Two young people from Stip prefer farming over faculty

By Gjorgji Efremov
 
Four years ago they were only helpers on the modest properties of their parents, and now they are earning more than the average monthly Macedonian salary. The young people from Stip, Martin Tasev and Aleksandar Nakov are very successful individual farmers and stockbreeders. Their main occupation is stockbreeding, but with the money they earn by cultivation of the agricultural products, they cover the other costs and the expenses for the food for the stock.
Martin says that even though attending faculty and having a high education diploma is a trend in Macedonia, he doesn’t see success in education and he prefers the family property as a potential for business and better financial stability in the future.
-The stockbreeding is very hard work. And actually that is the only negative side of the job. The work is rewarding and the risk for failure is minimal compared with the agriculture of a job in some private company, states 22-years old Martin Tasev.
To him, the biggest benefit is that the success depends on his hard work and his managerial capabilities. His ultimate goal is to become an administrator of the property and has fully employed workers.
Aleksandar Nakov, a 20-years old stockbreeder sees his future in this business, as well. He shares the same up and down sides of the business as Martin.
-The biggest problem is the lack of time for relaxing and summer vacation. The obligations in this business allow a brief free time only during the winter, says Aleksandar.
He says that he will continue to work on his property, with a note that one of his biggest wishes is to become a successful football player. But, for him, a reasonable compromise between his wishes and reality is his safe work position, where he be a manager on his own property, rather than a failure in sport.
The common position for both of them is that in Macedonia, having a faculty diploma is not a guarantee for having a full time job, with a descent monthly salary and that with a huge effort, idea and knowledge, a success is possible, even in the agriculture and stockbreeding.