Copy
Share Share
Tweet Tweet
Forward Forward
DECEMBER 2022 - ISSUE 53
Line Break
Dear FICA Members, Sponsors & Industry

What a busy last month it has been in terms of events! We successfully initiated and managed the Fast & Foward Forestry Expo in Rotorua. We held our FICA AGM and also had a chance to celebrate our 20 year anniversary with our members and sponsors. It was fabulous and humbling given I have only been in this organisation for 5 years. We extend our gratitude to the many that went before me.

We also acknowledged two further Lifetime Members - Ross Davis (Bay of Plenty) and Ross Wood (Nelson). Plus we congratulate the changing of the guard at FICA, with Ross Davis stepping down as Chair. Ross will continue to sit on the Board as a Executive Director while Robert Stubbs is stepping up to the role of Chair.

The National Fieldays also took place last week, with the Forestry Hub there for the first time. It was a big affair, giving industry representation with timber products, education on social aspects of the industry and career pathway building.

We are just 3 weeks away from Christmas too. It's a chance to take a breath, reflect and plan for 2023. Funnily the last few months have been fairly busy with the speeding up of activities, meetings and tasks as the end of the year has crept up quickly!

It has certainly been a mixed bag this year. Coming out of CoVID at the beginning, but with restrictions like masks until mid-year. Travel has been swinging back into action and the industry has been working as much as possible with export markets slowing down in response to our largest market player China. Again that dependancy on one major client comes with signficant risk.

Into play comes the Forestry Industry Transformational Plan and the launch of the final plan last week at the National Fieldays by Minister Nash will now see an interim implementation group start to instigate some of the goals set. FICA has fortunately received a seat at that table and will best represent the workforce and engage collaboratively to seek opinions and comments when necessary. Our aim is to ensure that the skills and requirements of the workforce are well heard and communicated.

We have also put a new section into this newsletter as more and more work is being done through the FRAG - Forestry ROVE Advisory Group and Muka Tangata (our Workforce Development Council) so in 2023 we will make this a regular feature.

So from me and the FICA Board it's a sign off in the next 2 weeks to take some time off. Wishing you, your families, whanau and crew mates all the the very best. Have a very Merry Christmas and here's to a positive light shining on us all, to guide us through the next 12 months ensuring we "Be a Mate" in Forestry and watch out for each other.

Mere Kirihimete, 
 
Prue Younger Sign Off
Your Voice - New FICA Website
There has been a lot of activity in the development of new qualifications and review of existing qualifications so on a regular basis we will use the newsletter to communicate these. To finish the year we cover:

* Level 5 Forestry Qualification Design and Development Survey
* Line Retrieval Unit Standard Changes
* Silviculture Apprenticeship Qualification Review  
 
We see this information a positive step to our industry training and education and collaborative engagement between industry, our WDC - Muka Tangata and Te Pukenga.

Level 5 Forestry Qualification Design and Development Survey


Muka Tangata – People, Food and Fibre Workforce Development Council (WDC) has initiated a review of the New Zealand Forestry qualifications and have identified a potential opportunity to develop leadership and team skills at Level 5.
They strive to meet the needs of your industry and are pleased to present this “snapshot” survey as part of the wider industry consultation, and would greatly appreciate your feedback.

The proposed Level 5 qualification will support individuals with the desire to sharpen their leadership, communication and relationship management skills. It is also a potential opportunity to build skills in problem solving, lead and improve team performance, oversee quality control processes, monitor prescriptions and to bring innovative solutions to your crew.
 
Share your views on what you feel a qualification like this should or shouldn’t have and what topics you would find most valuable if given the opportunity to progress through this certificate! 
Complete survey here

Silviculture Apprenticeship Qualification Review


Consultation to discuss changes requested by industry to the Level 4 Forestry qualification is underway. 

Key updates include: 
  • 2330 New Zealand Certificate in Forest Industry Operations (Planning and Monitoring) (Level 4) with strands in Harvesting, and Silviculture.  As a result of this consultation, the NZ Certificate in Forestry (Planning and Monitoring) - Silviculture strand (L4) has been increased to 60 credits. 
  • Unit Standard 1224 Use prescription maps for forestry operations (Level 3, 5 credits) has changed to a Level 4, 10 credits standard. The changes to support the increase include two new Graduate Profile Outcomes (GPO) that reflect changes and challenges of electronic prescription mapping in forestry. 
  • The development of an NZA in Forest Silviculture Operations (Level 4) by Te Pūkenga Work Based Learning Limited (WBL) is now possible. 
Read the full update on these changes here

Line Retrieval Unit Standard Changes


Muka Tangata – People, Food and Fibre Workforce Development Council (WDC) has revised three forestry line retrieval unit standards, to ensure line retrieval activities are appropriately taught and assessed in forestry workplace training.

Approval for the changes was granted by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) on 19 October 2022. The new versions of the unit standards will be published on the NZQA website in November.  
View more here

Planning for the Proposed New Zealand Income Insurance Scheme


Survey of employers - how do employers experience managing staff job loss (redundancy), or work capacity impacts due to ill-health or disability?

ACC is leading the planning for the development of a proposed New Zealand Income Insurance Scheme. The intention is that the scheme could play an important role in supporting workers and employers during economic shocks and changes.

Research is being conducted with workers and employers to inform the scheme development. One element is a survey of employers to better understand experiences of dealing with redundancy situations, or when staff have their ability to work impacted by a health condition or disability. These could be in employer/managers current role, or in a previous role, or organisation.

To help inform the planning ACC would really appreciate you participating in the survey – (or passing this on to the most appropriate person in your organisation if that is not you). The survey takes around 5-10 minutes and is confidential. The information collected will be used to inform the way ACC implements and manages the proposed scheme and better ensure it meets user needs.
Complete the survey here

FICA Webinar Series: Employing Migrants – Accredited Employer Work Visa


Presented by Fiona White, Relationship Manager – Sectors and Skills, Immigration New Zealand
Time: Wednesday, December 7, 2022 4:00pm – 5.00pm

How to use the new system. Accreditation › Job Check › Migrant Application.
 
All New Zealand employers who need to employ overseas workers must be accredited. This session will help you understand the requirements and how best use the Immigration Online application process.
 
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Register here

Nga Karahipi Uru Rakau Forestry Scholarships


Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service, is committed to creating greater diversity across forestry and wood-processing.They want to hear from applicants who are Māori and/or identify as female, or both, enrolling in the Diploma in Forest Management at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology (must be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident).

Recipients will receive $7000 for each year of their two-year diploma (subject to successful completion of each academic year). The scholarship also includes a paid internship over summer of 10 weeks with Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service, or an employer in the forestry sector.
Learn more here

Expressions of Interest for Harvesting Package - Horowhenua and Manawatu
 

Forest Enterprises is seeking expressions of interest from suitably experienced, Safetree Certified hauler contractors to log approximately 120,000 tonne over a 2-2.5 year contract.

Preference will be given to fully mechanised tether operations. The forests are located in the Horowhenua and Manawatu. 
Location 1 - Kohitere Forest, Levin (volume approx. 80,000 tonnes)
Location 2 - Beehive Creek Forest, Pohangina Valley, Ashurst (volume approx. 40,000 tonnes)

For further information, contact Chris Hawthorn 027 444 2298
FICA & FISC have collaborated to provide an opportunity to make more resources and information accessible to our industry, in particular the contractors. We heard that people are keen to share and access the “learning from everyday work” across the sector and this would be supported and welcomed. So as a test pilot we have digitalised Safetree as an APP bring the valuable and credible platform that we know the industry trusts and references often.
 
We are looking for 50 users to test drive this APP. Each user will be able to load up 2 devices on the account. In particular we want to test it across a spectrum of contractors so have allocated: 4 large, 15 medium and 30 small operators to be part of the pilot.
 
Currently we have sitting on the APP, Safetree Resources:
  • Tailgates – a selection of four various forms
  • Safety Alerts
  • Safetree Certification documents including a desk top audit
  • ACOP
The value of this APP is that it will work on site, on anyone’s smartphone and off the grid, how exciting will that be. So not only you the contractor but your staff will have easy access to the information on the APP. We will get you to load it up and play with it for a few month, then tell us what you like about it, access the quality of the resources and what other resources you would like to see on it as we can load a whole lot more up. For example the recent MicroInnovation campaign that was promoted, entering and accessing participants innovations could be accessible on the Safetree APP.
 
We would share with you as a user the activity reports back and get you to feedback back to us either during the pilot or post. So in three months we know how well this is working before we go the full way of development.
 
So send us an email reply today to confirm your interest to be a trial user, and we will confirm in the New Year with a password and link to the APP.
Register Interest Here
View full gallery here

Hawke's Bay Forestry Award Winners 2022

A sell - out crowd was there to acknowledge all the category and trophy winners for the second Hawke’s Bay Forestry Awards 2022 on Friday 2 December in Napier.

Minister Nash ended the night with the presentation of the overall Skilled Forestry Professional of the Year to Terence (Pnut) Ross who also took out the Roading category sponsored by ATS Logging.
 
Check out the results on the website
Facebook Banner
Our mailing address is:
P O Box 12017, Ahuriri, Napier 4144

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

 
Facebook
Website
Email