Two Mid Canterbury students have spent the start of the school holidays honing their leadership skills.Harriet Stock from Ashburton College (left), and Mt Hutt College’s Kate Braidwood, at High Country Salmon, which they visited as part of a New Zealand Young Farmers’ TeenAg leadership course this week. Photo supplied.Kate Braidwood from Mt Hutt College and Harriet Stock from Ashburton College spent three days this week in Twizel on a leadership programme run by New Zealand Young Farmers.

The girls, members of TeenAg clubs at their respective schools, were two of 18 students on the course, which was designed to enhance the skills of emerging leaders within the clubs.

They were taught how to set goals, communicate, deal with conflict, run effective meetings and write a curriculum vitae.

“It’s about producing confident young adults who can excel in the primary industries,” said NZ Young Farmers school engagement team member Mary Holmes.

Kate said the course was an amazing experience.

“I met lots of like-minded people, made new friends and learned a lot about myself.”

“Over the three days we met a vet, a shepherd and a farm manager,” she said.

“Their advice was really helpful.”

The students also visited High Country Salmon, which is one of three farms raising salmon on the hydro canals surrounding Twizel.

Kate plans to study a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at Lincoln University next year.

Harriet said she got a lot out of the course, particularly finding out about different types of peoples’ characters and how they worked with each other.

Her immediate plans were to help build up the membership and competitiveness of the TeenAg club at Ashburton College.

Although unsure what her working life holds in store, Harriet said something in the agriculture field appealed, given she enjoys animals and the outdoors.

The course was the first of three planned across New Zealand this year.

TeenAg clubs are a key part of the work being done by NZ Young Farmers to attract students into the agri-food sector.

By Colin Williscroft © The Ashburton Guardian - 21 April 2018