A NEW forestry and timber career pathway program has been launched in the Limestone Coast to entice youth into the sector, with industry leaders hopeful it would remove misconceptions about the fields.
The Ultimate Renewable Forest Learning Pathway program – launched Wednesday at Mount Gambier High School – creates articulated pathways in forestry and timber for Year 8 to Year 12 students in the Limestone Coast.
OneFortyOne and Education and Child Development department have worked in collaboration to bring the program to life, which TimberLink Tarpeena site production manager Brian Murphy believes will have significant benefits for the industry.
“I think this will give young people a chance to see what our industry actually involves and what workers do,” he said.
“There is a fair bit of misconception involved. There is now very little manual labour involved when comparing to the past.
“I think it can be seen as a ‘no future’ sort of industry and there is a lot of slow-moving manual handling but that is entirely wrong.”
Mr Murphy said he would like more Limestone Coast youth to step into the industry.
“We do need to promote our industry,” he said.
“The last three managers we have hired have been from outside the region and not trained in timber.
“We want to be able to hire people from the region and it is really hard to find a person for a leadership role trained in timber.”
Facility manager Roy Zias said the program allowed students to see the South East as a place they could pursue a career in.
“There is opportunities and there are many solid providers in the Green Triangle region,” he said.
OneFortyOne pioneer Linda Cotterill said the forest industry catered for a wide avenue for jobs, many which people would never think of.
“This launch is just one way we are able to open students’ eyes up to things they are not already aware of,” Ms Cotterill said.
“In our region right now we have people working in technical operational, tree-planting, machine operation as well as trades including mechanics, saw doctors, electricians and the list goes on.
“Affiliated firms have environmental engineers, mechanical engineers, foresters and environmental scientists as well, which can be unknown to people.”
Ms Cotterill said the program launch dovetails into some initiatives the Green Triangle forestry and timber industry had already implemented.
“Our youth does not need to leave the region to be successful,” she said.
“We are a huge contributor to our region’s economy and some people just do not know about it.”
The program provides the education and skills necessary for students to join the forest and timber industry with a Certificate III and SACE credit points.
Limestone Coast education director Adam Box said the new opportunity for students would provide a different insight into what careers were available in the region.
“Before this focus on the forestry and timber pathways I do not think kids really understood what was involved in forestry,” he said.
“I think most of the time they just assume it is just planting trees and then cutting them down once they have grown.
“Exposing them to this type of learning opens up many doors and exposes them to what actually is involved.”
Mr Box said the program could change the way students view the industry and lead to higher expectations.
“I think kids will be very excited about this opportunity.”
The launch also highlighted a free virtual reality package – Forestry VR – which is available on the Forest Learning website.
Ms Cotterill said the VR technology offered a taste of the industry for students when making work experience choices or subject selection.
“They can not just go in raw without any idea of what they could be getting themselves into,” she said.
“With the Mount Gambier climate, a virtual reality package is perfect for students and teachers to be presented from the classroom.
“The VR technology is available for people irrespective of the program.”
South East Labor politician Clare Scriven praised the innovative industries program, saying it was agreat example of industry and schools collaborating to deliver good outcomes for the state and the region.
The Legislative Council member said over time the forestry industry had suffered from a lack of suitably skilled employees in a number of sectors.
“This program seeks to make young people in the region aware and to broaden their knowledge of the jobs and careers available to them right in their backyard, without the need to leave the region to seek employment,” Ms Scriven said.
The Forest Learning Pathway Program will be available at Limestone Coast secondary schools in 2020 with 15 spaces available.
