2001 Conference - Rotorua

|Index|Introduction|Programme|Workshop Streams|Keynote Speakers|

Winegrowing in Marlborough

"How Jobs Can Come in Bunches"

Mike Insley
Southland Vineyards Supervisor
Montana Wines

Contents

• Setting the Scene
• Focus on Marlborough
• When the Work Happens
• Vineyard Growth = Employment Growth
• Skills Recognition: Why Have It?
• Who Is It Aimed at?
• Skills Recognition: How We Did It
• Consultation
• Identification of Skills
• Process
• Implementation
• Skills Recognition: If We Could Do It Again We Would
• Skills Recognition: Where to from Here
• Pruning: An Industry Response

Setting the Scene

The New Zealand Wine Industry (in a nutshell).

• Small - but perfectly formed!
• Current Exports about $200 million, to June 2001.
• Projected Exports about $736 million (June 2006).

Focus on Marlborough

Marlborough's vineyards.

• Largest grape growing area in New Zealand.

When the Work Happens

• Main seasonal peak over the winter months - Pruning.
• This isn't going to reduce in the medium term (unless global warming really kicks in!)

Vineyard Growth = Employment Growth

Expanding vineyard area.

• Estimate of 270 permanent, full time staff on Marlboroughs vineyards along with 572,000 hours of non-permanent employment (275 FTE).

• Full time staff estimated to grow to 400 + by 2004, an increase of 130 +.
• Non permanent hours expected to grow to 720,000 hours (345 FTE) by 2004.

Skills Recognition: Why Have It?

• Target training directly to company needs.
• Greater ability to promote from within.
• Provide opportunity / career path for staff.
• Less staff turnover???

Who Is It Aimed at?

• Permanent, full time staff.
• Fixed term staff.
• Voluntary system.

Skills Recognition: How We Did It

Consultation

• Started in August 1998.
• Implemented system in December 1999.

Identification of Skills

• Confusion between "tasks" and "skills"

Process

• Identify groups of tasks with common elements (a "Unit")
• Determine best practice (the learning outcome) for each Unit.
• Determine assessment process for each Unit.
• Fit Unit into skills hierarchy.
• Develop template for each unit.

Implementation

• Existing staff.
• Assessing out of season work.

Skills Recognition: If We Could Do It Again We Would

• Under estimated time required for development and implementation.
• Integration with other company systems.
• Importance of having a "driver".
• Borrow!!

Skills Recognition: Where to from Here

• Still evolving and expanding.
• Identified skill levels closer aligned with Position Descriptions.
• National Qualifications Framework???
• Has it worked?

Pruning: An Industry Response

• 3 month peak (June - August)
• Pruning short courses.
• Coordinated approach with NMIT, WINZ.
• Industry provides practical training venues, trainers, employer contacts.

|Index|Introduction|Programme|Workshop Streams|Keynote Speakers|