Early Careers

Key benefits of FGTP

• Gain you Master in Dairy Science and Technology
• Personal Development
• Well Supported – Mentor, Buddy, Coach, Alumni, peers
• Build network of industry experts
• Travel around New Zealand
• Real projects worth real value
• Guaranteed First role 

• Guaranteed first role
• Gain Masters Dairy Science from Massey University
• Travel around New Zealand
• It's fun and you will gain friends for life

Hear from some of our FGTPs:

"It's a great opportunity to realise your potential to level up new skills and meet lots of new people" – Christina

"My biggest highlight has been the people and other graduates I'm with, It's been a good bonding experience" – Connor

"I found the programme really great; I've had the ability to travel all over New Zealand and meet people from a wide range of aspects in the business” – Campbell

 “We’re getting hands  on, practical experience, straight out of the gate.” – Michael

“We’re being taught by subject matter experts. They bring passion and energy…and love to share what they know.” – Stephanie

For STEM students with a 4-year degree in Engineering, Food Technology, Science or Environment

• Attained a B grade average or above in the above degree

• Must be a New Zealand citizen or NZ Permanent Resident

• Must be flexible on location as you will move locations per rotation. Our placements for selected programmes take place right across New Zealand – Take a look at our locations here

• A full drivers licence by the start of the programme (November)

• Can demonstrate leadership through extracurricular activities, interests, and life experiences

For you it’s an opportunity to be part of something local, and something big. Whether you want to cultivate a career close to home or see the world, with Fonterra and Farm Source there’s plenty of scope for you to reach your full potential.  

You’ll get exposure to a wide range of our business including placements within sales, environment & sustainability, agronomy, analytics and more. You’ll also have the opportunity to be mentored by some of our most experienced senior leaders. 

Once you complete the programme, we’ll support you to identify and transition into a role that best matches your specific skills, training and aspirations.

The Agribusiness Programme is made up of a series of practical placements and development opportunities across Farm Source and across the country. These placements are designed to build your understanding of the dairy industry through a targeted induction, learning programme and on the job experience. You’ll get the opportunity to network, learn from subject matter experts and develop the skills and knowledge that will give you a solid foundation to build your agribusiness career.   

Our graduates undertake four placements in a variety of teams across a two-year period. Opportunities will vary year-on-year depending on business needs, but there’s always something that will create a unique learning experience for you. 

"The Agribusiness Graduate programme provides the opportunity to join a multi-national homegrown co-operative at the ground level. I applied as I knew it would give me an excellent foundation in the New Zealand food sector – providing opportunities to learn in the field and behind the desk. The programme educates on what the fundamentals of the business are – you can become friendly with shareholders at the farm level but also understand how the business integrates for scale, without compromising value." 

Angus McRobie, Farm Source Agribusiness Graduate 2021/2022  

"There are great networking opportunities as you move across four different teams over a two year period which means you will meet so many amazing people who are willing to help you develop and learn. Working across multiple different areas of the business in a short time means multiple different opportunities will come your way. This includes, managing your own projects, going out on farm to meet our farmer shareholders and having the chance to work alongside the other graduates who are always extraordinary people!"

Olivia Olsen, Farm Source Agribusiness Graduate 2021/2022  

"I’ve enjoyed working with many different teams on many different pieces of work. I’ve been given freedom to take on different tasks not only in my team, but in those around us too which has given me a really cool set of experiences in a broad range of topics. Also, working with farmers to help them prepare for key parts of the season has been great."

Adam Winter, Farm Source Agribusiness Graduate 2022/2023 

The Fonterra Farm Source Agribusiness Programme is best suited to agribusiness, agricommerce, agriscience, agriculture, sustainability, environment, land, water and animal science/health students. 

• Students in their final year of study or who have graduated in the last year 
• Demonstrated passion for the New Zealand agricultural sector 
• Flexible on location - our placements take place right across New Zealand  
• Eligible to work in New Zealand
• A full drivers licence by the start of the programme (January)

• Real hands on experience working on an R&D project 
• Build networks with Dairy industry experts 
• Professional development with soft skill training 
• Provides opportunities for you to decide on your own  career path
• Support to continue with projects in fourth-year or post graduate studies
• Pathway to a Fonterra career

• Joining other interns for a 13 weeks paid internship over summer 
• Based at Fonterra Research and Development Centre in Palmerston
• Work on real life R&D projects, supported by research supervisors
• Exposure to many parts of the dairy industry within an R&D environment
• Join team of World leading industry experts
• Showcasing your work to colleagues
• CV, interviewing and “Your Brand” workshop

Gabby – last year’s intern

Over the 12-week Fonterra R&D Internship Programme, I worked on a probiotic project where I was given the opportunity to take a proactive role in designing trials, analysing results, and presenting to the wider project team. 

While working independently, I was also supported by a senior research scientist. I was exposed to the different facets of science in the dairy industry and advised on career development paths.

The Fonterra R&D Summer Internship Programme provided an invaluable opportunity to be collaboratively involved in a wide range of projects that both supported Fonterra’s outcomes as well as providing me with practical and valuable workplace experience.

The Summer Internship has led me to a graduate role at the FRDC, where I continue to work on probiotics, supported by the Microbiology and Food Assurance teams.

• Eligible to work in New Zealand
• Studied at a New Zealand tertiary institution
• Completion of second year in a Bachelor’s degree
• Passionate about studying mechatronics or mechanical engineering, chemical or food process engineering, chemistry, physics, food technology, food science, dairy science and microbiology.
  
• Talented and innovative individuals who want to apply new technology development to create new ingredients and products
• You will be an allrounder who gets involved with activities outside of university

For you, it’s an opportunity to be part of something local over the summer. So grab your gumboots and look forward to:

• A 12-week paid internship
• Personal development
• Great support from a buddy, our graduates, and inspiring leaders
• Exposure to network with industry experts
• Real work and real projects
• Exposure to our graduate programmes

Our summer internships are based within one of our Farm Source stores - the face and place of Fonterra in the rural community. Throughout the programme, you will explore the different parts of Farm Source and the role they play in supporting our farmers and customers and truly connecting them to the Co-operative.

The programme begins late November and runs for 12 weeks with the opportunity for time off over the holiday break. Ideally, you’ll also stick with us in your final year of study and continue to broaden your experience by working part-time at your local Farm Source store – but don’t worry, we’ll ensure that fits around your busy study schedule.

Over the internship you will spend some of your time working with our busy Farm Source store team, seeing exceptional customer service and retail excellence in action. You’ll be a key member of your local store team and region, so will get to enjoy learning opportunities and celebrations over that time.

You will spend time out on-farm, shadowing some of the talented field team members who are leading the way on sustainability, technical sales, or business development just to name a few. And they’ll enjoy your support in helping them deliver to our farmers. And last but not least, you will be given a real agribusiness problem we’re looking for your help to solve. 

The Agribusiness Internship is best suited to:

• Agribusiness, agricommerce, agriscience, agriculture, sustainability, environment, land, water and animal science/health students
• In the penultimate year of study
• Demonstrated passion for the New Zealand agricultural sector
• Eligible to work in New Zealand

You will get exposure to a number of different products and learn first hand how seriously we take food safety and quality. The learning opportunities are endless. 

Whether you’re looking to get the hands-on experience of running a dairy processing plant or are passionate about the sciences the Level 4 New Zealand Certificate in Dairy Processing is the qualification for you and Fonterra’s Dairy Processing Apprenticeship is the best way to get it.

2 and a half year programme that has a combination of computer-based distance learning, on-job learning and on-job assessments.

Across the 2 and a half year journey, there is plenty of change as your knowledge, skills & experience grow with broad exposure across one of our manufacturing sites 

• The first six months are Monday - Friday learning from our experienced team and soaking up their knowledge while observing the process and assisting with simple tasks. 
• Across months 7 - 15 the apprenticeship shifts to a "hands-on" focus an increasing levels of independence with increasing levels of complexity while continuing to be supported and rotating across three of our production plants
• In months 16 - 30 you are largely independent, completing operations tasks and experienceing the full variety across a dairy season. 
• The Dairy Processing apprenticeship is a gateway to our internal learning programmes for ongoing technical or leadership development

• 16 years old to apply (min)
• NCEA Level 2 Maths or relevant NZQA Level 3 Certificate 
• Experience working well with others (e.g. work, sports teams, volunteering, clubs and groups)
• Being able to quickly learn and pick up new information
• A great communicator who isn’t scared of numbers
• A great attitude, motivated and a true passion in your chosen field
• A current drivers licence would be a bonus (minimum restricted)