Training

Landcorp Farming is committed to its employees gaining new knowledge and skills that will enable each to do his or her job to a high standard, and to progress further within the Company. We want our people to be the best in their field.

Philosophy

The Company’s philosophy is based around developing its people by investing in their personal and professional development to build technical competence and capabilities so they are able to grow and develop within the Company as the Company moves towards its strategic direction. The key focus areas:

• Strategic Focus - succession planning in the short to long term
• Training Needs Analysis – design, deliver, and evaluate to meet the industry and workplace demands, trends, research and specific situational needs
• Critical Reflection (thinking and doing) – developing reflective and analytical minds
• Maximise 'Transfer of Learning' (training to farm)
• Problem Solving through Collaboration – use Landcorp based case studies and benchmark examples
• Team and Individual based training approach – personal and professional development
• Coaching and Mentoring – providing the feedback and support needed to grow and develop
• 70 – 20 – 10 Training and Development of People Model – 70% on-job development; 20% feedback and mentoring; and 10% training programmes
• 'On farm' based training to maximise learning and minimise travel and time away from farm
• Leadership and Empowerment – developing empowering leaders in agriculture
• Innovation & Technology – creating a generation of innovation and technology focused farming to enhance productivity and profitability
• Continuous Improvement – always striving to improve and develop

Training and Development Model

Key Strategic Action Areas:
Continuous improvement: Training needs analysis, evaluating and reviewing how best to maximise outputs and transfer of knowledge and skills into the workplace.
Succession Planning: Building internal capability and skilled people for modern farming and a sustainable future.
Technology & Communication Capability: Using a variety of avenues and tools to learn and build knowledge, interact, consult and monitor training and development with Landcorp people.
Human Resource Capability: Recruiting the right people and addressing the people issues to maximise retention and minimise turnover.

Employees have individually-tailored training programmes that involve both in-house and externally provided courses. Each person has a "training matrix" of mandatory and optional courses that will help them in their particular role. Each has a clear understanding of their career pathway. Managers discuss these and specific training options with their team members, and work with Landcorp's Training Team to access training facilitators and providers who are best able to help achieve the desired results.

Landcorp National Training Curriculum Overview

In-House (All staff)

• Landcorp Way (Farm Managers and Wellington Office Staff )
• Enhancing the Landcorp Team
• Next Step
• Maintaining High Performance Teams
• Leading Edge Competencies
• Future Farmer Programme (44 weeks – one year programme)

In-House (Farm staff) – Four Step Farm Management Model

Stock Managers and Production Managers – Step 1 and 2

• Essentials of Management (Delivered by - New Zealand Institute of Management – NZIM)
• Farm Systems and Technical Skills 1

Farm Managers – Step 3 and 4

• Essentials of Leadership (Delivered by - NZIM)
• Farm Systems and Technical Skills 2

'On Farm' Safety Training

All 'on farm' staff are automatically enrolled in the National Certificate in Farming Skills (General Skills) - Level 2.

• The NZQA Qualification consists of: Work Safe Training – Theory = (3 Days) and farm visit; FarmSafe (Awareness) (1 Day); First Aid (Comprehensive - 2 Days or Refresher - 1 Day); Agrichemicals Safety / Approved Handlers Certificate (1 Day).
• Work Safe Training is required to commence within the first 3 months of employment at Landcorp.

Specialised Training & Development

• PAM Training (101, 102, and 200 level programmes)
• Workshops (deer, dairy, beef, sheep, calf rearing and mating)
• Genetics Training
• Integrated Technology Training (Weigh systems, ProTrack, MilkHub)
• Milk Quality Training
• Computer Training
• Farming 101 – Office Staff

Individualised Training & Development

• Outward Bound Training
• Dog Training
• Fencing Training
• Advanced Ford Driving Training
• MasterDrive HT Class 2, 4 & 5 Licences
• Advanced Tractor Driving Training
• First Aid Training
• Tailor – designed training based on personal and professional needs

Landcorp's in-house training courses include:

• Enhancing The Landcorp Team – the induction course for new farm staff (working under farm managers) and some office staff as appropriate.
• Next Step – a course that prepares key staff to be acting farm managers when full-time farm managers are on leave. It usually includes head shepherds, stock managers, herd managers, dairy production managers and other shepherds selected on their potential to become farm managers in future.
• Maintaining High Performance Teams – a course in team leadership for farm managers, and for other managers and staff who have demonstrated leadership potential (including business managers, head shepherds, herd managers, dairy production managers and office staff).
• Leading Edge Competencies – a course for those who have completed the course above. It focuses on the challenges involved in leadership and team building, and in managing difficult tasks and processes to achieve success.
• Future Farmer Programme – a year-long course that provides young people with national industry training qualifications and prepares them to become farm cadets with Landcorp.

Four Step 'Farm Management' Model

The four step farm management model is part of Landcorp's succession plan to build and develop skilled farm managers for the future who are strong people managers, leaders and innovators, as well as business and technology focused and still technically capable. The four steps focus on developing existing management staff on farm and those who have been identified as talent for potential farm management honours (when the time is right). Identified people will be trained in technical, operational and people management and leadership skills. Training will be delivered by our own internal expertise as well as external NZIM consultants by providing Landcorp case studies and scenarios to apply the theory into practice.

The purpose is to have farm management staff who are confident and capable to achieve corporate outcomes and have the support and training in place so career progression is structured to enable skilled staff to take small steps up into promotional opportunities rather than large steps. The four steps create a smooth transition into higher positions and allows opportunity for Landcorp people to be supported and to grow and develop within the Company.

Landcorp senior managers have a variety of management and leadership training programmes, including some in Australia, France and the United States. Australia and New Zealand programmes include:

• Farm Managers Program (FMP), in partnership with Rabobank
• Advanced Management Programme (AMP), with the NZIM – Southern
• Leadership Development Program, with University of Melbourne - Mt Eliza
• Advanced Management Program, with University of Melbourne - Mt Eliza
• Executive Development Program, with Rabobank in Sydney
• The Ernst & Young Executive Programme in Taupo
• ESCO – A residential senior management programme, with the NZIM – Southern

Landcorp organises various optional and specialised training courses for managers and staff to gain new technical knowledge on new developments in sheep, beef, deer and dairy farming (including new developments in genetics, on-farm technologies and products). Each year, the Company sends some staff on "Outward Bound" courses (particularly the Navigator–8 day leadership building programme).

Overall, Landcorp has a culture that encourages individual responsibility in gaining new knowledge and skills, and in the application of these on the job. The Company's investment in training and development is long standing, and unchanging throughout the farming cycle. We recognise the absolute importance of skilled and well-motivated people to the future growth and prosperity of Landcorp as a world-leading agribusiness.