For Manawatu fencer Emile de Greeuw, completing industry training through NorthTec is a stepping stone to reaching his goals. Based just south of Pahiatua, Emile, 33, has been in the agricultural industry since he was 16 years old. He started out as a fencing contractor nine years ago, and established Omata Fencing in 2016.
“Before that, I worked for a few different contractors in the lower North Island and in the South Island.” He developed a taste for fencing while at Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre back in 2007, and saw the opportunities it offered for self-employment. “After shepherding for 10 years, I realised if I wanted to buy my own farm, I would need to have more control over my income.”
He said he enjoyed that fencing took him around the countryside, seeing a range of farming operations through the back gate. It was also a hugely rewarding job seeing projects come together to completion. “With fencing, there is the benefit of visual progress every day, and I enjoy being able to look back at a fence that I have done with satisfaction.”
Emile completed the NZ Certificate in Fencing (Level 4) this year and found that once he started it and structured it into his schedule, it was easy to get through.
“The course was completely online so really easy to complete. (There were) weekly Zoom meetings with the tutor and classmates to see how everyone was getting on with their assignments. But the tutor was always available for email and calls if you needed help.”
Emile started the course as part of working towards being an Accredited Fencing Contractor. He had previously completed parts of the Level 3 course over the years through Primary ITO courses. He said industry training had given him valuable tools for running his business. “I enjoyed fine-tuning parts of my business that needed it. We got some really helpful resources that we will continue to use in a modern-day business, especially in the current climate.”
With a young family, Emile said finding the time to get the assignments done had been the biggest challenge, with a busy life on the farm, running the business, and family. “I find I work best early in the morning, with a coffee, well before the kids get up, and it’s still dark outside.”
Emile said the Level 4 tutor had brought an exceptional amount of expertise and experience to the table. “He was probably overqualified for the job. An absolute wealth of knowledge and really easy to understand. He has run both large-scale corporates and small businesses.”
Industry training was helping to reach business goals, Emile said. “Completing the course is a step in the process of becoming an Accredited Fencing Contractor through FCANZ, which has been a goal for a really long time, and could possibly aid my position when tendering for larger corporate jobs.”
He recommended the course for anyone who sometimes worked in their business too much and not on their business enough. “This course makes you take a step back and figure out what your point of difference is when tendering for jobs, and recruiting and retaining staff.”
Emile has a clear set of goals for the future that he said industry training had helped him work towards. Owning his own farm was at the top of that list. “My plan is to use the accreditation alongside my reputation to become a preferred contractor to more corporate or commercial primary industry businesses, and eventually work exclusively on a value-based pricing system instead of traditional hourly-rate work.
“The fencing business will always be a vehicle for the end goal of farm ownership.”
Article written by Rosa Watson
Published in the Professional Development Feature in WIRED Issue 71 / December 2023 by Fencing Contractors NZ
