ONEFORTYONE Wood Products recently welcomed three first year apprentices to its operation in Mount Gambier as part of an ongoing strategy to attract the next generation of workers to the industry and region.
Mount Gambier locals Sam von Duve, 18, and Hayden Sanders, 20, joined Millicent’s Chris Clayson, 23, at OFO’s Jubilee Sawmill where they are taking up respective apprenticeships as a fitter, saw doctor and electrician.
With a duration of four years, the apprenticeships should equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to further their careers.
“We know that by taking on apprentices, we are future-proofing trade skills in the Green Triangle region,” OFO Jubilee Sawmill general manager Paul Hartung told The Border Watch.
“But it is becoming more difficult to source specialised sawmilling training for our apprentices locally,” he said.
“Our electricians and fitters are trained locally, but as there is no longer saw doctor and wood machinist training available in Mount Gambier, we have to send those apprentices to trade schools in New South Wales and Victoria.”
The three apprentices said they heard about the advertised positions from friends or family members.
“I heard about the position from a previous apprentice who said OFO was a good place to work and I decided to give it a go,” Mr Clayson said.
His words were echoed by Mr Sanders, who said he heard about the advertisements from friends on the sports field.
Mr Von Duve said the apprenticeship was a good opportunity for him locally and decided to apply.
Meanwhile, OFO Plantations is finding it harder to source graduate foresters from the region.
Green Triangle general manager Willie van Niekerk said, like all Australian forest owners, they are finding “there are not as many forestry graduates as there should be”.
He said late last year OFO advertised a full university scholarship program in an attempt to tackle the issue.
Despite offering the scholarship and graduate employment afterwards, no Green Triangle applications were received with the successful recipient hailing from New Zealand.
“We will continue to offer scholarship assistance as we are committed to investing in future leaders of our industry,” Mr Van Niekerk said.
“However, for us this process has highlighted the need for all sectors of the industry and the region to work together to address the issue.
“We need collaboration to cultivate a positive image of the industry and hopefully it would go a long way to help everyone recruit and retain local workers.”
