Now is a fantastic time to think about developing your workforce with assistance from the Federal Government’s National Workforce Development Fund.

Since this type of Federal funding commenced, ForestWorks has successfully assisted 64 enterprises to secure financial support for a total of 971 new training places, which equates to a total of $3.1M in Federal funding for training in our industry. And we’re looking to boost these figures even further before the end of this financial year!

Application for funding through NWFD is easy with the assistance of ForestWorks. Please call us to see how we can assist your business in 2012.

To find out more about using the NWDF to develop your workforce in 2012 and beyond, please call 1800 177 001 or email nwdf@forestworks.com.au

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Partnership to build skills on the NSW mid-north coast

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As part of our NWDF program (see article above), we have brokered a new joint initiative between TAFE NSW, the NSW Forest Products Association, the Port Macquarie-Hasting Forests Taskforce and, of course, ForestWorks. This partnership will make use of NWDF funding to support local employers to develop their workforce. In addition, the partnership aims to identify gaps in employees’ language, literacy and numeracy skills and initiate training to address them.

Read more about the project in this article published this week in the Camden Haven Courier

To find out more about using the NWDF to develop your workforce in 2012 and beyond, please call 1800 177 001 or email nwdf@forestworks.com.au

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New jobs offer 110 Tassie workers a new future

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As the industry in Tasmania continues its restructure, ForestWorks has assisted 110 affected workers into new employment. Predominantly, these new jobs are locally located, meaning workers are able to remain in their communities with family and friends. Our Workers Assistance Coordinators will continue working hard to provide support for workers and assist with finding them meaningful employment.

Read more about one aspect of our Workers Assistance program in this recent article in the Examiner.
To receive assistance through our Workers Assistance program, please contact 03 6331 5468 or forestworks@forestworks.com.au

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Official endorsement recognises quality of our industry’s skill standards and qualifications

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The FPI11 Forest and Forest Products Training Package has been endorsed by the National Skills Standards Council (NSSC). This national endorsement reinforces the work carried out by ForestWorks and stakeholders to ensure skills standards and qualifications in our industry are up to date and reflect the current needs of industry. We would like to congratulate all stakeholders involved in supporting the training package projects – a job well done!

The endorsed training package will be live on www.training.gov.au shortly.

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AUSTimber 2012 is fast approaching

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AUSTimber 2012 is shaping up to be a dynamic and important industry gathering. The four-day event kicks off with your opportunity to take a tour of the Green Triangle Plantations and see firsthand what are considered to be among the best plantations in the world. Over the following days, there will be Australian and international experts discussing the future of our industry, as well as exhibition sites, in-forest displays, and live harvesting and processing demonstrations.

Click here for all the latest information or to register

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Say hello to ForestWorks at AUSTimber 2012!

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ForestWorks is looking forward to welcoming you at a variety of events at AUSTimber 2012. On Thursday 29 March, the ForestWorks Precision Forestry in Action conference promises a lively discussion on issues facing the future of forestry - from seed to end markets – with industry experts from Australia and around the globe. On Friday 30 March, ForestWorks is hosting a meeting of the Women in Forests and Timber Network, as well as a RTO Managers meeting. And don’t forget to visit our booth at the AUSTimber Exhibition on Friday and Saturday to say hello!

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Online education and training can change the game for wood products industry

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Associate Professor Greg Nolan, Director of the University of Tasmania’s Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood (CSAW), predicts that online education and training can change the game for the Australian timber products industry.

ForestWorks has supported the University of Tasmania in the development of the Graduate Certificate in Timber (Processing and Building) and we are looking forward to collaborating again to create new learning resources for the Advanced Diploma in Forest Industry Sustainability.

Major education providers such as the University of Tasmania have been investing heavily in ways to improve flexibility learning for their students.  Professor Nolan says, ‘Online systems are really changing how and when students learn. It is now quite easy to receive a question from a group of students by email, record a video presentation to answer it, and then make that available online to students anywhere in the world within a couple of hours. They can then download the presentation and listen to it at home or on the go.’

For more information contact Associate Professor Gregory Nolan on 03 6324 4478 or email enquiries@arch.utas.edu.au

 

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Follow @ForestWorks on Twitter

Be a part of the conversation and catch up with the latest news from around our industry.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

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Women in Forests and Timber Network workshops

 The proposed dates for the next state workshops are:

·         Queensland: 24 February 2012

·         New South Wales: Week of 5 March 2012

·         South Australia: Friday 30 March 2012 (to coincide with AUSTIMBER, Mt Gambier)

To register your interest in attending, please contact Jillian Roscoe on info@wftn.org.au or 03 9611 9002.

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Maintaining Your Trainer and Assessor Currency workshops

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Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide, Darwin, Sydney, Perth and Newcastle
28 February – 28 March 2012

Innovation and Business Skills Australia (IBSA) is partnering with Velg Training to present national professional development workshops for trainers and assessors to assist in maintaining the currency of their trainer and assessor competence.

Visit the website for locations and dates or email events@velgtraining.com

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2012 ForestWorks AUSTimber conference and AUSTimber Expo

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29-31 March 2012
Mt Gambier

Please visit the AUSTimber website for further details and to register

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66th Appita Conference & Exhibition – People, Productivity, Profits

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15-18 April 2012
Melbourne Park, Melbourne

This premier pulp and paper industry conference will explore opportunities and techniques to drive performance, productivity and profits in a clean energy economy.

Please visit the Appita conference website to register.

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2012 Industry Development Conference hosted by ForestWorks

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30-31 October 2012
Canberra

Subscription Information

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