(L-R) Former butcher, Mike Groom, and former IT specialist, Zannon Cohen have carved out a new career in forestry with MechLog.
Tasmania-based forestry company, MechLog, is working diligently to ensure the next generation of forestry sector leaders are well trained and have a comprehensive understanding about the opportunities and challenges facing the industry. Source: Timberbiz
This comes as two more of MechLog’s team graduated from their Certificate III in Harvesting & Haulage course in December 2022, bucking the trend of a decline in the number of people taking up forestry apprenticeships – reported in the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC) National Industry Insights Report, released in November 2022.
According to the AISC, program enrolments in forestry-related qualifications increased between 2017 and 2018 but have since declined each year since to approximately 1,310 in 2021; but MechLog’s CEO, Jillian Aylett Brown, says that the industry has never offered more opportunities to young men and women interested in forestry as a career.
“It is somewhat confusing why pundits are pessimistic about the forestry sector. MechLog takes the glass half full approach about our industry. The need for timber products is not going to decrease in the near future,” she said.
“In fact, the Global Outlook for Wood Markets to 2030 report, recently released by the Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry, stated that “Global consumption of roundwood is likely to increase by about 10% to 2.2 billion cubic metres by 2030, supported by strong economic and population growth in Asia. Similarly, woodchip consumption is also expected to increase by about 40% to 350 million cubic metres by 2030.
“We are definitely going to need more well-trained forestry professionals to meet future supply challenges and to take advantage of the opportunities those challenges offer service providers such as MechLog. We encourage all of our staff to complete the (newly updated) Certificate III in Forest Operations qualification as it allows participants to enhance their knowledge and skills in this critically important aspect of the sector and to broaden (the) range of skills.
“MechLog is proud that two of our current team have just attained their Certificate III in Harvesting & Haulage and we have another three employees working to complete this Certificate 3 in Forest Operations during 2023, and another two due to complete their course in 2024. We also have a second-year apprentice who is working towards completing a heavy equipment diesel technician qualification.”
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