The depth and breadth of New Zealand’s food and fibre sector are set to be showcased at this year’s Fieldays at the Opportunity Grows Here Careers Hub.
The hub, which was created in partnership between Fieldays and the Ministry for Primary Industries, is an engaging platform for attendees to learn about food and fibre career pathways and consider joining a thriving sector.
The hub will be a hive of activity, with education providers and sector groups teaming up to showcase the industries that have led NZ’s recovery from the global pandemic.
NZ National Fieldays Society chief executive Peter Nation says the hub is an important part of its mission to advance agriculture.
As such it sits under Fieldays’ strategic pillar of education.
“As the southern hemisphere’s largest agricultural event we have a duty to help futureproof the sector through educating people on where the opportunities lie in food and fibre.”
MPI director-general Ray Smith says the primary industries have grown despite the covid-19 pandemic.
“New Zealand’s food and fibre sector is leading the nation’s recovery from covid-19 by keeping vital food and fibre flowing domestically and overseas. For the first time, annual export revenue reached more than $52.2 billion in the year to 30 June 2022.”
This growth highlights the urgent need for skilled and passionate food and fibre workers.
Opportunity Grows Here addresses this need through connecting people with exciting careers in food and fibre, which will be further facilitated within the hub.
“With such a key sector contributing to the New Zealand economy and the wellbeing of our rural communities, it’s important we have the necessary workforce to meet the demand,” Smith says.
Food and fibre careers range from work on farm, in science, technology, business management, and logistics, to animal welfare, marketing, and research and development in locations across the motu.
Smith says those considering a career in food and fibre will be joining a sector they can be proud of, as NZ export products are highly sought after.
“New Zealand has a proud history of producing high-quality, innovative, and world-class food and fibre products, with care for people and place remaining front of mind.
“We export most of what we produce, and our food is demanded and enjoyed in more than 130 countries around the world – for a small country at the bottom of the South Pacific, this is pretty impressive.”
Running alongside the hub is a careers trail for visitors to follow around the Fieldays event to showcase career options and vacancies, a speaker and engagement series, and a jobs board where visitors can see available food and fibre roles.
School groups interested in visiting Fieldays can receive the discounted entry price of $10 per student. Further details are available on the Opportunity Grows Here website.