Trade talks target skill recognition

Despite formal qualifications and courses being available, it is not mandatory for shearers to undertake professional training, therefore making progression difficult, according to industry leaders.

Shearing Contractors Association of Australia shearer woolhandler training executive officer Glenn Haynes said even though there was continued pressure on woolgrowers to have "up to spec" shearers operating in their sheds, industry was "banging its head against a wall" trying to gain trade recognition.

"We are really encouraging it to become a trade. If we can offer a trade qualification, it would attract more young people who are trying to decide on a career - we are competing against university degrees and other trades," he said.

But, Mr Haynes said a critical factor affecting the industry's chances of becoming a trade was the state government's eligibility criteria.

Being a piece rate industry, shearing does not meet the trade base wage requirements and Mr Haynes said this hurdle would be difficult to overcome without a criteria overhaul.

"Switching to a weekly base wage from piece work would not be supported by the industry at all," he said.

"It is an incentive for shearers to be rewarded for working hard. If this was removed it would not benefit the industry."

But, Mr Haynes said without a push for at least mandatory shearing qualifications, the industry would not only be locked out of becoming a trade, but also continue to face scrutiny about animal welfare and occupational health and safety practices.

"Shearers need to be trained in all areas and since training is not a requirement for the job, it is also not reflected in the pay rates and therefore many see it as pointless," he said.

"Another issue is New Zealand has no formal training for shearers and if obtaining shearing certificates was made mandatory in Australia, that would lock out a lot of workers - so there are a lot of challenges to overcome."

Orroroo farmer Geoff Power was "baffled" shearing was not "trade ready", but echoed industry leaders' reluctance to support a weekly pay system to meet the state government's requirements.

"It is disappointing and we need a government to recognise that what shearers do is applicable to a trade," he said.

Mr Power said woolgrowers would benefit from having trade qualified shearers and would support a push for mandatory training to make it happen.

"There needs to be cohesion across all the states about how to train shearers to help give the industry the recognition it deserves," he said.

"It would help provide woolgrowers with certainty about who was walking into their shed and shearers greater confidence about the job they are doing.

"The training we have in SA is of the highest calibre and I am confident that the courses are up to standard for a trade qualification, and young people are looking for the piece of paper these days.

"The industry needs to secure itself professionally for the future because sheep will always need to be shorn."

Jamestown school student Joseph Jacka completed a shearing training course earlier this year to gain a head start on a full-time career because school-based opportunities were not available.

"I wanted to improve my skillset but I also wanted to begin building on my qualifications to become a shearer," he said.

Joseph is also halfway through a school-based Certificate III in Agriculture and said it would be beneficial if young people had access to a similar pathway to enter the shearing industry while still at school.

"I am lucky to be able to complete a certificate but I want to be a shearer. It would be nice to have the skill recognised and gain a trade," he said.

"It could make some school-leavers more interested in shearing as well. Trade qualifications are popular."

As a first step to help gain clout as a potential trade and orchestrate consistent training for shearers across Australia, SCAA secretary Jason Letchford has begun forming a national "watchdog" made up of industry body representatives.

"We have each state running their own show. SA is without a doubt the leader in professional shearer training but we need that consistency across the whole country," he said.

"We cannot continue to have gaps between shearer training levels, especially since shearers travel from state to state to work.

"This lack of cohesion means nationally, the industry has challenges that it will need to overcome before it can be recognised as a trade.

"SA's training advisory group has created a clear career pathway for learners. The more training invested into people, the better an industry will be."

Mr Letchford said the watchdog's aim was to find best practice and roll it out across Australia.

"Shearers in NSW have access to a traineeship and other states are without that - but to apply that opportunity nationwide, which is the ultimate goal, will take major changes," he said.

Mr Letchford said entering the trade sector was complex and a national training approach was the first port of call.

"Pay structure and workplace agreements to meet the trade criteria are massive changes to be proposing," he said.

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