General Description
This is an ideal career for analytical thinkers. As a wool classer you classify wool into different categories ready for sale at markets to attract maximum competition at sale time. You classify the wool according to its various characteristics such as, colour, length, strength and quality.
What you do every day?
Your workload in any one shearing shed will vary depending on the size of the flock shorn and the number of staff available to complete the work. You are classing wool according to its various characteristics such as colour, length, strength, and quality. With your experience and knowledge you are able to advise growers on woolclassing strategies, as well as instructing and supervising workers employed during the shearing. Depending on your role as a wool classer you may be required to liaise with wool brokers or advisory institutions.
The preparation of detailed documents describing the wool qualities and characteristics must be kept. You prepare wool to existing industry standards and ensure the wool is prepared to this standard. When the wool is being baled, there may be the need to supervise the wool pressers on branding.
Personality that best fits this occupation
Wool classers will need to have a certain level of physical fitness. You will enjoy travel, as you will spend much of your time travelling to and from properties throughout the shearing season. Depending on the size of the property, you may be working as a part of a team, so will need excellent communication and analytical skills. You are good with your hands and have normal eyesight (you will be assessing wool for different qualities).
Best thing about this career
You get to travel from place to place, for work and get to see some amazing country sides. The ability to become well known in the towns from which you work constantly is always a bonus, especially in small country towns.
Worst thing about this career
Travel times may be extremely long, and the days possibly long, especially at the peak of the shearing season. You may not get to socialise with your closet of friends as often as you may like due to travel commitments. Being in a shearing shed environment requires working under varying environmental conditions
About the Author
Careernav
Careernav have written this career profile in consultation with senior industry representatives and industry associations who for reasons of conflict of interest cannot be named. Careernav have also reviewed information available from the public domain and drawn upon their combined 27 years experience in executive recruitment. This profile is a true representation of the career.
Did you know that there are over 200 breeds of sheep?