Forestry is an industry that offers great career opportunities. Find the one that fits you here.
Meet Sarah-Jane
Meet Sarah-Jane .
“I wish I’d known about forestry as a career opportunity sooner! I made the move to forestry after working for a Regional Council and the Department of Conservation. Looking after people and the environment has always been important to me and it’s great to work in an industry where those values are top priorities.”
Work almost anywhere.
There are great forestry jobs right around the country.
Meet Emily
Meet Emily.
“I’m basically a disease specialist. I study what diseases affect pine plantations, track them and the climatic conditions that encourage disease and find controls and solutions. I love the large-scale, long-term approach of the forestry industry – it takes about 25 years from seedling to harvesting!”
Earn as you learn or study.
On-the-job or tertiary training works well for everyone.
Meet Shaydan
Meet Shaydan.
“I’m doing my NZ Certificate in Forest Harvesting and have started training on the Hauler. I really enjoy these amazing machines, the people and the challenges. I was looking for something different and I’ve found it.”
Earn as you learn or study.
On-the-job or tertiary training works well for everyone.
Meet Amy
Meet Amy .
“I graduated with a Bachelor of Forestry Science degree, and since then new opportunities and experiences have created a rewarding career in forestry. I now have my dream job as Production Manager, working with a fantastic team and loving the challenges that my dynamic and ever-changing environment brings.”
Work almost anywhere.
There are great forestry jobs right around the country.
Meet Tynan
Meet Tynan.
“I sharpen a wide range of cutting tools and maintain some of the machinery in the saw mill. The job’s not going to get done if the saws aren’t sharp – we’re the heart of mill. I was 17 when I got the job – it was really good coin for a young fella.”
Indoors or Outdoors?
Work inside, outside or a bit of both, Forestry has it covered.
Meet Henry
Meet Henry.
“I love everything about my job - working in the outdoors, working with the bros, making new friends and I get to work all over the place. No two days are the same.”
Indoors or Outdoors?
Work inside, outside or a bit of both, Forestry has it covered.
Pick three things that interest you and check out forestry jobs that might work for you
Your career planting trees
A tree planter, sometimes called an establishment operator, prepares planting sites, plants trees, and then often does follow-up work such as release spraying to ensure young trees survive and grow into tomorrow's forests.
Snapshot info
Earning Potential
$50,000 – $65,000
Qualification Required
None required – level 2/3 available
Physically Demanding
Hard physical work
Absence from home
Varies with employer
Talk to someone in the know
www.scionresearch.com
Scion is a professional forestry research organisation, full of talented and motivated individuals from around the world, undertaking innovative science that contributes to New Zealand. If you are a New Zealand university or polytechnic student, we recommend you keep an eye out for our Summer Studentship opportunities in September and October each year. These and other openings vary depending on the needs of research projects and scientists. If your skills and studies fit one of these opportunities, we would love you to apply.
www.nztif.co.nz/
The NZTIF is an Industry body located in Wellington, and we will register your Interest in a Wood Processing Career with a number of Wood Processors in your area.
www.facebook.com/mikehurringlogging/
MHL is a Logging & Contracting company based in South Otago employing over 60 staff across 8 crews including production thinning, ground based & hauler operations. MHL employs two trainers and students come to complete both practical and bookwork for their New Zealand Forestry Apprenticeship qualification through Competenz. The course aims to upskill those new to the industry from employers throughout Southland, Otago & South Canterbury.
www.woodisgood.co.nz
Wood is Good is New Zealand’s only primary school forestry and log transport engagement program. Enjoy a log tuck visit to your school with local forestry professionals who can talk all things wood, provide story reading, activities and careers talks. We’d love to visit your school….contact us now!
growmeforestry.co.nz
Grow Me is the only nationally coordinated secondary school tree crop sector engagement programme in New Zealand. Got a careers expo? Want a presentation to hear about our variety of careers, or zoom with a forester? Fancy a bus trip to visit a harvesting crew, or a sawmill? Want to know about carbon, or wood products? Visit our website and we can send you information or real people!
www.discoverforestry.co.nz/
Discover Forestry New Zealand is a website with interesting information, links and regional facts about the forestry sector in New Zealand. Discover what forestry is and how it fits into our communities in New Zealand.
www.onefortyone.com
OneFortyOne is based in the top of the South Island managing 80,000 hectares of certified sustainable plantation forests. We harvest more than 1.2 million cubic metres annually, plant at least 2,000 hectares and domestically process over 70% of our wood including at our Kaituna Sawmill in Marlborough. We believe that we grow a better tomorrow through everything we do. We constantly challenge the status quo, and work to find new and innovative ways to be better at all we do. We respect our natural environment and the fabulous product we work with.
www.fglt.org.nz
The Forest Growers Levy Trust funds research and other work to benefit the industry, including funding support for careers and training in forestry.
www.nzffa.org.nz
NZ Farm Forestry Association promotes the wise use of trees for profit, amenity, sustainability and the environment. NZFFA advocates on behalf of 14000 unaffiliated small scale forestry entities. In 2021, over 40% of the harvest came from small scale forests. Due to small individual scales of operations, our sector does not directly employ many full-time staff, but hires contractors as required. The association magazine Tree Grower is an important forum for innovative ideas in the industry, especially in regard to alternative timber species.
www.facebook.com/talkingtreesmarlborough/about
The Marlborough Forest Industry Association (Inc) was founded in 1971 to promote and protect the interests of the forest industry and associated businesses and organisations and to foster and encourage the public interest in forestry. The MFIA was the forerunner of todays’ Wood Councils. Any job seeker interest is passed immediately to our members and industry contacts.
www.widetrust.org.nz
The WIDE Trust is a charitable trust that supports students undertaking career-related studies in the wood and forest industry sectors in New Zealand and entities involved in research, development and the advancement of forestry and wood science. Apply Online - www.widetrust.org.nz
www.hbforestrygroup.co.nz
The Hawkes Bay Forestry Group represents commercial forest owners in the region and provides a collective response to issues, challenges, and opportunities in Hawkes Bay. We encourage people to work in forestry and back that up by helping individuals find their fit in this industry.