Want to learn to Shear – Join the queue!
There is genuine increase in the interest of young people wanting to learn to shear. SCAA President Mick Schofield, in conjunction with Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) has been organising in shed training schools for more than 10 years but this year is the first time that there has been more interest than they can handle in the two one-week schools, forcing some eager students having to ‘join the queue’.
Thanks to the generosity of Malcolm Pearce and Phillip Stewart of ‘Coolringdon’, near Cooma and AWI for funding the schools, more than 40 students attended over a two-week window including more than a dozen school kids looking to get into the industry as soon as their high school programme allows. The students came from Cooma, Bombala ,Canberra ,Tumbarrumba ,Berridale an as far away as Young, Yass, Crookwell and Gunning.
“It is an amazing outcome given that the schools are not advertised anywhere, the interest only;y comes from ‘word of mouth’ promotion which shows that people will travel to obtain good training in the right environment, from well-respected coaches” commented Mick Schofield .
AWI’s highly regarded coach Ian Elkins has never seen the interest in learning to shear so high with some of the applicants having to wait and attend the next school being run in Crookwell .”This year is the best response to shearer training in the 13 years I’ve been instructing,” Mr Elkins said.
Shearing contractors who have an interest in facilitating similar schools in their district should contact Ian Elkins or Mick Schofield via our email scaa@scaa.org.au
See also http://www.theland.com.au/story/3926616/young-gun-shearers-flock-to-clip-school/
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