AWN Sam Agar, an aspiring student looking for a future in the agriculture industry, has made the most of an opportunity to undertake four weeks’ work experience at AWN.
Learning the ropes in the wool industry, Sam said he couldn’t have had a better teacher than northern NSW regional manager Harold Manttan.
“Harold’s knowledge is second to none and everyone at AWN loves showing you the ins and outs of everything. I also had the opportunity to work with John Croake to see the livestock side of things,’’ he said.
Growing up in western Queensland, 30km from Charleville, the Marcus Oldham student said he had his heart set on a career in agriculture.
“For sure agriculture is where I want to be. My family owned a wool/beef operation until I was about 14. By that time, I was at school in Toowoomba and when I left school, I did a gap year on farms and then moved to Walcha in central northern NSW,’’ he said.
“I worked on Congi Station, the biggest superfine Merino wool station in the world. It was a very impressive enterprise and I loved it. It led to me thinking about what my next step should be.’’
With advice on board from his boss at Congi, Sam enrolled in a two-year Bachelor of Business degree at Marcus Oldham College.
“I’d been thinking about going there and these days people want to see a piece of paper. I didn’t want to get left behind, so I’ve just finished my first year and have found it very rewarding,’’ Sam said.
“I like the fact the degree is compressed into two years instead of the usual three or four. We have uni every day from 9-4, but it’s good to get in and get it done because time is money. It means I will be finished two years early and at 24 I’m keen to get stuck into it.’’
“It is a well-structured company where I witnessed happy people being nurtured and working their way through the ranks.’’
With his passion for the wool industry and lecturers suggesting wool broking for work experience, Sam turned to Harold Manttan to gain some experience.
“I had a yarn with Harold and ended up doing four weeks’ work experience with him. We spent about 80 per cent of our time going from shed to shed talking to clients and building relationships. We also travelled to Sydney to sell the lots. Being peak shearing season, it was really busy, and I found it very interesting. I had never been to the Sydney wool store, and it was great because you don’t get to see that every day. It was a lot of travelling but I expected that, and it gave me a good feel for the job,’’ he said.
“It is definitely on the cards that I would be interested in this type of career when I finish my degree. AWN would be a great company to work for. The staff are really friendly and nurturing and have a lot of passion for the wool and sheep industries.”
“It is a well-structured company where I witnessed happy people being nurtured and working their way through the ranks.’’
AWN prides itself on providing career pathways for young people and Harold said Sam showed great interest.
“I’m into my 60s, so we need to be looking to the future and someone like Sam on board would be excellent. I have suggested he do his wool classing certificate and I believe a bright future lies ahead of him. There are a lot of opportunities in agriculture and here at AWN we are always looking for keen people who are passionate about the industry.’’
