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Dear FICA Members, Sponsors & Industry
Without sounding too dramatic, I have to say one quarter of the year down and just three more to go!
Looking back a year, life as we all knew it took a monumental chnage as March 26, 2020 at 11.59pm New Zealand moved to Level 4 with the entire nation going into self-isolation.
Now where we are today is quite a different scene in NZ, I would not be brave at all to say international countries are not anywhere near out of the woods (excuse the pun!). And we in NZ are even breaking our bubble to share it with Australia.
FICA has already had a productive year, getting right into work mode. So on our plate this month has been the launch last week of the Ministry of Social Development Silviculture Subsidy, getting new people into industry and supporting them until they reach a productive level. The scheme this year is available for FICA members only and is covered for thinning, pruning and post 182 days (6 months) a $1000/month pay out to the employer. A similar scheme will be introduced in July for the harvesting sector.
The technical advisory group that was put together for the Safetree Contractor Certification Reveiw is moving along well, with subgroups mandated across key areas that the group see will drive greater credibility and improvement.
This month we also have an inaugural meeting of the Forestry RoVE advisory group, coming together to formulate and guide the organisations changing up vocational education and training in NZ. Forestry is doing really well across the Primary Sector in being considered as one of the top five key sectors.
Planning for our AGM & Conference along side the Safetree Conference in Queenstown this year (28-30 October) we have arranged a code for booking into the two hotels, Millennium and Copthorne that sit side by side for accommodation - with the new bubble across the ditch we strongly encourage you to book and then registration of the event will come out around June/July.
With the success of implementing the Generation Programme into Central North Island and being managed by the newly appointed GP Manager, Damita Mita and the CNI Wood Council, FICA received financial support from Ministry of Education to put together a series of Career Expos. From May through to August we have a really great timetable and selection of community expos and direct school connections. If you want to get involved please let me know.
A shout out for the Women in Forestry Conference CHECK IT OUT taking place 13-15 May in Cambridge. Great place to mix and mingle with other like-minded women in the industry.
And a shout out for the pending Forestry Awards in the Southern North Island, Eastland and Southern in deep south! Watch with baited breathe who our industry heroes are going to be.
Finally through funding by Worksafe we are pleased to announce that there is a collective stakeholder group putting together a national model contract template between principals and contractors. The project is planned to take until September to complete and we will be working with our membership to ensure we all get this right and keep you engaged.
A reminder it is that time of the year with membership due, most of you will have received by now a renewal note, sponsors and associates will come out this week too. Thank you for your continued support and valued input!
While markets remaining strong and steady, our industry is still in a very advantageous position to remain in a state of - BAU - Business as usual! Keep up the great work out there.
Kia Kaha - Stay Strong
Prue & FICA Board
Prue Younger
CEO, FICA
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