The PGG Wrightson Academy was established in 2006 to broaden employee knowledge across PGW’s Business Units and bring both new people and new innovations to agriculture and horticulture. Now in its 17th year, more than 300 employees have completed the programme and have proceeded to enrich PGW, our clients’ businesses, and the wider agricultural and horticultural industries.

Held annually, with four two-day workshops in February, June, August and September, participants work towards obtaining a National Certificate in Rural Servicing (Level 4). This is a recognised NZQA accredited qualification designed by PGG Wrightson and other rural servicing companies, offered through Primary ITO.

The major component of this certificate is the PGW dissertation. The dissertation requires the participants to select a client, work with them to identify a production issue, develop an innovative solution for that issue, then model the effect the solution will have on the business over the next five years. At the end of the year participants are required to present their dissertation back to their peers and panel of expert judges. The programme culminates with graduation and an awards ceremony.

PGW’s CEO, Stephen Guerin says, “The Academy has always been something that I have been very proud of, and I look forward to watching each cohort develop themselves and their careers. This is a fantastic opportunity for participants to broaden their knowledge of the primary industry and get them out of their comfort zone. It has sparked graduates to specialise in new areas, move to new roles, and gain promotions both at PGW and in the wider industry."

Being selected for the Academy is a great career opportunity and a matter of pride for both the participants and their managers. The 2023 cohort kicked off last week with a two-day dairy workshop with presentations covering on PGW Livestock's dairy business, environmental management on dairy farms, dairy focused agronomy, nutrition and animal health and a visit to Rakaia Island - a large dairy key account. We wish all participants great success on their learning journey ahead.