Stake your career on the meat industry

By Samantha Elley

When that juicy medium rare steak hits your plate and the fragrance of chargrill wafts into your olfactory senses, you can be assured a wide range of trades were behind the ability to make that scenario happen.

As the town’s largest employer, the Casino Food Co-op, formerly the Northern Co-operative Meat Company, provides a wide range of careers to ensure the people of the Northern Rivers and beyond get to enjoy the savoury pleasures of a meat based diet.

Yasmin Harvey and Ben Blackadder are two employees of the Co-op who are very satisfied with their careers in the meat industry.

“I’m an apprentice fitter and machinist,” said Yasmin.

“I came here six months ago from Newcastle.

“I basically am doing machining, fabricating and getting called out to jobs when there is a breakdown, so we go out and fix conveyers, chains, so if anything breaks, we are there.”

Yasmin started her apprenticeship at Port Waratah Coal Services in Newcastle but got a transfer back to Casino where she was from originally.

“(Working in the meat industry) you get to see the production, how the cattle come in and the finished product,” she said.

“It’s pretty cool to see all the machines, mainly hydraulics and pneumatics which is oil and air.”

At 22, Yasmin is one of three women working in the services area of the Co-op and says she loves it.

“The atmosphere is pretty cool, as you get along with the tradies really well,” she said.

“It’s close to home and the meatworks is very clean and tidy and controlled.”

Ben has just gained his full qualification as a fitter and turner and is involved in general maintenance within the plant.

“I’ve been with the meatworks for nearly four years,” he said.

“(A normal work day entails) breakdowns, could be big ones, could be small ones, a bit of fabrication, some machining, odd jobs.

“We get work orders to service machines for preventative maintenance.

“I grew up on a farm so if we couldn’t afford to buy it we always had to make it.”

Before working at the meat co-op, Ben helped a chicken farmer to convert his sheds from meat chooks to eggs.

Yasmin Harvey and Ben Blackadder at some of the machines they use. Photo Samantha Elley

“So we put monorails in his sheds and makeshift chicken caravans with auto belts and egg chutes,” he said.

“(Working in the meat industry) you get the odd gross job here and there but you get that everywhere.

“It’s pretty clean in most areas.”

Both Yasmin and Ben agree there is a great variety of roles for people interested in a career in the meat industry.

As a young father, with a second child on the way Ben said the Co-op is a great place to work.

“They tend to be pretty flexible,” said Ben.

“If I need to be home for something, I can.”

Engineering Services Manager, Gary Alcock runs the maintenance staff of 65 for the Co-op.

“We start to look around (for apprentices) about this time of year in preparation of what’s going to happen next year,” he said.

“We have an interaction with the local schools and participate through the HR department with careers expos but it’s a matter of submitting advertising and looking for applicants.

Gary said they are looking for future employees who have a good deal of aptitude, initiative and willingness to engage and search for a problem and solution.

“What we can offer as a business and an opportunity for training is that we’ve got such a diverse and vast range of things they can work on, that the scope of their knowledge can be very broad,” he said.

“We have a range of things they can work on (such as) fitter and machinist or electrical, but in those there’s a wide range of things they can work on.

“They can be manufacturing, repairs, work on the slaughter floor or the boning room.

“On the electrical side we manufacture everything from our switchboards through to heavy equipment and machinery.”

Gary said while they look for apprentices, they are also looking at ways of upskilling their qualified tradespeople once they are fully qualified.

“We are looking at what other skills we can actually roll into that fourth year (of their apprenticeship) or post trade training as well,” he said.

“We are looking at upskilling them all the time.”

Gary said finding and having skilled labour is currently a problem for the Co-op.

“The drain on resources in the local area is significant,” he said.

“Whether it be the mines or wage levels or whatever it might be we are always measuring ourselves against others.

“Whether it be the local or wider economy or other industries are poaching our people.

“How can we make it more attractive for our people?”

Gary said they don’t have a high turnover but anyone who leaves after 20 years of experience and knowledge, is a huge impact to the business.

With the advent of young women entering the industry, Gary has seen a difference in the work force.

“They provide a significant impact and change of culture,” he said.

“They bring a different element to the group and its great.

“Collectively they lift the whole group.”

If you are interested in a career in the Engineering Services section of the meat industry, keep an eye out at the career expos or contact them at 6662 2444 for further information.

A year of firsts for new children’s author

By Samantha Elley

When Kirsten Ealand decided she didn’t want to go back to primary teaching, she reevaluated what it was she really wanted to do.

“I found a course that was being held at the Byron Community College called Writing for Children,” the Northern Rivers resident said.

“It was for eight weeks and I found what I loved.”

That was in 2017 and Kirsten has been writing ever since.

Fast forward to 2024 and Kirsten has just released her first children’s book Like a Gannet.

“It’s been a long process,” she said.

“It was picked up two and a half years ago, then it went through the publishing process.

“And now my second book will be coming out at the end of February.”

 Like A Gannet is a heartwarming story inspired by childhood memories of the local public pool.

Book Cover, Like a Gannet

Illustrated by Deb Hudson and published by Windy Hollow, the book follows little Francie as she experiences all the emotions of her first time on the diving board.

“This book was inspired by my own childhood memories of long summer hours in the pool pretending to be a dolphin or a mermaid and I always wished I could dive like a gannet,” Ms Ealand said.

“It’s a great summer time book for any kids who loves the water, any kid nervous about trying new things or any kid who wants to do things their own way.

“It’s a very joyous story.”

When Kirsten isn’t writing she is working in Richmond Tweed Library or deepwater running at Tweed Regional Aquatic Centre in Murwillumbah.

“I never thought in my fifties I would have so many firsts,” she said.

“My first book, the first time I have a book go to Bologna (children’s bookfair) in Italy. First time to approach a bookstore to sell my book, my first book signing and my first time on the radio.”

Not to mention the first time she has been interviewed by a newspaper journalist.

Like a Gannet is available for sale at the Book Warehouse in Lismore, The Book Room at Byron Bay and Boardwalk Books at Kingscliff.

It is also available online at www.booktopia.com.au

Kirsten will also be holding a series of local events

 Like A Gannet Book Launch:

• Where: Murwillumbah Library
• When: Saturday 26 October at 10.15am.

Kids Story time and Craft:

• Where: Boardwalk Books,Marine Pde, Kingscliff
• When: Saturday 16 November at 9am.

Celebrating our young sportspeople

By Samantha Elley

Since he was four years old Beau Briggs has been playing Rugby Union.

His goal is to one day play for the Wallabies, the Australian Rugby Union team, on the national stage.

Meanwhile, the Year 6 student from Wyrallah Road Public School has to play a lot of games to reach that elite level, but Beau is on his way.

He recently went to the Country Championships at Camden in Sydney as part of the U12 Far North Coast team.

“We are very proud of him,” said mum, Carina.

“As a family we always go to his games on a Friday night to watch him play.”

It seems the rugby union genes run strong in the Briggs family with dad also playing the game.

“My little brother, Dallas, is five and he is going to play as well,” said Beau.

Beau and Carina were on hand at the office of Federal Member for Page, Kevin Hogan, last week to receive $550 through the Local Sporting Champions program, which provides financial assistance for competitors aged 12-18 participating in state, national or international championships.

They were joined by other young sportspeople representing tennis, gymnastics, hockey, netball, cross country, softball and swimming.

“You are elite (sportspeople), so congratulations,” said Mr Hogan.

“We want to acknowledge and celebrate you.”

Beau receiving his certificate from Kevin Hogan

The list of recipients are:

• Zavier Zorzo from Goonellabah – Rugby Union
• Willow Davis from Goonellabah – Hockey
• Sienna Davis-Job from South Lismore -Netball
• Sienna Ambler from Goonellabah – Hockey
• Rue Heffernan from Dunoon – Cross Country
• Ruby Brown from East Coraki – Netball
• Reggie Field from East Lismore – Rugby Union
• Morgan Moran from Lismore Heights – Hockey
• Milla Zorzo from Goonellabah – Hockey
• Lily Barlow from Lismore Heights – Netball
• Lewis Fairfull from Alstonville – Tennis
• Kalani Franklin from Uralba – Hockey
• Jasmine Halliday from Goonellabah – Basketball
• Jacob Rowe from Alstonville – Cross Country
• Matthew O’Neill from Geneva – Swimming
• Frankie Morrison from Woodburn – Netball
• Fallon Garland from Lismore – Netball
• Ella Rippon from Tunglebung – Netball
• Ella Davis from Tabulam – Netball
• Edward Shields from Casino – Softball
• Eden Kelly from Goonellabah – Hockey
• Coco Zorzo from Goonellabah – Hockey
• Christopher Elliott from Caniaba – Gymnastics
• Bella Duncan from Richmond Hill – Netball
• Beau Briggs from Lismore – Rugby Union
• Ayla Welch from Goonellabah – Netball
• Anneleise Piccoli from Goonellabah – Netball
• Amalia Anderson from Wardell – Netball
• Adelaide Mcfarlane from The Channon – Netball
• Abi-Gail Garland from Lismore – Netball
• Lachlan Rippon from Tunglebung – Rugby Union
• Paige Dalby from Broadwater Swimming