'Working in the harvesting and cartage sector needs skill as well as a Forest Operator Licence and/or vehicle related licence. Running a small or medium business needs skill. This page will lead workers to some useful training and assessment options.
'Most workers have these skills and are competent at their job. However, apart from holding a licence, many workers have not had their skills formally recognised and they rely on demonstration or word of mouth to show their skills.
Often partners and other family members are running the contracting or cartage business even though they've had no formal training.
The industry has developed a skills development and recognition system based around a Forest Industries Training Package.
Contact your union or the Forest and Forest Products Employment Skills Company (FAFPESC) to find out more about the Training Package. Using the links on this page will also provide you with a range of information about Training Packages and how they fit the National Training Framework in Australia.
Using competency standards contained within the Training Package, workers can have their skills assessed and nationally recognised qualifications (certificates) or parts of qualifications (statements of attainment) issued to them.
This process is easy to participate in and relies upon assessors working for Registered Training Organisations to carry out the assessments.
These assessors are skilled in assessment and the areas of skills they are assessing so that they can properly recognise a competent worker when they assess one.
Units of competency can be used by workers to improve their current skills and learn whole new areas of work.
A skilled worker is a safer worker, a more productive worker and a person who finds work easier and less stressful.
The whole crew benefit from developing higher skills, a worthwhile activity in our sector of the industry.
Click on the the links below for more information about training packages:
Forest
and Forest Products Employment Skills Company
http://www.fafpesc.com.au
About
the Australian National Training Authority
http://www.anta.gov.au/About/
Australian
National Training Authority - Useful Links
http://www.anta.gov.au/LINKS/default.htm
National
Training Information Service
http://www.ntis.gov.au
DEWRSB
(Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business)
http://www.dewrsb.gov.au