Trades Academy student off to prestigious cadet training school
28 November 2024
While many 17-year-olds are still deciding on career options, Sophie White’s passion for farming and practical experience through Primary ITO has landed her a place at the prestigious Smedley Station and Cadet Training School in 2025.
In October, Sophie finished Year 13 at Woodford House girls’ school in Havelock North, Hawke’s Bay. Over the past two years she has taken part in Primary ITO’s Trades Academy and Gateway programmes for senior secondary school students.
As part of these programmes, students spend one day a week on-farm or in a workplace, alongside their other school subjects. They learn practical skills and knowledge, while gaining valuable work experience and NZQA unit standards. Trades Academy students work towards the NZ Certificate in Primary Industry Skills at Level 2, with an option to move on to Level 3.
Sophie grew up in Auckland city before her family moved to a lifestyle block in Kumeū, where she had pet lambs and “got hooked” on animals. A move to a seven-hectare block in Hawke’s Bay followed, where they have 20 ewes, 30 lambs, a few cattle and horses.
After signing up, Sophie was picked up by Trades Academy tutors one day a week and taken out to a local farm, with a vanload of students from other schools. There, the students were shown how to carry out various farm tasks including drenching, crutching sheep, and fencing. As part of their learning the students completed a workbook with various activities, tasks and assessments, which were supervised and signed off on farm.
“I learned so much,” Sophie says. “They’d give us a job to do for the day and we’d get taught while we were working. You have to be engaged in the day’s work and keen to give things a go. Lots of people learn by doing (including me), it’s such a good way to learn.”
At the end of 2023 Sophie was presented with the Prime Minister’s Award for Vocational Excellence, with a prize of $2000.
This year Sophie took part in both the Trades Academy and Gateway programmes, meaning she spent two days a week on-farm and ticked off even more unit standards. In July, she achieved her NZ Certificate in Primary Industry Skills (Level 2) and started on Level 3.
“It’s been a game-changer having the option to do these programmes while at school.”
With an eye to the future, Sophie was looking into farming cadetship options. She knew Smedley Station had an “excellent reputation” for training young cadets. After attending an open day in June she put in her application, one of over 100 received for just 13 places available each year.
“I was pretty stoked to get the phone call to say I’d got in!”
The two-year cadetship runs from January to December each year, on the commercial farm running sheep, cattle and deer 40 kilometres west of Waipukurau. The cadets live and work together as they learn the various aspects of farm operations, including health and safety, animal handling, fencing, and farm systems. Smedley graduates are highly valued and sought after for farm roles.
Jane Perry, Pathways Facilitator at Woodford House, works with students to identify potential career options and guide them on a path to success.
Primary ITO’s Suzanne Carruth says it’s a fantastic option for students who “want to be engaged in practical activities outside of the classroom.
“It’s impressive to see schools like Woodford House offering a wide range of learning options for their students.
“The Trades Academy programme is very popular, with over 1100 students taking part across the country each year. Gateway enrolments have also been phenomenal, growing every year, and we’d love to see more students involved. We pride ourselves on offering a fantastic level of service to schools and make the process as easy as we can.”
Sophie is now working fulltime on a local farm to gain experience and earn some money before starting at Smedley in January.
For more information on our Trades Academy and Gateway Programme, please click here or contact one of our team on: [email protected]