AFGRI revamps its training academy

Moving to the Wheatbelt in 2021, Ms Blohm joined the AFGRI Equipment Apprentice and Trainee Academy and went on to be crowned the 2022 John Deere Australia Parts Apprentice of the Year.

Admittedly, the 20-year-old never considered machinery as a potential pathway into the working world until a conversation with her friend.

"I'd been working during harvest and was desperate for a change," Ms Blohm said.

"I was looking to move to Narrogin permanently - a friend said she applied for an apprenticeship with AFGRI Equipment and suggested I do the same.

"I had struggled to find opportunities for someone of my age, being 18-years-old at the time and with little experience.

"The two-year parts sales traineeship seemed to be the perfect fit, so I decided to give it a go and I absolutely loved it."

Ms Blohm hasn't looked back since and now works as a customer sales representative at AFGRI Equipment Narrogin, selling parts and smaller machinery.

Eventually the 20-year-old hopes to step into a larger machinery sales role - a career goal realised through completing her course at the AFGRI Apprentice and Trainee Academy.

And it is expected others will follow in Ms Blohm's footsteps, with AFGRI recruiting 50 first year apprentices and 10 trainees this year, as part of the academy program in collaboration with Central Regional TAFE.

Founded in 2018, the program offers valuable hands-on experience in a supportive and stimulating environment.

It was developed as part of AFGRI's training strategy to bolster technician ranks, while ensuring the machinery dealership continued to provide a premium service and high level of quality to customers.

AFGRI equipment general manager aftermarket Brad Forrester said changes had been made to the academy this year, including expert components from John Deere University.

"Given our major brand is John Deere, we will have more specific John Deere training, with a particular focus on the technology and precision ag space," Mr Forrester said.

"Previously, the training perhaps wasn't as specific to precision ag or as purpose built as we would have liked to get apprentices ready for other roles.

"That's not to say those opportunities weren't there, they just weren't as frequent.

"By working in conjunction with Central Regional TAFE, we have found better quality in training and a good pathway into businesses.

"Apprentices go on to become technicians, sales people, into management and so on."

With a new year heralding new beginnings, Mr Forrester said the first and second year apprentices would be trained at Muresk Institute, Northam, and the parts sales trainees at the AFGRI head office in South Guildford.

"It is more fit-for-purpose having the parts trainees in Perth and this will give us an opportunity to use the retail showroom for training," he said.

"There our regional parts managers, Rob Kearsley and Matt Partington, will add AFGRI and John Deere content to complement the Certificate III in automotive sales."

Mr Forrester said it was exciting to see the first and second year apprentices at Muresk, particularly given the significant investment that had been made in the Agriculture Machinery Training Centre.

He said AFGRI tech advisor Shaun Ritter would focus on the training program as part of his portfolio, having completed a Certificate IV in training and assessment.

"Shaun will deliver expert content from AFGRI and John Deere, with John Deere University training included,'' Mr Forrester said.

"We will also be adding a dual trade option for our 2024 intake and current apprentices and technicians.

"Upon completion, apprentices receive a Certificate III in agriculture mechanical technology."

Mr Forrester said one of the biggest benefits of the academy program was the opportunities it created for employment in WA.

He said that had been a huge win for the agricultural machinery sector.

"The academy offers huge opportunities not only to young people, but mature aged students as well,'' he said.

"We definitely have future branch managers that have come through the training program - it sets us up nicely for the future."

While most of this year's positions have already been filled, Mr Forrester said some branches may consider an extra applicant if they are the right fit.

In rural towns, applicants are encouraged to apply by directly visiting branches, however there is also an option to apply via AFGRI's careers page.

"We are happy to employ the right people and then train the skills," he said.

"We don't have any firm prerequisites - we just want good conscientious people, who also have an interest in the industry."

Focusing on the apprenticeship program and six months into his training and assessment role, AFGRI technical advisor Mr Ritter has been busy creating a new curriculum over the past six months.

Mr Ritter said work was being done to make learning and training easier, so information was readily available for apprentices to refer back to.

"This year I want to offer more practical and John Deere experience," he said.

"There will be a tractor dedicated to the TAFE that they will work on.

"For example, for the third and fourth year apprentices I will build faults into the tractor and they will be given the task of finding those faults with their laptops.

"I want to give them that real-life exposure, so when the apprentices diagnose a problem in the field they know exactly what to do and what processes to follow to quickly find that problem."

Mr Ritter said exposure and hands-on learning was key.

"When it comes to finding information and then if you know where to find it, you need the skills to then fix it," he said.

"You can be the most clever computer person in the world and find anything on service advisor, but it doesn't mean you're going to be able to fix it."

The program will also use the online industrial training tool, LunchBox Sessions, which uses simulations, step-by-step lessons and 3D videos to help students develop troubleshooting skills.

Mr Ritter said the LunchBox Sessions covered all aspects of electrical, hydraulics and machinery training.

"This will complement the training we provide and give students the best learning experience," he said.

"For example, it uses simulations so users can go into a hydraulic system and see how it flows and how the valve and motor moves."

Mr Ritter said a lot of work had been done behind the scenes to get the program ready by the end of this month.

He said almost everything used in the program had been built new, with feedback from technicians helping change the program where necessary.

"My main goal is to make this interesting for our apprentices by offering the best learning experience possible,'' he said.

"I also want to give them confidence in knowing they are capable of fixing a problem, so they don't doubt themselves before even arriving at a job.

"I want to make sure they are more than competent to do the job by the time they are qualified.

"The reason we are investing so much into this is because we want to try and keep them on at AFGRI."

For Ms Blohm that learning and problem solving was her favourite part of AFGRI Academy's parts sales trainee program.

She encouraged others, particularly those who might be unsure about what they want to do, what experience they have or whether or not they want to go to university or TAFE, to give it a go.

"I've gone from knowing nothing about machinery and disliking it to absolutely loving it," she said.

"I'm grateful for the opportunities that AFGRI have given me and the support offered within the academy.

"It is catered for people who want to learn and if you don't know something all you have to do is ask - no question is stupid."

For more information: Go to afgri.com.au