A stall in the shearing workforce has left industry bodies seeking out ways to fill the gaps, with a focus being drawn to drawing students to the industry.

The decision to make the Cert III in Shearing course free for all NSW residents is one of the most recent attempts at attracting people to work in this area of agriculture. 

NSW Farmers Wool Committee Chair and Helen Carrigan said that the shortage only means an opportunity for people seeking out a career towards the end of high school, and looking to make good money.

“We’re keen to see school leavers looking for a life in the bush to seriously consider becoming a shearer,” Mrs Carrigan said. 

“It can be hard work, but it’s rewarding and the pay can set the savvy saver up for a great future."

Gilgandra-based shearing contractor Brian Cleaver said that while the local shearer numbers have perhaps gone down around 10 per cent, finding quality and experienced shed workers has been a bigger struggle for contractors in the area. 

“It’s a puzzle why the shed hands are probably at 30 or 40 per cent less if you’re looking for someone experienced,” Mr Cleaver said. 

The shortage stems from a range of influences, including the drought which saw many shearers leave the industry after the resulting drop in sheep numbers reduced the available work load.

The shearers still in the industry are now unable to keep up with the growing backlog of work caused by sheep populations increasing again after conditions improved, made all the more difficult by the recent work-halting rainfall in regional NSW. 

During her own shearing last year, Mrs Carrigan said that they really felt the pinch, as the backlog continued to push the important task back. 

“Instead of shearing over ten days, it went for three or so weeks because of scattered showers,” Mrs Carrigan said. 

Another crucial factor has been border closures, where, despite the on-again, off-again border arrangement with New Zealand, Australia has lost a steady source of shearers. 

“I’ve been told it’s around 500 (shearers) we might get from New Zealand. We believe that we need to be looking within Australia and within our state and encouraging those young people, who may want to return to the industry or try a new profession,” Mrs Carrigan said. 

Mrs Carrigan said that shearing can also only be the beginning for some people who might use it as a stepping stone to other careers within the wool industry.

“If we can encourage young people to get into the sheds to be trained and mentored, we can not only set them up for success but also help solve this worker shortage,” she said. 

Since the course was made free, over 40 people have completed it in the past few weeks alone. If participation numbers remain steady, wool producers hope the extra skills to the talent pool will have a dramatic impact on the health of the industry.