. These include:

• Do they have safety documentation in place for each role you are placing? Are there thorough induction and safety training processes?
• What is their understanding and awareness of the industrial relations framework?
• Do they understand the Visa conditions of having an overseas workforce?
• Are there clear position descriptions for each role?
• What is the staff turnover rate and what are the reasons staff give for leaving?
• What is the quality of accommodation like?
• What are their expectations of their workforce and their recruiter?

By working together as a sector to encourage employers to engage in best practice and to educate them where their knowledge of legislation and compliance is lacking, we can raise the standard of our industry.

In doing so, we will also raise our reputation further with those eligible in other countries considering a work visa for Australia and this is going to be our best chance of filling the skills shortage.