Training crews mooted in New Zealand

WITH BOTH THE DOMESTIC LOG market and log exports to China running at all time highs, the demand for harvesting crews is stronger than ever and this is focusing even more attention on the need to attract more people into the industry.

A recent survey of FICA members highlighted labour as their biggest current constraint. Now, two proposals to address recruitment and training are set to be debated.

The nature of the close relationship between forest managers and their contractors means any solutions for increasing our worker skill and numbers requires both parties to work closely together.

FICA has engaged with two groups to agree on how to plan and implement ways of attracting and training new entrants from schools and re-train existing mature workers. Here’s the thinking so far:

Henry Koia of Mania Safety Systems is promoting a 'TrainMe' proposal for a training crew to be established in the Gisborne region. FICA members are engaged in discussions to provide practical input to this project. NZFOA is also interested in providing some input to advance this into a workable scheme. Anyone who wants to have input should contact board member, Robert Stubbs. Fraser Field of Rayonier has approached FICA to work together with forest managers in the central North Island to run a pilot training crew somewhere in the Bay of Plenty. Fraser has completed two successful training projects already. He worked with ToiOhomai Institute of Technology to get their machine operator training schemes in place. He has also re-designed training systems for forest-based quarries and operators. Fraser has a vision to extend the training crew concept to other regions including Hawkes Bay, Nelson, Northland and Otago. FICA agrees in principle.

So, what’s next? We invite anyone interested in contributing to attend a planning session in Rotorua on August 23. The objective is to confirm resources available and which training crew model should be used for the pilot scheme. Contact the FICA office or Rayonier’s Auckland office to register. More details about the meeting will be on the FICA website, WoodWeek and Friday Offcuts.

What can we expect? The proposed training crew scheme is targeting workers who will be employed in logging crews and is a medium-term solution. Don’t expect quick gains or early chances to hire trainees off the scheme, or it will just collapse before it has a chance to reach a sustainable level. Everyone who commits to this scheme will be first in line to benefit once the pilot has been successfully completed.

Silviculture issues forum in October

In our silviculture industry, labour issues are even more acute, with predictions that work programmes for planting won’t be fully completed this winter. Following input from our silviculture members, FICA is now working with Glen Mackie of NZFOA to organise a forum. It will allow contractors to air issues with forest managers about major problems across the industry. The forum objective is to make positive change and ensure contractor sustainability.

The labour shortage problem is arguably worse in silviculture than logging and is being exacerbated by an inability for crew owners to tap into immigrant resources. The forest industry was recently denied admission to the regional seasonal employer scheme by MBIE and the NZFOA is appealing this decision as immigrant labour is increasingly seen as the only way to obtain people who want to work in this demanding role. Challenges to contractors in silviculture include high turnover resulting in high training costs per worker and more seasonal variations in workload and wage rates when paying workers on planting performance.

At this stage plans are for a tentative date of October 19 for the Silviculture Issues Forum. It is likely that Rotorua will be the venue, with a potential live video link to a simultaneous group meeting in Christchurch to reduce travel costs for South Island people. To register or provide input to this forum please contact the FICA office or Glen Mackie at NZFOA. Further details of the forum will be provided through the two association websites, member updates and Friday Offcuts and WoodWeek. NZL

This Toi Ohomai student from Rotorua, undergoing on-site training, could become a more common sight with plans to return to the use of specialist training crews in forestry.