Report Confirms Value of Fairlight Programme

The Fairlight Foundation’s internship programme stands as a beacon for empowering future female leaders in the agricultural sector. An independent report has affirmed its success, praising its sustainable model and significant impact. Underpinned by practical experience, leadership development, and a strong mentorship framework, the programme addresses women's underrepresentation in management roles within agriculture. Operating at Fairlight Station in Southland, this initiative admits three female interns each year, offering comprehensive training over a year-long period.

Dr Lesley Petersen's report, funded by the Food and Fibre Centre of Vocational Excellence, highlights mentorship as a critical success factor. The programme is highly esteemed for producing competent graduates who seamlessly integrate into farm teams, capable of handling responsibility with aplomb. According to Fairlight Foundation executive director Laura Koot, the report reinforces their mission, emphasizing the programme's value from an external perspective.

Koot also highlights the ongoing refinement of the programme to meet industry demands, introducing a financial literacy component in partnership with ANZ bank to enhance interns' business acumen. The programme is championed for its dual benefits: serving the industry's broader good and cultivating a future pipeline of female agribusiness leaders. With strong community engagement, the Foundation now extends its reach with practical workshops for secondary school girls, aspiring to instigate industry-wide change.