Farmers urged to hire former prisoners trained in milking
The dairy industry is being offered a potential solution to its shortage of workers. For decades a prison in regional Western Australia has been training inmates to run the dairy that supplies milk to the state's prisons now farmers are being encouraged to recruit them.
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00:00 Looking after cows is a daily job for inmates at the Carnet Prison Farm south of Perth.
00:07 I look after the cows when they're born and the welfare of the cows and medication for them and all that.
00:17 Steve is one of 30 prisoners who manage a milking herd of more than 400 cows.
00:22 We package all the milk that comes from the dairy, box it up and send it to where it needs to go.
00:27 The pre-release program offers prisoners skills and qualifications in a range of farm jobs.
00:33 Getting them to rebuild and enhance their skill set and getting them to believe in themselves that they are capable to do the work.
00:43 The prison officers say working with animals increases the prisoners' compassion.
00:48 It's amazing how well these hardened guys come in and they get turned soft by a cow.
00:55 5,000 litres of milk comes from these cows every day. It's enough to supply all of WA's prisons.
01:01 A recent industry report shows almost 80% of WA dairy businesses have been affected by a shortage of workers.
01:09 Ian Noakes has employed ex-prisoners in the past and is encouraging other dairy operators to do the same.
01:16 I think it's a double win really if we can provide employees for farms.
01:23 For Steve, it's an opportunity to leave crime behind.
01:27 There's more people out there, if you're willing to give them a try, give them a try.
01:31 All he needs now is a farmer willing to offer a second chance.
01:35 [BLANK_AUDIO]