At AG Work NZ, we take great pride in helping people from the UK and Ireland find work in the agriculture industry in New Zealand. Recently, one of our successful candidates, Leo Barcoe, 22 from Southern Ireland, was placed with Kevin and Lisa Sands. Kevin and Lisa own a dairy farm on the outskirts of Rotorua, which they run with the help of their children, Jack and Ellie. Jack also operates a contracting business in the local area, which includes digger work. It was great for Ag Work NZ to go and visit Leo to see how he’s settling into his job and life in New Zealand.
Leo arrived in New Zealand in December 2022, after being successfully recruited by AG Work NZ. He has since been working primarily as a tractor operator, both with on-farm duties including feeding out and helping with the stock. He is also heavily involved with the contracting business. Kevin and Lisa are impressed with what a fantastic addition Leo has been to the team, and they are delighted to have him on board.
It was fantastic to catch up with Leo on farm, we followed him through some of his day-to-day farm jobs, whilst sharing his experience so far. It was a great oppurtunity for Leo to tell us about how working in New Zealand has lived up to his expectations.
“The works great over here. I get to use different machinery, go up in the tractors and see the views over the hills, I’m enjoying every bit of it.”
Leo initially planned to work in New Zealand for 6 months, but he is enjoying his time so much he has decided to extend his visa and stay for 12.
We also got a chance to chat with Kevin and Lisa , who spoke highly of Leo’s work ethic and positive attitude. Commenting on how impressed they were with how quickly Leo had adapted to the farm’s routines and his eagerness to learn new skills.
“He’s a great worker, we haven’t had to spend too much time on training as he already had a lot of experience and he’s fit into our family operation perfectly.”
We were delighted to see that Leo is thriving in his new role on the Sands’ farm. We wish him all the best for the future and are confident that he will continue to excel in his agricultural career here in New Zealand. If you are interested in finding work in New Zealand’s agriculture industry, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with AG Work NZ today to see what opportunities are available to you.