Skills Reports
Australia’s skilled forest, timber and wood-related industry workers are responsible for providing a range of essential products, from office supplies to health products and construction materials. Australian forests are a valuable, sustainable and renewable resource, making the industry susceptible to the impacts of climate change as well as a key player in addressing it. Expert skills are required to meet the various challenges of managing forests sustainably and mitigating the effects of disasters such as bushfires, as well as utilising data and digital technologies to undertake planning and certification activities. The downstream timber processing activities are complex, codependant and reliant upon unique industry specific skills.
Skills Impact prepared the Forest and Wood Products Industry Skills Report at the request of the Forest Management and Harvesting Industry Reference Committee (IRC), Timber and Wood Processing IRC and Timber Building Solutions IRC. It provides information on industry-specific skills and priorities additional to those covered in the Agribusiness, Food and Fibre Industries Skills Report. The report may also assist in identifying industry issues requiring consideration alongside work to streamline and reform the Australian VET system, including through cross-industry collaboration.
The report underwent public consultation on the Skills Impact website from 14 July until 17 August 2022, and we appreciate all feedback received. Your input has been used to make final edits to the document, which is available to download below.
Skills Forecasts
In previous years, skills reporting has taken the form of a Skills Forecast or Annual Update, which have been submitted by the relevant IRC to the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC). They propose a four year plan for reviewing and developing relevant units, skill sets and qualifications across a training package. They were created once every three years and updated annually. The Annual Updates identified any specific changes to the industry environment, and to address current priority issues.
Every year in April, the full Skills Forecast or Annual Update was submitted by the relevant IRC to the Australian Industry and Skills Committee (AISC). The AISC would then advise Commonwealth and State Industry and Skills Ministers on the implementation of national vocational education and training policies, and approve nationally recognised training packages.
The AISC would draw on this information to update their AISC National Schedule, and to determine future Training Package Projects.
Forestry and Timber Skills Forecasts Archive
2021 Annual Update to 2019 – 2022 Skills Forecast
2020 Annual Update to 2019 – 2022 Skills Forecast
2016 – 2019 Four Year Work Plan
Please note: IRC Skills Forecasts were originally called Four Year Work Plans.
Development Process of IRC Skills Forecasts
