10 years of Hay Inc stockmanship training
With the support of AWI, the Hay Inc Rural Education Program in the Hay district of NSW continues to help young people aged 18 to 25 years gain hands-on agricultural skills and experience.
The young participants in the tenth annual Hay Inc Rural Education Program came to together in June for their third and final training week, which was followed by their graduation at the Hay Merino Sheep Show at which they were presented with their certificates.
The Hay Inc Rural Education Program was launched in 2014 with support from AWI in response to concerns about the decline in the traditional jackaroo/jillaroo system in the western Riverina district of NSW and the associated lack of stockmanship and other essential rural skills being handed down to the younger generation.
“Since the Hay Inc program was launched, nearly 150 young people have now been given the opportunity to learn the practical agricultural skills needed for them to get jobs on rural properties. It focuses on wool and livestock production and takes place in a practical setting in partnership with local woolgrowers,” said program manager Sandra Ireson.
“The program is delivered by trainers who have many years of experience on extensive rural properties, covering topics based around the production calendar for sheep and wool production. We also engage Tocal and TAFE trainers for some of the training.”
The Hay Inc Rural Education Program included a wide range of topics, from sheep health (pictured at T.A. Field Estates’ ‘Wyvern’, Carrathool) to wool harvesting (pictured at Paraway Pastoral’s ‘Steam Plains’, Conargo).
The Hay Inc program is a three-week course, in three blocks of five days’ training, this year in February, March and June.
Practical sheep and wool topics covered sheep handling and yard work; shearing, wool handling and wool shed management; sheep health and nutrition, pregnancy scanning, lamb marking and lamb postmortems; and Merino sheep classing.
Other topics included working dog training; fence construction and maintenance; on-farm butchering; quad bike and motorbike operation and maintenance; and farm health, safety and first aid. There was also a discussion with an Ag Careers Panel about careers in the industry.
AWI has supported the Hay Inc program each year it has been held since its inception and has committed funding until the 2025 program.
“By supporting industry-led programs like this, AWI is improving the skills and engagement of young people interested in working in the wool industry, thereby helping ensure they remain,” said AWI National Extension Manager, Emily King.
The application form for the 2025 program is available on the Hay Inc website. Employers can send their employees on the program or other interested young people can apply directly. Applicants can be from anywhere and do not have to be from the Hay district. Scholarships for graduates of the program are also available.
More information: www.hayinc.com.au
This article appeared in the September 2024 edition of AWI’s Beyond the Bale magazine. Reproduction of the article is encouraged.
