Moyhu’s Don Young, 15, and Wangaratta’s Brock Matthews, 16, were flat out transferring buckets to the tractor bin.
Photo by
Jared Loughnan
Grape harvest is in full swing across the region and Squires Winery was boosted in the hot and arduous task by some helping hands the past two weeks.
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About 20 students from Wangaratta District Specialist School have been working the rows at the vineyard, east of Bundalong, since last Monday as part of the school’s Horticulture and Agriculture work pathway.
Winery owner Paul Squires said the group was on track to collect 10.5 tonnes of shiraz last week and up to six tonnes of cabernet this week.
“They’ve been extraordinary, they do an incredibly good job,” he said.
“We set targets for them every day and they’ve met or exceeded the targets every day.
“They get better every day. They started on a Monday and by the time they got to Tuesday afternoon they were filling bins rapidly.”
Teacher Matt Baxter said students from the school, which caters for students with an intellectual disability, were more than capable given the right workplace.
“At times students in our setting are less likely to be considered by employers so opportunities like this are a chance to show how capable they are in the right field,” he said.
“With places like Squires, we want the relationship to go both ways. We feel like we add real value to what Paul is doing and we feel like they’re offering a huge opportunity to our guys.”
Wangaratta’s Brock Matthews, 16, and Moyhu’s Don Young, 15, were among the students getting their hands cut and dirty in the unseasonable March heat.
“It’s been pretty full-on but you’ve just got to push through. We’ve learnt how to cut the grapes properly. I did it last year, it’s been good,” Brock said.
“It really boosts your work stamina. It’s been good to learn and to get the experience,” Don said.
Paul Squires, pictured amongst his troops, said the team was on track to pick more than 16 tonnes of red grapes.
Photo by
Jared Loughnan
Mr Baxter said the school also offered vocation pathways in Building and Construction and Hospitality.
“Our goal for our kids is really simple at the school, and that’s to get them ready for employment,” Mr Baxter said.
“It’s hard going - as with any workplace, day one there’s sort of a novelty there and by day two you are getting better at it … we want our kids to push through that and that’s why we’re keen to do two or three weeks just to learn work isn’t always fun.
“A part of it is just coming back and fronting back up.”
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