WoolTAG, AWI and WA government fund free shearer and woolhander training.

Wanting to change this and steer more workers into local shearing sheds, Western Australia's wool industry has rallied to form an 18-person WA WoolTAG (Technical Advisory Group) committee.

Chaired by Eneabba farmer and PGA Livestock Committee chairman Chris Patmore, the voluntary group represents the entire wool industry including producers, contractors, brokers, trainers, educators and government bodies.

As part of WoolTAG, Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) and WA Government funds free shearer and woolhandler training, held at Esperance, Boyup Brook, Muresk, Darkan and Badgingarra.

Mr Patmore said while training schools had been around for years, a formal process or database had not been used until now.

He said the database allowed for regular check-ins with students after they had graduated and gone into full-time shearing or woolhandling work.

"Retention rate has been a real concern to us over the past few years," Mr Patmore said.

"We hope to change this by offering support and keeping that line of communication open, particularly in the early stages of people's careers."

There are three courses available as part of the training including novice, paid improver and a woolhandling workshop.

The novice course runs for five days and is designed for learner shearers to provide a solid introduction to the wool harvesting industry.

Similarly, the three-day wool handling workshop is for new entrants to learn the basics of wool handling - as a wool handler and/or presser - in a working shed environment.

The aim of both is to create a pathway to full-time and ongoing employment.

Applicants must be at least 16 years of age and in a position to leave school within a couple of months.

Meanwhile, the improver school is intended for those who have experience shearing and already work in the industry.

"Anyone can come back and participate in a paid improver school," Mr Patmore said.

"This kind of training helps - as the name suggests - to improve their output and also shearing techniques or methods.

"Such techniques and methods are a lot easier on the body and in turn we hope shearers will last longer."

Beyond the three courses, WoolTAG also offers in-shed training to one or two students, who have completed improver courses which is money well spent because every shearer in the shed is able to watch and learn.

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Mr Patmore said there were more applicants than positions - with a good mix of females and males - which was encouraging.

He said the group took on students who were most likely to stay in the industry and gave first preference to those recommended by a shearer contractor.

"Most of the novices should be in a position to take a learner stand in the shed once they have completed the program," Mr Patmore said.

"They are still going to be fairly slow, but they have to start somewhere."

Schools run through the entire year with a concentration of courses in winter.

This is so students can go straight into full-time work, rather than waiting until the season starts.

Mr Patmore said the WoolTAG committee was looking to "fine tune" the program - with the timing and geographic spread - however it was only early days.

He said they were open to ideas from interested stakeholders on what improvements could be made to encourage uptake and retention.

AWI national manager for wool harvesting training and development Craig French sees many opportunities for young people - from any background - in the wool sector.

And Mr French would know, given he grew up in the northern Sydney suburbs and travelled to Longreach Pastoral College, after finishing school to complete a wool classing qualification.

Mr French has been instrumental in the development of WoolTAG, helping to form committees across the country.

However, while AWI funded WoolTAG, he said it was important to note they did not run the group.

"It manages itself - everyone involved has helped find solutions to address issues within the sector," Mr French said.

"We are all trying to make the industry better because we all have a vested interest.

"It has been really positive so far and I feel like we are making some good inroads as a committee."

Mr French said the shearing schools were only one component of WoolTAG.

He said what was important was the timing of those schools, the participants they attracted and quality, consistency and training.

"There are a range of areas we are trying to improve in including the number of courses in different regional districts of WA," Mr French said.

"Funding has been lifted and I want to use that to attract more people from high school.

"I also really want to implement more industry workshops and improver schools for learner shearers in the State."

According to Mr French, a shearing school held at Boyup Brook three weeks ago, was a telling sign of the program's success, attracting 18 participants with 15 registrations and an extra three females asking to take part in woolhandling.

"There's plenty of interest coming in, which is positive," he said.

"The demand for shearing schools is much the same as it has been.

"I wouldn't say it is better, but I would say we are trying to offer more support than before with the follow-up training to help them gain full-time employment.

"The success rate is difficult to measure, but we are trying to focus on improving that."

So far this financial year, 21 learner shearers have received an AWI learner shearer toolkit valued at $2000 which includes a Heiniger handpiece, grinding stone, pendulum, oil can, comb brush, singlet and gear bag.

To receive a toolkit students must be a new entrant learner shearer, who is working full-time on a stand.

"It is not a handout, it is designed for tools for trade," Mr French said.

"It is a good initiative for not only the learner, but also the woolgrower and even the trainer, as they can be confident the right equipment is being used."

Currently, work is being done to form a national WoolTAG committee to ensure consistency across Australia.

The committee would consist of the chairman/woman of each respective State.

More information: Go to wool.com