Dom signs off after fifty-year career in horticulture
2 December 2025
After fifty years in horticulture and vocational education, Primary ITO Training Adviser Dom ‘the dominator’ Steenstra is retiring on 5 December to pursue retirement, or possibly a new career pathway.
Dom, who turned 70 this year, grew up in west Auckland and as a teenager was given three career options by his mother: nursing, working at the Otahuhu railway workshop, or growing tomatoes as a cadet. He picked the latter, initially working as a glasshouse cadet growing tomatoes under 42,000 square feet of glass. He was involved in the preparation, growing, grading and packing of fruit.
Over the course of his career Dom has worked in technical, sales, teaching and managerial roles, working in organisations including the Ministry of Agriculture, twenty-four years in the Hamilton Gardens for Wintec, six years at North Tec, and five years in Australia.
A highlight was helping to set up an aboriginal training programme in Woorabinda, while working at the Australian Agricultural College Corporation in Queensland.
Since the 1990s Dom aspired to become a Training Adviser for Primary ITO, and in 2017 at age 62, that dream became a reality. Since then, Dom has clocked up thousands of kilometres – and only two flat tyres - traveling to support horticulture businesses and learners from Taranaki to Rangitikei, Manawatu, Ruapehu and Horowhenua regions. He’s often up at 4.30am in time to meet arborists at 7am, before they head out on the tools for the day.
Dom while researching at Ministry of Agriculture in the 1970's.
He says as a Training Adviser, he has often felt like an extension of the business … like their training manager. Building those relationships with employers and learners has been a real highlight.
Dom presenting learner Zach with his certificate
He says the success of on-job learning can be measured by how much support and time a business invests in their learner.
“If the boss takes an active interest and sets even half an hour aside each week for the learner to complete bookwork, it makes a big difference.
“I always ask a learner at the start, ‘why do you want to do this’. People often start off with a hiss and a roar, but when something happens down the track, I will remind them of that conversation. It’s about capturing that passion at the beginning and reminding them during.”
He says having supportive bosses at Primary ITO has been a highlight and the flexibility of being able to work from home.
“I’d like to say thank you to all Primary ITO staff past and present for being my extended family and being part of my world.”
He believes the existing apprenticeship system is a very good model.
While Dom is retiring as a Training Adviser, he is looking forward to connecting with people in a different capacity.
“My late wife Pam set me up for a new chapter caring for the elderly and sharing my effervescence with these fantastic people who have contributed so much to New Zealand but who are easily forgotten. They deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and I’m putting my hand up.”
He is also lining up his next book project, looking forward to summer drives in his V-Dub beetle, and visiting his family and grandkids in Hamilton.