Luke swapped his morning surf to milk 1200 cows outside Dubbout.

From his surfboard, Luke Hall often used to watch the sun rise while floating past the breakers at Long Reef on the northern beaches of Sydney. Now, 400 kilometres away in western NSW, he watches the day break over 1200 cows from inside a milking shed.

The 18-year-old is one of almost 200 school-leavers to have signed up for a paid gap year with farmers willing to train them, to help address the agricultural skills shortage.