Today's Forest Industry faces many challenges, including competitors (other construction/building materials), cheap imports, environmental constraints etc. Forest Industry enterprises have recognised the urgent need to become more automated, technologically advanced, efficient, productive and still produce a tried and true quality product. There are many strategies for achieving the changes necessary to ensure your business does not stagnate. Training is one of several strategies which have proven effective in preparing staff for the inevitable and continuous rate of change faced by successful businesses.

The Forest Industry in Queensland has a well developed training structure, from entry level Certificates in all sectors to a Diploma program, all of which are based on national competency standards, they can be tailored to meet the needs of an individual enterprise and can attract government funding. In addition, a number of industry specific courses are available which provide an opportunity for existing industry workers to increase and improve their work skills and knowledge.

FITEC specialises in providing quality training when and where it is required. It recognises that the Forest Industry in Queensland is a 'thin training market' which is dispersed Statewide, sometimes in remote locations. FITEC takes the training to industry and individual enterprises rather than conduct training in centralised locations and to strict schedule. This scenario demands special consideration in the way training is delivered.

FITEC is a Queensland based training provider registered by the Department of Employment and Training and the Arts (DETA), to deliver structured training programs (traineeships) and a range of course training across the Forest Industry sectors. It is a not for profit organisation, so training is very competitively costed. FITEC operates on a training demand basis; therefore it does not, as a rule, schedule training activities and expect employers to fit into that schedule. Rather, it responds quickly to training demand and schedules training based on a perceived need.

FITEC is the only Queensland Registered Training Organisation (RTO) to offer a large range of training across timber merchandising, timber manufactured products, sawmilling and processing and forest harvesting sectors. FITEC is the only successful RTO to gain a contract for state government funding for a large range of traineeships for the forest and forest products industry.

FITEC is registered to deliver a range of courses including: Visual Stress Grading (Hardwood, Softwood, Cypress); Grade Sawn and Milled Products (Hardwood, Softwood, Cypress); Manual Timber Estimation/Detailing; Chainsaw Operation; Timber Drying etc. Any course/competency can be modified/customised to suit enterprise specific requirements over and above national competency standard requirements.

Employees who already posses industry skills and may not need training can be practically assessed against national competency standards and, if found competent, awarded nationally recognised Statements of Attainment for existing skills. Should the assessment reveal any shortcomings in certain skill elements, these will be highlighted and remedial training offered prior to further assessment and issue of Statements of Attainment, if assessment is successful. FITEC can provide an obligation free written quote on any training and/or assessment activity in which you may be interested.

FITEC has endorsed a number of contractor agreements with numerous experienced chainsaw and harvesting operators throughout Queensland, which allows them to train and assess employees who then receive nationally recognised statements of attainment. Strict conditions apply please contact FITEC for details.