WHO will step up to fill the void when baby boomers leave the farm mechanisation industry?
That was the question posed by Agriview managing director Alan Kirsten to Farm Machinery & Industry Association delegates last week.
With fewer educational colleges operating throughout Australia and a general disinterest in farm machinery by young people, Mr Kirsten said it was time for a collective industry approach to seek solutions.
"I was at a seminar two weeks ago listening to five bright youngsters speaking about agriculture but it was all centred on agronomy and horses," he said.
"None of them thought about the farm mechanisation industry as a career.
"It was a bit of shock for me because for the last 12 months I have been trying to establish a scholarship to put kids through ag college to promote careers in our industry.
"I'm trying to leverage money for scholarships but I can't get any kids who are interested in machinery.
"We have to collectively play a role in promoting the farm mechanisation industry as a career pathway and be prepared to guarantee employment to successful candidates who take on the appropriate courses.
"Get the thinking caps on and see what can be achieved by talking with children at schools and young adults at colleges.
"We have to sell some sizzle about careers as mechanics, parts interpreters, salesmen, accounts and management roles and it needs to be across the board.
"We're not just talking about machinery dealers because the manufacturing sector has the same needs."
Mr Kirsten's comments were echoed by CY O'Connor Institute managing director John Scott, who said there was difficulty in attracting enrolments to the institute's new Certificate IV in Agribusiness course.
"We had 32 registrations of intent last year but enrolments for this year's courses were eight and since the start of the course, two people have left leaving us with six," he said.
"We need three times that number to break even but we are committed to the course and it will run again next year.
"Our experience is that most young people want to go to Westrac and then onto mining."
Mr Scott said a Certificate IV in Agribusiness led to an Associate Degree in Agribusiness and the institute was currently working with Curtin University to establish a Bachelor of Agribusiness course.
The institute's analysis of the farm mechanisation industry showed it to be highly fragmented with a variable training culture in machinery dealerships.
"Employers want local solutions," he said. "Which is why the institute has a focus from four campuses in Merredin, Moora, Narrogin and Northam.
"We have a strong emphasis on flexible delivery embracing apprenticeship and heavy duty auto programs and we're on the cusp of quad bike training.
"Machinery dealers are involved in flexible training and are employing students since the start of a program initiated in part by Farm Machinery & Industry Association executive officer John Henchy."