In August 2014, a group of engineering students accompanied by recent graduates on the Young Timber Engineers Study Tour will travel to the World Conference on Timber Engineering in Canada. Source: Timberbiz
The study tour is being arranged by the industry body, Forest and Wood Products Australia Ltd (FWPA) and supported by the Gottstein Trust.
“This is an opportunity for our best and brightest up and coming engineers and engineering students to be inspired by attending the peak international timber engineering event,” said Ric Sinclair, FWPA’s managing director.
“There’s comparatively little exposure to large timber projects in Australia, WCTE gives people the opportunity to see the enormous activity that’s’ happening on a global scale.”
Held every two years, the WCTE combines academic and industry presentations with a trade show and associated events. The theme of this year’s conference is the “Renaissance of Timber Construction”.
This will be the third time that FWPA has organised a student delegation.
Up to eight students are chosen to attend through a competition run with the assistance of major engineering schools with paid conference fees and travel costs.
“The response has been excellent with participation from 21 university engineering departments,” said Mr Sinclair said.
“This underlines the value of the opportunity to engage and inspire the next generation of timber engineers for our sector.”
This year, for the first time, FWPA is looking to create a complementary event, the Young Timber Engineers Study Tour, in collaboration with the Gottstein Foundation.
Potential participants must have an engineering degree and less than 5-years experience post graduation and their employers must be Gottstein Trust Patron supporters and members of FWPA.
Numbers will be capped at six participants.
Brian Farmer, Chairman of the Gottstein Trust said that the Trust is pleased to be working with FWPA to give young engineers within the timber industry an opportunity to attend this important event.
He explained that the Gottstein Trust had undertaken a stakeholder survey late last year that showed there was strong support for additional activities focused on market development and international study tours and that this initiative obviously meets both these criteria.
“This is an exciting opportunity for both students and recent graduates to expand their horizons and knowledge at an internationally prestigious event, while providing the potential to inspire the attending undergraduates to commit to specialising in timber,” said Mr Sinclair.
2014 World Conference Timber Engineering (WCTE) is on 10-14 August 2014 in Canada.
For more information contact Eileen Newbury FWPA marketing and communications manager on 0419 313 163 or at [email protected]
