LEARNING how to harvest grapes and being part of the winemaking process is all in a day's work for students from Wangaratta District Specialist School.
Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) Agriculture and Horticulture students aged 15 to 18 had the opportunity to head into the vineyard and pick shiraz grapes in 2023 at Squires Winery, empty them into the crusher, and then return this year to assist with bottling, labelling and packing the finished product.
It's part of an innovative work experience program giving students the practical skills and experience they need to help them develop into valuable and accomplished employees.
Senior school teacher Matt Baxter said the school was always grateful for the ongoing support it receives from the local community, and when they put a call out to see if there was a local business in the agriculture/horticulture sector who was willing to give their students a go as part of a pilot work experience program, Squires Winery was one of the first to put their hands up.
He said about 25 students took part at different times, with up to 20 students a day involved in picking, and groups of eight attending during the bottling and labelling process, accompanied by school staff.
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"Our goal for those students it to develop their employability skills so they can transition from school into the workforce," Matt said.
"All the students who do the program are at the age where they are ready to join the workforce.
"We also love this program because we get the chance to showcase how capable our students are, and I think the team at Squires would have the best example of how valuable our students can be to a local business."
Mr Baxter said Squires Winery, located near Bundalong, was willing to take them through the entire process, even through to the marketing of the finished product.
He said like any first-time vineyard hands, the students had to get used to the challenges of the job; learning how to pick, getting used to the repetitive nature of the process, and working hard outdoors in extreme temperatures.
"The reason why the work experience has been so successful is that staff members have been on hand to teach the employability skills we need to focus on," he said.
"For instance, if it was a hot day, then our focus would be on stamina and how we manage the heat; finding a way to persevere and still work a full day.
"Our teaching and education support staff have been an integral part of the process.
"Each day they focus on an employability skill and at the end of the day, they can reflect with the students on how they went with.
"Another factor we all face (which is why a program like this is so beneficial) is the fact that work isn't always fun, but you still need to front up every day.
"We spoke about it being a bit of a novelty at the start, but then you start getting into the grind - which we did - and a big focus of ours was that even when you're not enjoying it anymore, you still need to keep going.
"That was probably a challenge for our students, but a really good learning for them."
Mr Baxter said while it is hard work, it is also something which is right in the students' skill set.
He said the school needed to be mindful of the sort of career paths their students are suited to, and it sees the agriculture and viticulture industry as really viable employment pathways for its students.
"There's no reason why they couldn't complete a task like a neurotypical person could, and I think Squires Winery noticed that - and we certainly noticed it too," he said.
"We are so appreciative for local businesses giving our students go, because there is sometimes a reluctance to try it - a perceived barrier - but those who do try it find out how valuable our students are.
"If businesses are willing to give them a go, they will find they get an employee who is reliable and willing to complete any task to the best of their abilities."
Paul Squires of Squires Winery said they were "an exceptional group of young people" and looked forward to it becoming a long-term program.
"It went even better than we expected - they are a joy to work with, they work hard, and they look after each other," he said.
And the staff were outstanding in terms of the way they manage the program."
Mr Baxter said the staff team couldn't be more proud of the effort made by their students.
"What they are learning through work experience is better than anything we teach them in class," he said.
"As a teacher, I love it - I love seeing our students grow, seeing how engaged our staff are, and we're just super proud as a school community."
The school is looking forward to continuing its relationship with Squires Winery, who has also generously offered to donate 10 per cent of the funds from sale of its Early Harvest Shiraz or Fundraiser Pack, back to the school, also offering a 40 per cent discount to purchasers who use the code WDSS40.
More information is available via the winery's website or Facebook page.
Wangaratta District Specialist School plans to direct those funds towards two initiatives; its work experience program - the money helping to cover the costs involved such as transportation - and also to the purchase of a second wheelchair-accessible bicycle for the school.
Any local businesses who are interested in supporting the work experience program are encouraged to contact the school for further information.
