Despite not growing up on the land, Blake Davis always wanted to work as a shearer - he just didn't know where to start.
Now the 22-year-old is part of the next generation proving a city upbringing is no barrier if you want a career in agriculture.
It is something Mr Davis owes to Australian Wool Innovation's (AWI) five-day practical course for new entrant shearers and woolhandlers at Rylington Park.
The fully-funded course, which is held six times a year, gives participants the skills required to work as a professional shearer or woolhandler.
"Coming from Perth I had never really shorn a sheep before," Mr Davis said.
"I learned a lot from the AWI training course and it helped me get to where I am today.
"To be given that opportunity and to experience what it is like to work inside a shearing shed was awesome."
Admittedly, Mr Davis did have ties to the sheep and wool industry in his teenage years, having helped out in the shearing shed at his uncle's Badgingarra mixed farming enterprise during the school holidays - it was there that he fell in love with the rural way of life.
"I visited my uncle every school holiday up until I was 15 years old," he said.
"I'd help out in the shearing shed when he was shearing, but depending on the timing that might have only been once every two years.
"That's when my interest really started."
Despite wanting to pursue a career in the wool industry, Mr Davis dropped out of school and worked as a bricklayer for seven years.
Desperate for change, a phone call from his uncle provided a push in the right direction.
"I got sick of bricklaying and was weighing up my options," Mr Davis said.
"My uncle told me about the AWI shearing course and told me to go for it because he wanted me to become a shearer, so I did."
Mr Davis took part in his first training course at the start of last year, and went on to work as a roustabout for Lake Grace contractor Darren Spencer, Spencer Shearing Services.
After a short stint as a wool presser, he started shearing fulltime for Mr Spencer in November - and he has not looked back since.
In an initiative to help attract and retain new shearers, Mr Davis also received a learner shearer toolbox through AWI.
The gear in the toolbox comprises a Heiniger handpiece with cutter and comb, hollow grinding check stone and pendulum, oil can and comb brush, needle and cotton, as well as singlet and gear bag to store it all.
Mr Davis said the toolkit helped him get a foot in the door, while easing the financial burden he needed to do so.
"Thanks to the toolkit I was able to get right into work," he said.
"I love working as a shearer - you make good money, it keeps you physically fit and you're able to meet different people.
"The AWI courses are a great way to start out, particularly for those people who didn't grow up onfarm or come from an ag background."
Since 2015, AWI has facilitated close to 4000 shearer and wool handler training days to 17,000 people across Australia.
The free training is available for novice, improver and professional shearers and woolhandlers and aims to attract and retain new entrants into the wool harvesting industry, build the capacity and longevity of existing staff and increase returns to woolgrowers through improved clip preparation practices.
AWI program manager for wool harvesting training and development Craig French said woolgrowers funded 10.5 million dollars into AWI over three years, half of which had already been spent, including the investment of $3.5m annually into training.
"Obviously we are trying to provide a pathway from school, offer new entrant training and existing workers training - that's the goal," Mr French said.
"The mission statement I came up with a few years ago was - provide a pathway into the industry, as well as a structured and accountable training model, attracting the next generation and retaining new entrants for a sustainable wool harvesting workforce.
"I think it is important to look at breaking it down into four different sections and managing those types of funds is a big responsibility."
Mr French said investment into shearer and woolhandler training was a priority for AWI with five-day novice and improver training sessions held throughout the year at Rylington Park, Peel, Esperance and Boyup Brook.
He said workshops were also held at high schools, which bridged the city-country divide and provided exposure to the wool harvesting industry.
"About 60-65 per cent of our budget is spent on improving shearers and woolhandlers in the shed.
"Separately about 10-11pc goes towards the learner toolkits, with support from Heiniger Australia.
"Less toolkits have ventured out in WA over the past six months than the previous six months, but that's the same for across the country.
"So far in WA, we have issued 18 toolkits over the past financial year and 47 in the two previous."
At a national level, Mr French said 420 learner shearers and woolhandlers have taken part in the training over the past two financial years and 82 year-to-date.
Of those 16pc are female and 95pc are now working fulltime as a professional shearer.
"It is an exceptionally good result, having so many learners that have been retained by the industry," Mr French said.
"If we look at the program for this calendar year, it is pretty full.
"I think what is important is that come May-June there probably aren't going to be many sheep shorn in WA."
He added, "if this is the case the learner shearers, for example those who were issued the toolkits, are the ones at risk (of not finding any work).
"The investment in training for learner shearers, who have received a toolkit, has been significant with most participating in at least two courses," Mr French said.
"We follow-up in shed training with a minimum three training days to keep learners on track.
"Some return for an improvers school and these are courses we are trying to initiate and roll out in late autumn-winter in WA."
