The Idea
During the mid 1990’s Australia was identified as having potential for meeting growing export demand in Asia. While WA had a strong competitive advantage due to plentiful grain and water supplies, large expanses of relatively cheap land, a mild climate and easy access to Asian markets, reliable skilled labour was identified as an impediment to expansion.

As a result, the concept of a training piggery was initiated to increase the skill level of staff and help encourage a career focus amongst job seekers rather than a short term answer to unemployment.

The Beginning
WA Pig Skills Centre Pty Ltd was formed and funds were sought for construction of the training facility. $1.13 million was granted from various sources including, the Australian National Training Authority, Pig Industry Compensation Fund, National Pork Industry Development Program and the Department of Commerce and Trade’s Regional Initiatives Fund.

Since funding was not sufficient to purchase land WA Pig Skills Centre Pty Ltd agreed to lease land from Curtin University of Technology. The WA Pig Skills Centre was subsequently constructed at their Muresk Institute near Northam.

The Facility
The Centre was opened in May 2000 and pigs arrived in August.

The piggery is a 260 sow breeder unit weaning pigs off site at three weeks of age. The mating shed and farrowing shed are environmentally controlled (air conditioned). The two straw-based dry sow shelters house sows from three weeks post-mating until two to three days prior to farrowing. The remaining two shelters house overflow farrowings and gilts upon arrival at the piggery.

The Centre was initially sub-leased to the WA Department of Education to run as a commercial piggery as well as provide a facility for training its WA College of Agriculture students. After three years the operation became unviable for the Department and they withdrew mid 2003. Tenders were called for and A & AJ Gardiner was successful in securing a five year lease beginning in August 2003.

The lessee is responsible for all aspects of operating the piggery as a commercial unit as well as making it available for training purposes.

The Role
The WA Pig Skills Centre has many roles, including:

• A showcase piggery to improve public perception of production, in terms of welfare and environmental impact.
• A training centre for Pork Industry Training (WA) to assist in training industry people.
• An educational centre for school aged students to learn about pig production and career paths in the industry.

The Centre is being used to host work experience students, for hands-on skills training during Pork Industry Training (WA) courses, to provide university students with a practical understanding of pork production from science and business points of view, and hosting international visitors interested in WA production systems.