This year’s winner of the FCANZ Emerging Talent Youth Award is Murray Graham of White Fencing, Clevedon – a prime example of the type of people that the fencing industry is trying to attract
Fencing as a career provides many opportunities and benefits for those who are attracted to hands-on, practical outdoor work, offering the opportunity to develop skills like those used in the building industry, but with a lot more machinery involved. Fencing offers a good work/life balance with most fencing businesses providing good work conditions, reasonable hours of work that don’t involve shift or weekend work, and a good pay rate.
FCANZ’s industry awards are in its second year, with the FCANZ Emerging Talent Youth Award recognising the role young trainees play in the industry and FCANZ’s emphasis on training and development. Nomination criteria requires nominees to be under 25 years of age, be employed by a FCANZ member, and to have been employed for a minimum of two years.
The employer must make a declaration and provide evidence to the judging panel that their nominee demonstrates good work habits, is punctual and reliable, demonstrates interest in the job and a willingness to learn, has demonstrated a good uptake and understanding of fence line systems, produces consistently high-quality workmanship and has good uptake of health and safety. Finalists are then interviewed by an independent judging panel to decide upon a winner.
The 2024 winner, Murray Graham, exemplifies the above attributes, as did the other two nominees, with the judging panel commenting on the high caliber of all three.
Murray joined White Fencing, based in Clevedon, south of Auckland, straight out of school as a 16 year old. He first carried out some holiday work over the Christmas school holidays. Though Murray did well academically at school, he wasn’t convinced that pursuing university studies was of benefit.
Murray’s initial impressions of White Fencing was that it was physically hard work but not typical manual work. Although Murray was naturally fit from playing rugby and rowing, it was a different kind of physicality that he found rewarding, as alongside the learning and training it was a progressive experience. He was working in a team environment with older people who had similar interests in the outdoors, hunting, fishing, 4WD vehicles and tools like chainsaws, with Murray enjoying learning from them, not just work related, but interests-wise.
Murray started out with the basics in fencing, laying materials out and running wires. He picked up wirework quite quickly, with a high standard and consistency with knots and tensions on the different wire gauges. He learned by working alongside his experienced workmates, Tom and Willy, about electrics, rail work and netting. As Murray’s basic knowledge progressed, he moved into end assembly stay, block work and swing footing.
White Fencing’s philosophy is around efficient systems and equipping the business with modern time-saving tools and equipment. Murray quickly became a ‘gun’ on the posting and battening guns, being strong, proof of the efficiency of these tools to a newcomer’s production output, especially when compared to Murray’s proficiency battening with a hammer.
Once Murray was competent in fence line construction, he showed an interest in moving to the machinery operation side of the business and began learning tractor driving and skid steer remote operation.
He is now competent in these operations, though receiving supervision and assistance from Tony White in steep hill country, having the remote-controlled skid steer and post driver combo being a significant operational safety factor.
Placed into a trainee foreman position due to his aptitude, Murray’s knowledge of fence line layout has grown significantly in the past 18 months, developing an understanding of stock pressures and movements, where to place driven foots or indicate swing foots. He deals with customers and can work out material requirements, particularly on the smaller jobs that require stock being taken from the yard or picked up from rural retailers. As part of his NZQA Level 4 in fencing qualification, Murray designed a set of lifestyle cattle yards and carried out the posting and construction of them.
His interest and appreciation of the wider fencing industry has seen him undertaking and being awarded both the NZQA Level 3 and Level 4 Certificate in Fencing, which NorthTec Tai Tokerau Wānganga organises courses for.
Murray has competed in regional fencing competitions and been a Fieldays Silver Spades Doubles Championship finalist. He has taken part in videos with White Fencing, Revolution Postdrivers, Stockade and Stihl. He is a proud Stockade ambassador and has provided feedback to the Stockade design team on their new ST415iEVO battening gun. He has also been interviewed by Mike Hosking as a prime example of a young person with a get-up-and-go attitude, wanting to develop a career and being rewarded well.
Murray has found the fencing industry has provided him with a sound career opportunity. He’s progressed well in terms of development, which is reflected in his employment conditions, remuneration rates, along with being offered a succession opportunity within White Fencing that will help continue his professional development alongside training and logistical financial support for himself and work mate Willy, in taking over the running and operations of White Fencing.
These opportunities have fitted in well with Murray’s interests in machinery, 4WD vehicles and vintage chainsaw collecting. Murray and his partner Emma have just brought a small lifestyle block together, both enjoying animal husbandry.