From a spray painter to an Agronomist, Wazza Pope's career has been anything but conventional. Taking every opportunity that comes his way, Wazza tells us how he has developed his skills to help others thrive in the farming sector. 

What did you want to do career-wise when you left school?  

School and I didn't see eye to eye. My father said that if I got an apprenticeship I could leave. I always fancied myself as a butcher, following in my Uncle's footsteps.

Tell us about your career to date.

I was a spray painter by trade in my early career, then after a 10 year stint in Australia driving a commercial milk truck in the family business, we returned and settled in Waverley - South Taranaki. My wife Janene and I purchased the RD1 and RD2 mail runs but after a couple of years I got tired of that. A job opened up at the local Taranaki Farmers store as a rep on the road. I had little to no farming experience but I did know the local people. After Taranaki Farmers it was Allied Farmers, RD1 and Farmsource, all in Waverley. I then took a year off and went dairy farming. Farmlands approached me at that point and nine years later I am still here.

What led you to Farmlands? 

I was dairy farming for a local farmer when I was approached and asked if I would be interested in coming to work for Farmlands. As much as I enjoyed dairy farming, sales and solutions on farm is my passion.

How have you grown in your time with us at Farmlands? 

I began my journey at Farmlands as a Technical Field Officer, and over time I became a Senior Technical Field Officer. I have further grown my leadership skills, taking every opportunity offered to me on my personal development journey. This has led me to where I am today as an Agronomist for the Manawatu-Taranaki region.

What do you most enjoy at Farmlands? 

During my time at Farmlands, I have completed a Certificate on plant and crop physiology at Lincoln University. I embarked on the Agronomy programme through Farmlands and this really pushed me out of my comfort zone. To be honest, I found this absolutely brutal. I nearly quit the programme but with the support from my family and Nova in the Learning and Development team, I rolled my sleeves up and completed the programme. Passing the Agronomy programme is my proudest accomplishment, not just at Farmlands but in my career. To be in a role that enables me to help others learn is incredible, not just in the field, but in store also. It feels good to go to work everyday knowing that your purpose is to help and encourage others with solutions to help grow their businesses.

What would your advice be for someone who's interested in a career in your area at Farmlands? 

Farmlands is such a supportive place to work. The opportunity for personal development in any given area is fantastic. If you are interested in becoming a Technical Field Officer at Farmlands I would talk to the local TFO in your area. This business has and always will be about relationships. You need to be able to talk to anyone and listen to everyone.

I am living proof you do not need to have an extensive background in the rural sector - you just have to be a fast learner and be able to make connections. Work on your brand and always say yes to any opportunity that you may be offered.

Interested in what we offer in the Sales space?

Check out our Sales page for more details.

Interested in working with Wazza in our Sales Team?

Connect with us on our careers site or check out our current vacancies.