GIB grows future farm managers
On March 23, when 10 young people from Hankey and Patensie gathered in the Gamtoos Irrigation Board conference room at the start of a one-year internship in plant management, they were filled with nervous anticipation about this new opportunity.
Four weeks in the classroom formed the theoretical basis for what would come next: practical, hands-on training in groups, overseen by local farmers participating in this project.
Five months later, we caught up with three of the students, each of whom now has a clear vision of their future career as farm manager.
Ricardo Steve Jenneker, who was born and bred in Patensie, matriculated from Patensie High School in 2016.
He says, “My biggest dream is to become a successful farm manager. I want to use the knowledge I have gained and to pass it on.
“If I can expand my knowledge in farming, I will be able to decrease the level of unemployment in our village.
“Working closely with people from different races has meant that I have learned new things every day.”
Ricardo says that he has learned much about himself too: “I can manage my time more effectively; I learn fast; I am adaptable; and I am an effective, polite communicator.” The most important thing? “My ambition is to succeed.”
Like Ricardo, Shelmoryka Maarman also hails from Patensie with a dream to be a successful farm manager.
It is her hope, through the GIB learnership, to gain more experience in the agricultural industry.
Naturally quite shy, she says: “I have learned to overcome my shyness and to share my opinions as I communicate with others in the group who may have different ideas from mine.”
She enjoys being on the farm and learning, in practice, what they were taught in the classroom. “I enjoy learning. This course has taught me that bad things sometimes happen, but that I need to make the best of them.
“After the course, I want to find a permanent job to support my family. I want to give back to the people of Ramaphosa Village and to encourage the youth to get involved in farming.”
Hankey resident Ronique Williams says, “My biggest dream is to be a junior farm manager.”
Living in a rural area, she feels that there are ample opportunities for work in this sector. “That’s what inspired me to learn more about farming.”
Besides learning about planting and measuring trees, Ronique has grown personally.
“I have overcome my fears and self-doubt. I have established what my strengths and weaknesses are while learning about my core values and personality type.
“By the end of the year I hope to have developed into a good leader and to find a permanent job in farming.”
GBR studenteboere kweek meer as net groente
Toe 10 jong mense uit Patensie en Hankey op 23 Maart in die Gamtoos-Besproeiingsraad se konferensiekamer bymekaar gekom het om hul een-jaar leerlingskap te begin, was hulle seenuweeagtig, maar opgewonde oor dié nuwe geleentheid.
Vier weke se klastyd het die teoretiese basis gevorm vir wat sou volg: praktiese opleiding in groepe onder toesig van plaaslike boere wat deelneem aan hierdie projek.
Vyf maande later gee die studente hulle indrukke van die ondervinding:
Ricardo Steve Jenneker, wat in Patensie gebore en getoë is, het in 2016 aan Hoërskool Patensie gematrikuleer.
“My grootste droom is om eendag ’n suksesvolle plaasbestuurder te wees. Ek wil die kennis wat ek hier opgedoen het, gebruik en dit oordra aan ander,” sê hy.
“As ek my kennis in boerdery kan uitbrei sal dit vir my moontlik wees om werkloosheid in my dorpie te bekamp.
“Om elke dag met mense van ander rasse te gewerk het, het beteken dat ek elke dag iets nuut geleer het.”
Ricardo sê dat hy ook baie oor homself geleer het: “Ek het geleer dat ek my tydsbestuur meer effektief kan behartig; ek leer vinnig; ek is aanpasbaar; en ek is ’n effektiewe, beleefde kommunikeerder.” Die belangrikste ding? “Dit is my ambisie om te slaag.”
Net soos Ricardo kom Shelmoryka Maarman ook vanaf Patensie met ‘n groot droom “om ’n suksesvolle plaasbestuurder te wees.”
Sy hoop om meer ondervinding oor die landboubedryf op te doen deur die leerlingskap.
Shelmoryka is van nature nogal skaam, maar sy sê: “Ek het geleer om my skaamheid te oorkom en om my opinies te deel wanneer ek in ’n groep kommunikeer met ander wie se menings dalk van my eie verskil.”
Sy geniet dit om op die plaas te wees en dit wat sy in die klas geleer het prakties te beoefen. “Ek geniet die leerdery. Dié kursus het my laat besef dat slegte dinge gebeur soms, maar dat ek die beste daarvan moet maak.”
“Na die kursus, wil ek permanente werk vind om sodoende my familie te kan ondersteun. Ek wil teruggee aan die mense van Ramaphosa Village en die jeug aanmoedig om betrokke te raak in boerdery.”
Ronique Williams, ‘n boorling vanuit Hankey, sê: “Dit is my grootste droom om ’n junior plaasbestuurder te wees.”
Sy voel dat daar in die landelike gebied menigte geleenthede is vir werk in landbou. “Dit is wat my inspireer het om meer oor boerdery uit te vind.”
Buiten wat sy oor die plant en meet van bome geleer het, het Ronique ook persoonlike groei ervaar. “Ek het my vrees en self-twyfel oorkom. Ek het ook vasgestel wat my sterkpunte en swakhede is terwyl ek geleer het oor kernwaardes en persoonlikheidstipes.”
“Teen die einde van die jaar hoop ek om in ’n goeie leier te ontwikkel en om permanente werk in die landbou-industrie te verkry.”