Training program drives employment success
After 10 weeks of training, 10 Lockyer Valley locals are now equipped with licences and skills needed to support horticultural businesses across the region.
The Skilled to Drive program was developed in response to conversations with local growers looking for practical ways to strengthen their workforce – and it is already delivering results.
Half of the cohort have secured employment with horticultural farms and local businesses, with Wilamay Farms, Reck Farms, Sutton Farms and Containers for Change – Laidley welcoming Skilled to Drive participants onto their teams.
Considering the commitment of the group – with all 10 participants completing the program’s training requirements, it won’t be long before the final five find employment.
The Skilled to Drive Program was jointly supported by a Skilling Queenslanders for Work Grant, SmartAg Queensland, and the Queensland Agriculture Workforce Network (QAWN) and delivered by Crowley Vale’s Western Trainers. The comprehensive suite of training included Heavy Rigid truck and forklift licencing, but also a series of related competencies related to securing employment and working safely on farms. This included safely working with goods and cargo, workplace health and safety practices, as well as interview techniques and sprucing up résumés.
Queensland Agriculture Workforce Network Officer for Southern Queensland Liz Ford worked alongside growers across the Lockyer Valley region to design the Skilled to Drive program.
“The intention was to create a program that delivered real opportunities by responding to grower needs and providing locals with the training growers need for their workforce, and it’s great to see these positive employment outcomes,” Liz said.
Katie Pearce, who we met at the program’s commencement has—after completing Skilled to Drive—successfully re-entered the workforce, joining Sutton Farms as a farmhand.
Katie’s new skills and training enabled her to take a step up from her previous picking and packing roles, and the training itself helped Katie build confidence, with successful attainment of her Heavy Rigid truck Licence a key personal achievement.
Another Skilled to Drive success story belongs to Michael Fernandez.
After 30 years in IT and mining he was looking for a change. He was especially interested in getting his HR truck licence and expanding his skillset in a different way.
He started his transition into horticulture before graduating the program, and after being the first Skilled to Drive participant to obtain his HR truck licence, Michael soon found himself working at Wilamay Farms.
Since May, Michael has been a part-time truck driver and service person, using a tractor forklift to load baby leaf from the harvester into a truck before transporting the morning’s harvest from Coominya to Tenthill.
Michael has fitted perfectly into the Wilamay Farms team, with his skills meaning he could help the team operate more efficiently from day one.
“Before Michael, one of the Coominya team would need to drive the truck to Tenthill, meaning the team was short-staffed,” Desley Jackwitz, Managing Director at Wilamay Farms said.
“Being a person down was hard on the team, especially if bad weather was on the way, but having Michael on board means the crop gets to Tenthill and the Coominya farm team are fully staffed for their shift.
“He’s great to work with and has made life easier for other team members.”
Michael’s success at Wilamay Farms shows how responsive the Skilled to Drive program was to grower’s needs, with Desley being one of the growers whose conversations with Liz Ford informed the program’s design.
“It’s a great, full circle moment for all involved, and I look forward to catching up with growers and program participants on their progress,” Liz said.
This training is proudly funded by the Queensland Government through its Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative.
