PITA

Trades Academy off to a flying start for Whanganui city slicker

March 2011

Primary Industries Trades Academy (PITA) is a recently created opportunity, delivered by Taratahi, which allows high school students to experience and consider many of the primary industry employment opportunities available.

As part of the PITA program Bayden Dehar has spent the week at Taratahi’s Wairarapa campus with a group of fellow Wanganui City College students.

The students arrived late on Sunday night ready for a full week of farming activities. Bayden, who turned 16 in March 2011, has lived in Whanganui his entire life said “He was looking for a new experience and to learn some new skills”. Prior to PITA Bayden didn’t have any farming experience except through his cousin who is a dairy farmer. But Bayden tells us there is no way he’s doing dairy; he is a sheep and beef farmer through and through. His PITA tutor Paul Burling said “Bayden has a natural affinity for animals; especially considering he has never been around stock before”.

Bayden and the rest of the group have spent the week horse riding, shearing, driving tractors, riding two-wheeled motorbikes and ATVs as well as a variety of evening activities.

When asked where he hoped to be in 20 years, Bayden said he wants to be farming with dogs. He wants to come back to Taratahi’s Wairarapa campus to study full time next year and work through Level 3 and 4. His tutor also wants to keep in touch with Bayden “With a bit of support and some opportunities Bayden will go far”, says Paul.

PITA tutor Paul has been very impressed with Bayden’s skills, “He has almost been like an assistant tutor. I give him a concept and he’ll pick it up straight away and go on to help the other guys around him. If he can’t work it out, he will stop and ask what the next step is”.

Bayden loves that working with sheep and beef would give him a lot of. While on campus the students have enjoyed a wide range of activities but Bayden’s favorite has been driving the tractors. Bayden and his tutor laughed about driving the ‘old school’ tractors which aren’t quite as easy as some of the flash ones they’ve been using. Bayden adds that he had ‘The Beast’ under control.