MORE than 120 students joined the Green Triangle Forestry Industries Hub recently for a three-day education session.
The session was designed to expose students to various career pathways offered within the industry, discussing everything from truck driving to conservation management.
Strategies to recruit more female foresters, new solutions for fire management and raising revenue to plant more trees were also among solutions some students presented to the hub during the inaugural Hackathon event.
The two-day event was hosted by social enterprise group the Young Change Agents to resolve some of the industry’s most challenging issues.
The experience also included a full-day industry excursion at a OneFortyOne plantation estate in Mount Burr and various conservation activities at Mount Burr Swamp.
“The Hub recognises the need to generate greater engagement with the broader community and this starts with the next generation,” Hub executive general manager Liz McKinnon said.
“Whilst most of these students live surrounded by plantation estate, for many they have never had the opportunity to go behind the scenes to meet the people managing our forests, seeing first-hand the new technologies and innovations that are used to grow and harvest our trees, including the extensive efforts made to enhance and protect our environment.”
Mount Gambier High School assistant principal Josh Praolini said the partnership with the forestry sector was an exciting opportunity to lift aspirations and awareness of opportunities in the region.
“Active learning connected with local and relevant industry and community organisations allows for students to stretch their knowledge and skills,” Mr Praolini said.
“Giving students the chance to experience a world class industry, in a regional setting, highlights how many amazing opportunities are available in emerging industries, ensuring our students have been exposed to the knowledge and skills to continue to grow the Green Triangle’s future capacity.”
The initiative was hosted by the Hub alongside Nature Glenelg Trust and UniSA with Ms McKinnon stating the Hub also invested in a new workforce development strategy and planned to expand the program to engage with other regional schools in the future.
