92 | nzdairy DAIRY SERVICES » John Austin Ltd YOUR BUSINESS, YOUR INDUSTRY, YOUR NEWS www.waterfordpress.co.nz NEW ZEALAND BUSINESS NEWS • from page 22 This is big business – completed under extreme deadline pressures – with little to no room for mistakes. A big part of Austin Contracting’s success has been the mutual sharing of intel between its international peers. It is also a natural melting pot of passionate young people who move between countries making the work happen. Most of those young operators are born and bred into the business. They understand the hours, the machinery, and the technology. The connections they make will drive the next generation. Impossible to replicate Replacing them is like thinking it is possible to take any club rugby player and turn them into an All Black with some training, John says. “The government just thinks we can train people. But you’ve got to have people that want to be trained, and who have a natural ability,” John said. “You can’t train experience or enthusiasm. Farming is something you need a passion for. “We had one person from overseas this year who stayed on from last year. But the staffing shortages for young people who understand the kind of machinery we run has been a disaster for the contracting industry overall, and for agriculture in general.” He said they would usually have 70 employees on through the spring – 25 of them young internationals. This year they have had to make it work with 50 staff. “Covid has restricted us dramatically this season, which has put enormous pressure on everyone,” John said. “We’ve managed to get things done. But it has certainly been a lot harder and more stressful on the management team and we had to trim some of the extremities of what we were doing. Our team has done really, really well to cope, but it’s been challenging.” He says it’s important for the future of agriculture to get back to whatever the new normal is so that young people with specialist knowledge and experience could once again enter New Zealand. “When the business was smaller I used to travel overseas myself to learn and visit fellow contractors and farmers,” John said. “Not only was it a great way of meeting people and creating friendships – the contacts I made over there helped me grow and shape my business here – and it has been fantastic for us being able to continue to connect with those young, experienced drivers we value so highly. “It also gives those young people a really nice opportunity to see a beautiful country. We would usually have four or five nationalities here at any one time, and it’s such a great chance to meet other people from other parts of the world. Many of them make lifetime friendships here. “They have some fun, they work hard, they help our customers get their crops in, and they create some amazing memories really. “Of course, the places we go they would never see on a tour bus.” Waikato-wide Auto Electrical Service WE SPECIALIZE IN: • Wiring, diagnostics and air con • All makes and models – cars, trucks and heavy machinery • Engine remapping, Adblue and DPF solutions. Performance Fuel Inject 027 631 6456 chris@pfinjection.co.nz Si-Lac f resh culture silage bacteria Coveris bale wrap film Silage covers 150 micron, underlay sheet & double covers & bags Heavy duty Pro-net and Net replacement films Baling Twines from conventional to High density Zill stack protection and weighting systems Si-Lac Extra for high moisture hay up to 25% Kevin – 027 521 8991 – Nthn NI Charles – 027 284 1400 – Sthn NI Gary – 027 284 1440 – Nthn SI Jared – 027 284 1401 – Sthn SI Webbline Agriculture is pleased to supply John Austin Ltd www.webbline.co.nz | 0800 932 254 Murray Barclay Dealer Principal 0274 753 690 Jimmy Barnes Sales 021 717 264 Mike Whitburn Sales Manager 0274 824 614 TE AWAMUTU 200 Benson Road 07 870 2411 We keep you growing Proud to support John Austin Ltd
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