Farmer reflects on the value of training a decade on

28 January 2025

Ten years after dairy farmer Gavin Longstaff completed his Primary ITO Level 4 training, he caught up with local farmer and Primary ITO Sector Manager Marianne Awburn at a local Brunch on Us event run by Rural Support.


Here, he reflects on his training and journey so far as a dairy farmer. 

Typical of chatting with a farmer, the conversation kicks off with the weather and a need for rain after a dry spell in the Waikato. Gavin, 40, has spent the last two years contract milking with his partner Sarah on a 60-hectare farm with 200 cows near Ōhaupō.  

He loves the outdoor lifestyle and the fact that no two days are the same … apart from the daily task of milking!  

Gavin busy in the milking shed

“The freedom you get working out in the country is great,” Gavin says. “Sure, there’s the repetitiveness of milking, but apart from that it’s the variety of jobs in the day. You could be out fixing a water leak or fencing, helping a cow to calve, racing around on bikes and feeding out on the tractors. You gain skills in all sorts of areas.”  

As a child Gavin grew up on a farm until his family made the move into town. After leaving high school he worked as a sparkie (electrician) until 2008, when recession hit the country and his job. He mentioned to mates at church that he was looking for work and got a call from one the following day saying, “I’ve got the perfect job for you”. 

Gavin’s first role on farm was working “a primo job” during the 2009/10 season south of Te Awamutu, milking 300 cows once a day while working the respectable hours of 7am to 3pm. This led on to another role, with an employer who was keen to sign him into Level 3 training with AgITO (now Primary ITO).  

After a period of moving around and gaining different experience on farm, Gavin took on a role milking 500 cows on a farm with an irrigation system set-up.  

“The manager took us on and said, ‘I need to help you guys to improve so when you move on from here, you’ve got some paperwork as well as experience’. He offered to pay for us to do our Level 4 training through Primary ITO, as long as we passed it while working for him.” 

Gavin says the training taught him how to take the knowledge and apply it in a practical sense.  

“It taught me a lot and I still have the books from my training to refer to. It gives you a different way of looking at things and the background knowledge, so you’re learning ‘the why’ about doing the different jobs on farm.  

“It also taught me to use my initiative … to use my head and think.” 

He says while it took him longer to complete his Level 4 training, he got there with the support of his training adviser. 

“I had a good relationship with my training adviser. If there were any issues I could ring her up and ask questions. She was a good motivator too, and kept coming back and telling me about study classes and signing me up to them. 

“That was a big help, as reading things and then putting answers down on paper was a little challenging for me, so having that support in class was really good.” 

Gavin says the icing on the cake was taking part in the Waipa District Mayoral Graduation ceremony, where he was presented with a certificate along with others who had completed work-based training. These ceremonies celebrating the achievements of work-based learners run in many districts across the country. 

There are some days when Gavin sees only his partner, the farm owner, or an artificial breeding (AB) technician on farm. That makes it all the more important to catch up with other farmers including Primary ITO staff at local industry events like Brunch on Us, run by Rural Support. These events are designed to bring the rural community together to enjoy good food and company, share experiences and challenges, with a focus on well-being. 

“It’s important to give yourself time off the farm,” Gavin says. “We try to make an effort to talk to others in the community, so we know what’s happening around the place.

As for long-term plans, Gavin is keen to buy a herd and go 50:50. He’s keen to keep progressing and rates farming as a great career option for anyone considering it. 

“The biggest thing is getting out there and giving it a try. Get out of your comfort zone!” 

Find information about Rural Support and the range of services they provide here. 

Click here to learn about the full range of dairy programmes available through Primary ITO.