LEADING cattle company The North Australian Pastoral Company (NAPCO) says there has never been a better time to take on a career in the bush, and those with a genuine orientation towards station life and the land can see real opportunities.
For 2013 there will a number of vacancies for staff who may decide to take up a traineeship while they work, ensuring formal recognition of their skills.
NAPCO is accepting applications from good people who will really suit the work on offer, helping to run 6.4 million hectares of land and a 200,000 strong herd of the famous, quiet, composite cattle that NAPCO is so proud of.
Company spokeswoman and former jillaroo Harmony James, says that often when discussing her experiences on stations she is met with the response: "I always wished I had done that while I was young".
"Certainly it isn't something I have ever regretted, as most employers really value someone proven to be a hard worker, a team player and with a sense of independence and real life knowledge and experience," Ms James said.
"Some of Australia's most successful people have a background story from the bush, including Fortescue Metal's Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest, Broadcaster John Laws and Olympic Equestrian Gold Medalist Matt Ryan.
"Being a stockperson is a proud tradition and has been since the companies' inception in 1877.
"Some people are just born to it. They are smart and capable of anything they might wish for, but the bush is where they can really shine.
"There is such satisfaction in knowing you're experiencing a life that so many will never see, and a sense of accomplishment watching a herd of healthy, quiet cattle that you have helped to raise and educate."
Ms James claims that now more than ever, the industry is offering genuine opportunities for stable employment and skills development.
"Some of our more senior staff came to us as starters " she said.
"And now they have the lifestyle and career they could have only dreamed of back then. In the current transient employment market, those who commit and show real talent are finding themselves being given responsibility and stepping up into roles which could determine their future."