Ramsey Bros apprentice technicians don’t just get to work on some of the biggest and most advanced farm machinery around, they also get the benefit of a multi-branch network to broaden their experience.
During March, the company’s eleven current apprentices took part in the Ramsey Bros Apprentice Exchange Program.
The fully supervised program, which runs three times per year, sees the apprentices transferred between the service departments of Ramsey Bros at Murray Bridge, Riverton, Cleve, Wudinna and Cummins.
Ramsey Bros Service Manager Scott Wendland says the value for the apprentices in the program is immense and can pay dividends right through their careers.
“They get to work on other machines and solve problems they might not encounter if they only worked in one location,” he says.
Cleve apprentice Riley Haines spent the week at Ramsey Bros Riverton and agrees that the Exchange Program has significant benefits for his training.
“It opens your eyes up to agriculture in different parts of the state and provides the chance to work on different equipment,” he says.
“For example, I would not usually get the experience of working on a spreader here at Cleve, but I was able to work on one at Riverton.”
The apprentices are also assessed by their hosting branch’s Service Manager during the Exchange Program, which can help to highlight new strengths and opportunities.
“We include performance feedback as part of the program and that goes towards their apprenticeship and professional development,” Scott says.
“In addition, they make connections in other Ramsey Bros service departments, so if they come across an unusual issue in the future they’ll have a network of experts they already know to call up and ask for input.”
Riley says getting to know the team at Riverton is a great step in building his professional network.
“Now I’ve met those guys, I can always put faces to names and get in touch if I’m servicing a machine or system I know they excel at,” he says.
Following the March placements, the Ramsey Bros Apprentice Exchange Program is repeated in June, September, November. This increases the depth of experience the apprentices gain by exposing them to different seasonal patterns as well as the variety of tasks.
“Ramsey Bros is one of the very few agricultural machinery businesses that can offer this kind of opportunity to young South Australians,” Scott says.
“Technicians are the backbone of modern agriculture and if we don’t deliver the skills, the industry won’t have a future.
“Any young person who’s passionate about advanced machinery or electronics and who wants a career for life should get in touch with their local Ramsey Bros branch.”
