Riverina students learn to shear at Wagga's TAFE NSW Primary Industries Centre

On Wednesday, students in years 9, 10 and 11 from Hillston, Ardlethan and Barellan central schools were given a hands-on taste of a working woolshed at the TAFE NSW Primary Industries Centres in Boorooma.

The experience was part of the TAFE NSW Shearing School initiative, which gives teens the practical skills to pursue a career, or part-time work, in the wool industry.

It is hoped the initiative, which is part of a pilot project run in conjunction with the Department of Education, will help combat the shearing industry shortages plaguing the state.

TAFE NSW head teacher of agriculture Rob Harris said the school gives participants the fundamental skills to work in a woolshed and an opportunity to gain immediate work as a roustabout.

"The wool industry is an exciting one to be a part of right now, with many pathways for different roles," Mr Harris said.

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"The timing of this course couldn't be better either as the demand for shearers and roustabouts is expected to be high ... this spring.

"In regional NSW it is imperative that we get people going into primary industries, the demand is there, and it's important to target people coming out of secondary school.

"If they [students] can see that there is a pathway when they finish school, then rather than waiting until they've left school, they're already halfway there and then they're more likely to go down that path."

Mr Harris said a good shearer would be able to secure 10 months of work a year with not many campouts.

Hillston Central School's Natasha Peters is no stranger to the shearing sheds, having grown up on a Poll Merino stud.

However, despite having plenty of experience, the year 10 student was pleasantly surprised on Wednesday.

"It's a lot harder work trying to get around the sheep and getting the little bits of wool off but I enjoyed it," she said.

"I've learnt a lot about the handpiece and how to work it."

Natasha said she was happy to see the balance in interest between genders - with an almost even number of female and male students.

"It's good to see a lot of females want to do this and [are] wanting to do what would have been, back in the day, a man's job," she said.

Hillston Central School year 9 student Andrew Warren said he was excited when his teachers told him about the opportunity as he thought it would be a good chance to learn how to shear.

Andrew has been working as a roustabout on a family friend's farm for years, but was still eager to get a taste of shearing.

"It's nice to know how difficult their job really is, it makes you appreciate all the work they do and all the sheep they get through," he said.

"I enjoyed learning how to do all the different techniques there are to shear the sheep. It's interesting how many different techniques and foot movements you have to do to get the sheep in the right positions to shear them."

The shearing school is open to students from year 9 through to year 12, with preference given to students who are studying an agriculture-related TVET course or were considering a career in agriculture.

The week-long course includes five units related to shearing and wool handling and will give graduates credit towards a Certificate III in Shearing or Certificate IV in Wool Classing.

Run in conjunction with the NSW Department of Education, the shearing school is part of a pilot project that, if successful, will be rolled out through TAFE NSW statewide.

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