The agricultural research station outside Glen Innes has started courses in sheep shearing and wool treatment because of the rising demand for shearers.
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The current batch are “rural skills students” from Macintyre High School in Inverell. Further courses are planned every two months because high wool prices have led to a shortage of people to do the job.
The very best skilled shearers can now earn up to $3000 a week. Kim Jenkins of TAFE New England who was one of the tutors said shearers get paid $3 per sheep which adds up to good money: “If they sheer 150 sheep a day, and they’re shearing about 600 sheep a week – times that by three and they can earn $1800 to $2000 a week.
“And the really good shearers can earn a lot more than that. They can earn $3000 a week.”
She said the course was comprehensive: You will learn how to handle a sheep. You will learn how to handle the hand-piece (the blades which shear the fleece), how to be safe about handling the hand-piece. You’ll learn about exercise that you need to do so you don’t injure yourself. And then we learn what to do with the wool once it’s shorn off the sheep.
Student Mariah Williams who is 15 is growing up on a property so she is familiar with the trade but she said people from towns were also interested. “They start enjoying it because they know where their clothing comes from”.
The organiser of the course, Nathan Axelsson, the director of Regional Development Australia Northern Inland NSW said shearing “requires teamwork. It’s about learning camaraderie and the work ethic”.
He said the skill needed was great: “It’s almost like learning to dance, learning to tango”.
Several groups have come together to offer the course: the agricultural station which hosts it, TAFE NSW, the Australian Wool Innovation, Rotary for the catering, John Newsome of Elders who loaned the sheep, Local Land Services and the Department of Primary Industries.
