18 Dec 2014
In November 2014, Year 9 students Tom Whalan, Tom Behan and Billy Bailey attended a two week introduction to Wool Handling and Shearing TAFE course in Dubbo. Previously, the students had found information about the course at a Jobs Expo and asked Mrs Fitzpatrick, the Careers Advisor, to help organise for them to attend.
During the two week course they learnt how to throw and skirt fleeces, cap off wool bales, maintain shearing equipment and different terminology in the wool industry. They also spent many hours actually shearing. Their days at the course started at 7:30am (which meant a 5:30am wake-up) and didn't finish until 5:30pm.
The three students were the youngest in the course and, understandably, after the first week they all had sore backs from consistently using different muscles. However, they all agreed that in the second week they were "getting the hang of it". The "test" at the end of the two weeks was to shear 3 sheep in ½ an hour, equivalent to 48 in a day, and they all achieved this standard.
The students were impressed with the high quality of the instructors, including Wayne Hose, who is the 6th fastest shearer in Australia. During the course they also met ‘Rocky', one of the fastest shearers in the world, who came to speak with the students for one day.
Billy encourages others to do this "heaps good course", as it's a great opportunity to learn and gain a good grounding and skill set in the wool and shearing industry. However Tom and Tom warn that it's hard work and you need to be committed and fit to complete the two weeks. All three students would like to follow up and use what they have learned in real shearing sheds.
Congratulations to Tom, Tom and Billy on their initiative in finding the course and following up, and for their application to the task during the two weeks.
