Publications - June 2010

This Industry Skills Scan has been produced by ForestWorks Learning and Skills Development,

the Industry Skills Council (ISC) for the forest, wood, paper and timber products industry, in consultation with industry stakeholders and participants.

This document is a considered review of the significant and pertinent factors impacting the integrated industry serviced by ForestWorks and the implications of those factors on a range of employment aspects, workforce development and training and skills development considerations.

While the document’s title might imply otherwise, it is not a review of issues of the natural environment (i.e. trees and forests) pertaining to the industry. It is intended to inform government, Skills Australia, the National Quality Council, service providers and industry to enable these organisations to carry out their various responsibilities more effectively during 2010 and beyond.

ForestWorks acknowledges the contributors and thanks them for their efforts in ensuring that this

report accurately reflects the state of play for the industry and its skill needs for 2010 and the years

ahead. This Industry Skills Scan (environmental scan) has been produced with the assistance of funding provided by the Commonwealth Government through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

The key objective of this Industry Skills Scan is to provide advice on opportunities for boosting skill

levels to meet identified skill demands. Meeting this objective includes providing information and

data on the critical skills and occupations required, the skills which exist and the skills gaps in each

sector. It also requires analysis of challenges and opportunities currently faced by each sector.

The sectors identified are: forest growing and management, harvesting and haulage, sawmilling

and processing, pulp and paper manufacturing, timber manufactured products, timber merchandising, wood panel and board production.

Case studies demonstrating strengths, challenges and achievements are highlighted in this document.

The forest, wood, paper and timber products industry is a vertically integrated industry, in which

the industry’s resource sectors are closely linked with the processing, manufacturing, wholesale and

retail sectors.

In this section, a brief overview is provided of the industry and its current state of development and

operation. Further analysis is provided on a sector by sector basis in Section Two.