John Deere has opened up a wide range of opportunities for farm offspring to take up advanced tech roles as opposed to shepherding sheep for a living
What began with an interest in helping her family service and repair farm equipment has turned into a flourishing career for Anna McGuirk as a John Deere Technician Apprentice.
The 20-year-old second-year apprentice at Hutcheon & Pearce Wagga Wagga had spent years helping on her family’s 485ha cattle property ‘Banool’ in the New South Wales Riverina, but the pivotal moment in her career came when she was relaxing watching television.
“I saw a John Deere advertisement and felt they would be a good brand to work for as their machines are so advanced, so I would get to learn about the latest technology powering agriculture,” Anna said.
Anna describes herself as the kind of kid who always had a curiosity for learning how things worked, and that has helped her progress through her practical training on farm with qualified technicians and theoretical learning in the classroom.
“Often, it’s the case I have already worked with one of our technicians on a mechanical repair in the field that later comes up at TAFE,” Anna added.
“I have enjoyed this because at TAFE you are learning more in-depth about how the solutions are working to resolve the issue, so I have been able to more thoroughly understand it.
“For young people who are considering applying for an apprenticeship as a technician, I encourage them to go for it.”
Hutcheon & Pearce Wagga Wagga Service Manager, Matt Pike, said Anna had been a great addition to the team and the career path now opened as a technician apprentice can range from servicing machines through to being a diagnostic technician, with the ability to transition into management.
“There are so many opportunities,” Matt said.
“You put your head down and study hard so when you come out of your fourth year you’re straight in and working on all the big gear, or little gear, whatever takes your fancy – the variety is out there.
“All through TAFE their training is all John Deere-based, so they’re upskilled on the product, and we know that they’re going to do a good job,” Matt concluded.
John Deere Australia and New Zealand Managing Director, Luke Chandler, said this year across the John Deere business in Australia, numerous apprentices were required to fulfil technician positions within the agriculture, turf and construction and forestry industries.
“Technicians deliver services vital to industry, by not only providing backup support and remote diagnostics, but by empowering operators to get the most out of their machinery and technology,” Luke Chandler said.
“The role of a technician, although traditionally hands-on, has become highly technical, and our John Deere technicians are often relying on innovative software to deliver remote backup support directly to machines.
“Year-on-year, John Deere welcomes the next generation of apprentices through our dealership networks, which are committed to training and upskilling young people across rural and regional Australia,” Luke outlined.
Given John Deere has been producing machinery varying from lawn mowers to large-scale combine harvesters for more than 180 years, Anna is often working on numerous models each day.
“My favourite piece of equipment to work on is the harvesters, they have so many components and it’s advanced machinery,” Anna said.
“Eventually, I think I would enjoy progressing myself to be a diagnostic technician for headers, but I do enjoy learning and working across a bit of everything.
Although Anna is well settled into her role and has no immediate plans of leaving Wagga Wagga, she said the breadth of the John Deere business, having dealerships across Australia and the world, did provide interesting opportunities.
“Hutcheon & Pearce is a great place to work, and they do offer transfers throughout their branch network,” Anna added.
“The training we do through John Deere means the skills I am learning are transferable across the world. I think that would be an amazing opportunity to work overseas with John Deere,” Anna concluded. For an insight into a working day in Anna’s role as an apprentice technician, take a look at this link.
