Nurturing Futures in Primary Industries
The 2026 school year has seen the introduction of a new Level 3 subject, Primary Industries. No one can deny the importance of this sector to New Zealand and its economy.
In fact, one of our most popular Friends at Five Thirty community events in 2025 focused on agribusiness, with three outstanding speakers sharing their experiences in the industry. Introducing this course helps strengthen connections between students, alumni and the whānau of current students. We know that within our wider school community there are people who can add real value to student learning and help build authentic pathways into future careers.
Our Primary Industries course uses agribusiness standards, enabling students to gain University Entrance through this subject. The standards link to a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, aquaculture, dairy manufacturing, equine, forestry, horticulture and seafood. As a result, students can bring their own knowledge, or that of their whānau, from a variety of industries into both course material and assessment.
This informed the decision to name the course Primary Industries rather than Agribusiness. We have students who are more familiar with horticulture or viticulture, and it was important that the course felt inclusive of a diverse range of industry experiences.
Simone Hamilton, teacher and developer of the course, notes: “I am really enjoying how much knowledge students are bringing to the classroom to share with each other and align with the business concepts. Today a student told me about the costs and benefits of using drones for fertiliser spreading. This term we’ve tasted eight kinds of honey, freeze dried asparagus, and red kiwifruit as we examine the impact of production and its contribution to the marketplace.”
This course also has clear links to undergraduate programmes at Lincoln University and a range of other tertiary pathways.
Year 13 student Mikayla Molloy shares: “I picked Primary Industries because I wanted a subject that actually connected to real life for me, rather than something that only existed in a classroom. I’ve grown up around agriculture, so taking this course felt like a natural way to build on what I already knew and understand the industry more thoroughly.
“One of the most interesting things I’ve learned has been the value chains of a primary product, there’s so much more involved than I ever realised. You start to see how many different steps, people, and decisions it takes before something even makes it to a consumer.
“In the very near future, I’ll be stepping into the industry as a Trainee Agronomist and Seed Shed Assistant, which means I’ll be working directly with crops, soils, and seed quality. It’s a role that lets me learn on the job while building real skills, and it’s a great starting point for a long term career in agriculture.”
This course represents a meaningful step in connecting learning to the real world, grounded in the industries that shape Aotearoa New Zealand. It is already opening doors, linking knowledge, people, and pathways in ways that matter for our students’ futures.
Words by Juliet Collins
Deputy Principal – Curriculum