Koroit teenager Noah Billings never expected to find himself working on a dairy farm.
While Koroit is surrounded by prime dairy country, Noah was a town lad and had little cause to visit a farm.
However, a chance conversation with a cricket teammate sent him to a calf shed three years ago and he’s never looked back.
With support from a DemoDAIRY Foundation scholarship, Noah is now working with Eddie and Lisa Dwyer at their Purnim farm.
He has progressed from feeding the calves on Saturday mornings through a school-based apprenticeship to working full-time and completing his Certificate III in agriculture.
While his former school mates eyed careers in all other directions, 17-year-old Noah says he has found his niche and plans to continue working in the dairy industry.
“A friend I played cricket with asked me if I wanted to come out here on Saturday mornings and help with the calf feeding and it all went from there,” Noah said.
“I’d just feed the calves and do random jobs on Saturday morning and then go and play cricket or football.”
His friend no longer works on the farm but Noah was keen to progress in the industry.
“Eddie and Lisa asked if I wanted to go on a school-based traineeship. That was Mondays on the farm and I’d go to South West TAFE on Thursdays. Then when I finished Year 11, I started full-time last October and I’m now doing my Certificate III.”
While admitting being a bit nervous around the big Friesian cows when he started, Noah now feels at home working with the livestock.
“I like being outside and doing something different every day, everything from fencing and tractor work to feeding the calves and milking,” he said.
“Eddie is great and I’m learning a lot,” Noah said. “Mum and dad drive me to work every day, which they don’t mind, but I’m looking forward to getting my licence.”
Noah is happy to recommend other young people look at a career in agriculture.
He says the DemoDAIRY Foundation was a big help in not only subsidising his study and purchase of work gear, but in giving him encouragement to pursue a career in agriculture.
People interested in careers in agriculture can visit www.demodairy.com.au to find out about scholarships.