| 75 FCANZ accreditation in their sights The bulldozer working on a fence line. Kelly Deeks RURAL SERVICES » S & S Fencing Contractors While Helping with Cyclone Gabrielle Reporoa’s S&S Fencing Contractors is aiming for the highest standard of fencing construction and business management as it works its way towards Fencing Contractors Association NZ (FCANZ) certification. Since 2018, Steve and Sarah Collins have provided rural and urban fencing solutions around the Bay Of Plenty and Waikato regions. The couple and one of their staff have since completed the New Zealand Certificate in Fencing Level 3, a 35 week course which gives its graduates the skills and knowledge required to be employed as rural fencers or in a role with responsibility for the construction and maintenance of electric and non electric rural fences. “Steve and myself are going to do the Level 4 course as soon as we can, because we’d like to become certified FCANZ members,” Sarah says. “There is a lot of merit to certification in the future. It helps to create consistency throughout the fencing industry, and helps those with proven knowledge and practical skills to stand out from the crowd.” The New Zealand Certificate in Fencing Level 4 will certify Sarah and Steve’s ability to design and construct fences, interpret a livestock yard design, construct yards to meet client requirements, and develop the knowledge and skills to lead a team and manage client relationships. The New Zealand Certificate in Fencing was developed by FCANZ in conjunction with NorthTec and Primary ITO in 2018, as FCANZ sought to improve industry standards and professionalism by training its members and their staff to provide high quality work by the same methods. Sarah says it has been a long hard road for FCANZ to get to this point, but the future of the industry now looks brighter. “In the long term they are hoping to turn it into an apprenticeship, and that is going to bring even more opportunity for young people to get into the industry, and for businesses like ours to tap into the school leavers and be able to offer them a pathway towards qualification.” S&S Fencing is having a busy year as it assists with cyclone damage repair in the Hawke’s Bay. The company currently has recently sent a second tractor and one bulldozer which makes three teams in Tutira and the surrounding areas. A lot of this work has come through referrals from the Farmy Army and word of mouth. “The local contractors are absolutely swamped and there is a lot of work to be done,” Sarah says. “Steve and I have always loved it down there, and it’s our long-term plan to retire there. For us this is a cool opportunity to get to know more about the area and to get to know some of the local people.” S&S Fencing is also still pumping through its work in Reporoa with one team, and floating machines as required. Sarah says seeing the extent of the cyclone damage has been really devastating but the sense of community in rural Hawke’s Bay is heartwarming. “People have pulled together and done their best to be there for one another. The cyclone isn’t in the news much anymore but it’s definitely still real for everyone in the Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne districts.” S&S Fencing is doing its best to push through the workload despite ongoing rain and is very proud of the teams who are out there getting it done. Sarah and Steve expect their teams to work hard, so they work just as hard on being employers that do their best to look after their teams.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=