He shared his concerns about the shortage of talent from schools when he spoke at the Northland SMASH conference, Whangarei, in June.
In 2011 only 68 agricultural science and 90 farm and agribusiness undergraduate degrees were awarded – 0.68% of the 22,820 undergraduate degrees awarded that year. But performing arts and philosophy gained 650 and 424 graduates respectively.
Youngsters’ ignorance of opportunities in the primary sector is a big problem; even bigger is school career advisors’ misconceptions about farming, Jagger says.
“It’s a major stumbling block, when kids are thinking about which career pathway to take and what subjects they will need to take for that pathway. I’m not sure the primary sector is being laid on the table as something to strive towards.”
Northland farmer and Okura Jersey stud co-owner Lyna Beehre says she was actively discouraged at high school from pursuing a career in farming. “When I was a sixteen year old struggling with School Cert, I approached the careers advisor about the possibility of going farming. She said there was no way a girl of my calibre should go dairy farming. If that perception hasn’t changed it needs to.”
Jagger says this is a real problem when the industry needs the best and brightest to continually grow – not just those with no other options. “Agriculture is a science- and technology-based industry and we are not getting more of that calibre of people from school leavers. There are still good numbers of vets but we need science minded individuals in other areas as well.
Farming is not at the forefront of career choices. Jagger says. It should have the same exposure as medicine, law, accountancy and opthalmology.
Jagger is one of a group addressing this issue in Northland, working with the Whangarei A&P society to get a teaching farm, and with Northland College to set up an agricultural college hub in Kaikohe. “It’s no good farmers sitting back talking about not capturing the bright kids.”
Jagger applauds moves by the NZQA to implement farming national standards, and he acknowledges there are farming courses in some schools, but these are not widespread.
