Idea for pilots in ag jobs could take off this harvest

Pilots could fill the void the pandemic is likely to leave for grain growers at harvest time, as strict lockdowns ground international workers.

Altered course: The technology skills of pilots could be adapted to fill agricultural jobs. Digitally altered image.

PILOTS could land a job on a grain farm this harvest as a potential solution to the industry’s worker shortage headache.

GrainGrowers Australia chairman Brett Hosking said workers who have been left unemployed in the airline industry as a result of the coronavirus could fill the void the pandemic is likely to leave at harvest time, as strict lockdowns ground international workers.

“Those who work in industries that identify as having similar skills could be looked at,” Mr Hosking said.

“The airline industry comes to mind.

“Ground crew workers are familiar with electronics and could be wonderful additions.”

He said pilots could transfer their skills and it would just be a matter of “connecting them with industry”.

Australian and International Pilots Association president Mark Sedgwick said the association was looking into as many options as possible for pilots who were left without work.

“AIPA has been providing as many leads as possible to pilots for secondary or alternative employment since we entered the coronavirus crisis in March,” Mr Sedgwick said.

“Pilots have very good aptitude for learning how to operate complex machinery and we would expect their core skills be transferable to industries such as agriculture and in specific areas such as harvesting.”

A NSW contractor — who gets about 30 per cent of his workers from overseas at harvest time — said he was on board with the idea.

“I am aware there will be a shortage of workers this year,” North Hill Harvesting’s Lindsay Northcott said.

“Harvest equipment requires more than one person to operate the machinery and we don’t know if that will be possible with the coronavirus pandemic.,” Mr Northcott said.

He said anybody with basic mechanical aptitude could do the job with some targeted intensive training.

“Workers with a truck license could also be an option.,” he said. “The aim of the game in harvesting is to get grain into the silo efficiently and in a timely fashion.”

MORE

GRAIN INDUSTRY FEARS HARVEST SHORTAGE

FEARS ON HARVEST LABOUR