Woolorama Shearing shed hosts school career shearing and woolhandling demonstration

South Regional TAFE Narrogin gives shearing demonstration to students from the Wagin District High School as part of the ‘Careers Taster Program’.

Last Thursday 25th August the Wagin Woolorama Shearing Shed cranked up with the familiar sounding clickety clack of sheep hooves on the grating, a whirring shearing head above and the soft shuffle of shearing moccasins on the board.  

Rob Carter Wool Classing Lecturer from South Regional TAFE Narrogin gave a shearing demonstration to students from the Wagin District High School as part of the ‘Careers Taster Program’.  The idea being that not all career pathways are necessarily academic and as was discussed in a previous Woolorama article the Australian Wool Industry is in need of an injection of youthful enthusiasm if we are going to continue to produce wool at an ever increasing rate due to a worldwide demand.

Rob shared with the students some interesting Wool facts:

-    Wool is the world’s most amazing fibre!
-    Wool is a natural and renewable resource. Just add sheep, water, sunshine! If there is grass to eat - sheep continue to produce wool.
-    Wool is made of 50% organic carbon, captured from the atmosphere prior to the fresh wool being shorn!
-    Wool is 100% biodegradable and even when it’s lifecycle is done and disposed of, wool naturally decomposes, releasing valuable nutrients back into the earth.

The Wool Industry as a career choice provides wonderful opportunities both locally and Internationally and Shearing isn’t the only option as the Wool Handling (which is a major competition at Woolorama each year), Wool Classing and Pressing are all components of a Shearing Team that services Wool producers.  Whilst the work is physically demanding the rewards are many and the financial compensation can be very appealing.  There are not too many industries that can offer a new student fresh on the board the sort of income that can be derived from being a part of a shearing team.

Woolorama Shearing Shed Steward Shane Dawson also participated in the day by explaining the protocols of Wool Handling and Classing of the fleece to the students.

If anybody has any enquiries regarding the Wool Industry and employment opportunities please do not hesitate to make contact with Rob or Shane and even your local Shearing Contractors that can be seen about town.

Special thank you to Bryn Becker for supplying the sheep for the demonstration.

~oOo~