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Trial for silviculture silviculture Trialof ofnew newmentoring mentoring programme programme for workers workers proves proves successful successful Prue CEOMessage Message Prue Younger, Younger, CEO
Ten silviculture crews around the country have completed Ten silviculture aroundprogramme the countrydeveloped have completed a trial of a newcrews mentoring by thea trial of a new programme developedCouncil, by the Forest Forest and mentoring Wood Processing Workforce with funding the Forest Growers Levy Trust support and Woodfrom Processing Workforce Council, with and funding from from MPI.Growers Levy Trust and support from MPI. the Forest Mentoring Programme Manager, Steele, saysCounthe Mentoring Programme Manager, GregGreg Steele, says the Council is looking to improve the status and mana of the cil is looking to improve the status and mana of the silviculsilviculture ture sector. sector. “We want to formalise mentoring in the forestry training “We want to formalise mentoring in the forestry training ininfrastructure, especially as some good crews already do frastructure, especially as some good crews already do take take on this role. on this role. “Using the process, we aim to get new people more skilled “Using process, we aim to get new people more earlierthe in soft and practical skills. We selected crewsskilled who earlier in soft and practical skills. We selected crews who were interested and had a new entrant to put through.” were interested and had a new entrant to put through.” Currently new entrants are encouraged early on in their work to new achieve unitarestandards toearly meet Currently entrants encouraged on compliance in their work tostandards. achieve unit standards to meet compliance standards. thought we identified other key interpersonal, “We“We thought if weifidentified other key interpersonal, commucommunications and induction skills and nications and induction skills and packaged packaged them on athem timeon a basis, time-serve basis, for example the first month, serve for example within the within first month, that could that could work. A person following the full programme will work. A person following the full programme will achieve sevachieve seven to eight full introductory unit standards as en to eight full introductory unit standards as well as achievwell as achieving time-served milestones. They will be ing time-served milestones. They will be recognised at each recognised at each milestone, beginning with a one-month milestone, beginning with a one-month certificate. Some of certificate. Some of the guys have nothing in the past from the guys have nothing in the past from school.” school.” As As well as as the presentation front of oftheir their well the presentationofofaacertificate certificate in in front peers, elements achieved areare downloaded via App onto peers,their their elements achieved downloaded via App a onto smarta card which shows as a part their smart-card which these showscredentials these credentials as of a part record of record learning. QR codeAallows scanning immediate of their of Alearning. QR code allowsand scanning and access to credentials immediate access toheld. credentials held. mentoring programme is designed a package TheThe mentoring programme is designed as aaspackage thatthat can canup run 36 months. three months have been run toup 36tomonths. The The firstfirst three months have been tritrialled by the 10 crews. results were assessed in alled by the 10 crews. TheThe trialtrial results were assessed in late late December and a prepared report prepared for the Taskforce December and a report for the Taskforce Council. Council. Greg says he is happy with the trial outcomes. “The intent is Greg says he is happy with the trial outcomes. “The intent now to ramp the programme up, engage more crews in 2022, is now to ramp the programme up, engage more crews in and establish the training funding the from education 2022, and establish the with training with from funding the sector. education sector. “Mentoring depends on someone being prepared to address “Mentoring depends on someone being prepared to it address and become a role model, rather thanrather leavingthan a new entrant it and become a role model, leaving a tonew theirentrant own devices. many cases,Inthey turn people around to theirIn own devices. many cases, they turn and provide a realand service to the crew and the people around provide a real service to community.” the crew and the community.” Troy Mason, Managing Director of KTM Silviculture based in Mason,says Managing Director of KTM Silviculture based the Troy Wairarapa, the mentoring programme allowed their in the Wairarapa, mentoring programme allowed mentee to completesays andthe pass three assessments in a day on their to complete and passand three assessments in a the jobmentee – in communications, health safety, and nutrition. day on the job – in communications, health and safety, and “He is well on his way to getting his national certificate; that nutrition. will be a huge reward for us. He is probably one of the strong“He is well on his way to getting his national certificate; est young fellows I’ve ever seen – a qualified builder and a that will be a huge reward for us. He is probably one of the shearer. Heyoung has a good work to learn. strongest fellows I’veethic ever and seenis–willing a qualified builder “He works in a great is outdoors all day.” and a shearer. Heteam has environment a good workand ethic and is willing to learn. 42 NZ LOGGER | April 2022
“He works in a great team environTroy in the all industry menthas andworked is outdoors day.” for 30 years. His company employs 18 staff. Troy has worked in the industry for
30 His does company employs 18 His years. company all aspects of silvistaff. and over the years he has emculture ployed many young people. His company does all aspects of silviculture and over thebyyears he “Many are referred to us the police has employed many young people. to give them a go and try to turn their referred to us by the life“Many around.are Some are at-risk or troubled police to give them a go and to youths. Some are too far gone try to turn turn their life around. Some are at-risk or troubled youths. around. Some are too far gone to turn around. “A lot of them don’t have a good work ethic. They don’t have a “A lot of them don’t have a good work ethic. They don’t lot of confidence – we try to build have a lot of confidence – we trythat. to build that. “That’s why there areare accidents in forestry – they have have issues, “That’s why there accidents in forestry – they they have financial burdens burdens at home. at home. issues, they have financial “It’s being able to read them, minutes, “It’s being able to read them, taketake minutes, beingbeing able to five five abletotothem talk to them – whether me or a crew –member –a talk – whether it’s me orit’s a crew member and build and build a whanau-way getting know one whanau-way around them;around gettingthem; to know one to another and if another and if they are mentally okay. they are mentally okay. “As a company, we take the financial burden “As a company, we trytry toto take the financial burden offoff ourour ememployees. We pay our cutters and production leads more ployees. We pay our cutters and production leads more than than others pay them and because of what we do for them, others pay them and because of what we do for them, their outtheir output is higher. As a result we deliver very good put is higher. As a result we deliver very good quality work to quality work to customers, which I can then reward in customers, which I can then reward in turn.” turn.” Ben White, Director of Ace of Spades Contracting based in the Ben White, Director of Ace of Spades Contracting based Bay of Plenty, also a supporter of the mentoring programme. in the Bay ofisPlenty, is also a supporter of the mentoring His company has staff going through programme. His two company has two staffit. going through it. “It’s a better way of learning, especially if experienced you have “It’s a better way of learning, especially if you have experienced mentors in the crew. Our workers don’t likeup to in mentors in the crew. Our workers don’t like to be cooped be cooped up in a classroom where things go over their a classroom where things go over their heads but out here in heads butthey outcan here in the they acan relate to it. It the forest, relate to it.forest, It provides point of difference.” provides a point of difference.” He says their mentees are receptive to the information which He says their mentees are receptive to the information includes safety and a knowledge of the bush. which includes safety and a knowledge of the bush. His company people to do variety of silviculHis companyemploys employs1616 people to ado a variety of ture work and was set up two years ago by five Directors who silviculture work and was set up two years ago by five are good mates. “The company evolved from that friendship,” directors who are good mates. “The company evolved from says that Ben. friendship,” says Ben. “I love outside the and sunrise andIt’s “I love my my job; job; beingbeing outside seeingseeing the sunrise sunset. sunset. the with crewthat you’re withit;that culture the crew It’s you’re makes the makes culture it; is the so great, and is so great,have and bought our people our people into have it. bought into it. “Silviculture is never going to wind up. Trees will always “Silviculture is never going to wind up. Trees will always need to need to be planted and they will always need to be cut be planted and they will always need to be cut down.” down.” Recently I have joined Council knowledge the Recently I have joined the the Council and and withwith knowledge of theofReview Review of Vocational progressing to 2023, of Vocational EducationEducation progressing through tothrough 2023, this project thispilot project andto pilot is some goingvaluable to provide some and is going provide feedback intovaluable the Trainfeedback into the Training Strategy for the Forestry Industry. ing Strategy for the Forestry Industry. Thus, we are keen to keep you Thus, we areacross keen ittoaskeep yousome all informed it as it has all informed it has alignmentacross with the harvesting some alignment with the harvesting sector as well which will be sector as well which will be complimentary to this specific silviculcomplimentary to this specific silviculture mentor pilot. ture mentor pilot.
