A new programme designed to promote education and career pathways for log transport operators will be launched this month.
Both the forestry and road transport industries say that each faces considerable challenges attracting younger people into employment within it, and there are recognised skills shortages in each sector.
The new programme, A pathway to success, designed by the Log Transport Safety Council and MITO, provides an educational pathway and accreditation system for log transport operators. The programme aims to improve health and safety outcomes, ensure the workforce has relevant and current knowledge and skills, and offer aspirational career goals.
This programme is linked to the National Qualifications framework and recognises the educational achievement of operators through inducing entry (‘bronze’), intermediate (‘silver’) and advanced (‘gold’ and ‘platinum’) accreditation. The accreditation programme aims to record and reward the progress and experience levels of operators in the log transport sector.
Each stage comprises theoretical and/or practical learning. Entry to each stage is based on time served in the industry and successful completion of the previous stage.
Operators who complete the national certificate in transportation of logs by road will be awarded bronze or silver accreditation, depending on their experience within the industry.
For those wishing to progress to become ‘Gold’ and ‘Platinum’ operators, other education pathways are available, for example, management and supervision, driver training or logistics.
