The Central App has met a few interesting local workers this summer to provide readers with a peek into their work life.

Today, meet Sam Malcolm, who started as a casual employee and is now production manager at Clyde Orchards.

Describe a typical day at work.

A typical day is difficult to describe as orchard tasks are largely dictated by the seasons. 

These can range from pruning throughout the winter, to planting and irrigation maintenance in the spring. 

The fruit season is always a busy time and part of my role involves overseeing the harvest operations on the orchard. 

Typically, throughout the year the hours of work are 8am-4:15pm, however, the hours are generally longer throughout the harvest season.

How did you end up in the job you are doing now?

I had done a few fruit seasons with Clyde Orchards, the company I am currently with, and at the end of the 2020-2021 season I had the opportunity to stay on with the company in a full-time role. 

Horticulture is a large industry in not only Central Otago but also New Zealand, so I felt it would be a good opportunity to take.

How did you manage through the pandemic and what are you doing differently post Covid 19?

Personally, the Covid pandemic did not really affect me. I was able to keep working through the second lockdown as horticulture was considered an essential service. The nature of the work hasn’t changed post Covid so I have not had to do anything differently in regards to work habits. 

What do you love about your job?

Seeing the fruit harvested after a year of working to get it to that point gives a sense of achievement and is rewarding. I also enjoy meeting new people from throughout the country and around the world that come in for the harvest. Getting to see the changes that occur throughout each season is also a cool part of the job. 

Sam at work with the fruit trees

What are the difficult aspects of your job?

Although I enjoy working outside, the cold days through the middle of winter can be a challenge. Weather also presents a few difficulties, particularly rain throughout the harvest season which can limit our opportunities to pick the fruit and can cause damage. 

What would you say to someone wanting to join your profession? 

Speaking to people in the industry to get a bit of an understanding of what is involved in the job would be a good starting point. There is also a range of different educational providers who could help in regard to possible career opportunities and the training and qualifications that are available. The GoHort NZ website is another good resource which gives a good overview of the industry and also has a job board and internships section. 

There is plenty of work available on orchards over the summer so for people who are interested in finding out a bit more about what it is like to work in the industry then getting a job for the harvest season would be a good option.

What else would you like to tell us about your job? 

There is possibly a perception that orchard work is only a seasonal job. However, the job is far more than that and the fruit harvest is the end point of a lot of work and decisions that have gone on throughout the year. Locally, there are plenty of opportunities in a growing industry for those that are interested.

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