Primary ITO learner wins top dairy industry award

Pieter Van Beek, Dairy Trainee of the Year. Credit: NZDIA

Pieter is completing his dairy farming apprenticeship with Primary ITO, while working as a farm assistant for his parents Wilfred and Rachel Van Beek, who are sharemilkers on a 120 hectare effective milking platform with 330 cows near Greytown, in the Wairarapa.

The prestigious annual awards programme features three individual competitions: Share Farmer of the Year, Dairy Manager of the Year, and Dairy Trainee of the Year. The finalists at the awards dinner are the winners of each regional competition.

“It was a bit of a shock,” Pieter says, after a week of testing his knowledge against the ten other trainee finalists. They each completed six competition modules including an interview, feed budget, body condition scoring test, and putting a chain on a chainsaw.

Pieter takes to the stage to accept the Dairy Trainee of the Year Award. Credit: NZDIA

The Dairy Trainee judges commented that Pieter is an “insightful young man” who has good knowledge of the industry and looks to older farmers for career advice and mentorship.

“He soaks up their advice like a sponge,” says judge Frank Portegys, from DairyNZ.

Pieter also won the Communication and Industry Involvement Award and the Ecolab Personal Growth and Development Award, taking home over $10,000 in prizes. The night was made extra special by having his parents and siblings there to share the “once in a lifetime” achievement.  

Pieter had qualified to enter the Dairy Trainee of the Year Award by turning eighteen two days before entries closed.

Having grown up on a farm, Pieter knew it was the career for him. He wasn’t so keen on school, and at age 16, his parents offered him the opportunity to work for them, as long as he continued to study.

“I had seen other people do the apprenticeship with Primary ITO and they thought highly of it. I thought I might as well give it a go.”

He says he found the first part of the training (Level 3) very practical. He is now onto Level 4, which covers the theory behind why tasks are done a certain way.

Dairy Trainee of the Year, Pieter Van Beek, with Share Farmers of the Year, Thomas and Fiona Langford, and Dairy Manager of the Year, Martin Keegan. Credit: NZDIA

Pieter says his Primary ITO Training Adviser Loretta’s visits and support are invaluable.

“She’s amazing – she checks up on me to make sure I’m completing my work. She used to be a farmer, so she knows what’s happening on farm.”

Training Adviser Loretta Smyth says she “wasn’t surprised, but was absolutely astounded” to hear that Pieter had won the national title.

Pieter on farm near Greytown, Wairarapa

Pieter has clear career goals, which start with finishing his apprenticeship later this year, before moving on to the Primary ITO Diploma in Production Management, and the Diploma in Primary Industries Business Management, both at Level 5.

“The season after next, I’d like to find a manager job in Wairarapa, a stock standard contract or sharemilking. And in another twenty or twenty-five years, farm ownership. I’ve always had those goals.

“The dairy industry is full of opportunities; you just need to put yourself out there.”

Congratulations to all 2025 NZ Dairy Industry Award winners, including Share Farmers of the Year - Thomas and Fiona Langford (Waikato), and Dairy Manager of the Year - Martin Keegan (Taranaki).

Special mention to all winners and finalists who are in training or have staff training through Primary ITO. Congratulations to:

• Dairy Manager of the Year runner-up - Thomas Lundman

• Dairy Manager of the Year third place - George Dodson

• Dairy Trainee of the Year winner - Pieter Van Beek

• Dairy Trainee of the Year third place - Alex Diprose

Find out more about Primary ITO dairy farming training on our website here.