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Shearing and wool handling training organisations in New Zealand and Australia have signed a memorandum of understanding in a bid to address labour shortages.
New Zealand's Elite Wool Industry Training signed the MOU with woolgrower-owned Australian Wool Innovation and Australia's largest shearing and wool handling training organisation, SCAA Shearer Wool Handler Training.
It will allow the training organisations to work together on shearing and wool handler training consistencies.
The transient nature of the workforce is seeing ever-increasing numbers of shearers and wool handlers travelling across both sides of the ditch for work experience, but different training in New Zealand and Australia means gangs are not always aware of how things work in both countries.
A lack of shearers and skilled woolhandlers over the past two years has seen the cost of shearing increase by about 20 percent in New Zealand.
Elite Wool Industry Training chief executive and former world champion shearer Tom Wilson said working with Australia will, in the first instance, allow co-ordination and management of staff across the two countries, better promote the industry as a career, and improve both the supply and quality of staff.
SCAA Shearer Wool Handler Training chief executive Glenn Haynes said the agreement is not a silver bullet for skills shortages but will provide a platform that can align the approach to solving or at least mitigating some of the training issues both nations are experiencing.
"For example, it will help ensure that when young Kiwis come to Australia to shear, their shearing pattern and technique will be consistent and align with what the Australian market requires. It will also ensure that young Australians travelling to New Zealand will have a better understanding of the New Zealand Crossbred shearing techniques, as will the wool handlers."
With the level and experience of the trainers involved in the combined organisations, the knowledge that can be shared from both sides can only be beneficial for the industry, Haynes said.