Generation Programme Scholarship Students take out awards
22 August 2022
Three graduates from the 2021 GP Tokoroa based cohort took out three awards at the Central North Island Wood Council Awards on Friday 5th August.
The Generation Programme (GP) originally started in Tairawhiti/Gisborne in 2018 with support from Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service.
In 2021, the Central North Island Wood Council commenced its version of the programme with Te Uru Rakau – New Zealand Forest Service support, and delivery of the unit standard component of the training by Toi Ohomai.
The programme is aimed at youth, career changers and MSD clients seeking employment opportunities in forestry. It includes an intensive 16 week base camp to create work-ready trainees, with ongoing pastoral care a key factor to its success.
During the base camp, participants gain the New Zealand Certificate in Forestry Foundation Skills (Level 2) and can be progressed through their driver license and complete their First Aid certificate. They then typically move into supported forestry employment or further study.
One Generation graduate is now studying for the Diploma in Forest Management at Toi Ohomai as a Ngā Karahipi Uru Rākau (Scholarship) recipient.
To date there have been eight cohorts across the regions with a total of 80 participants, with more than ¾ of the students (76%) graduating with forestry qualifications.
We were really pleased to see that three graduates from the 2021 GP Tokoroa based cohort took out three awards at the Central North Island Wood Council Awards on Friday 5th August.
Rawiri Te Hiko won the Generation Programme Graduate of the Year award and Connor Wallace and Olive Williams received awards for excellence in this category. The awards recognised their attitude, attendance, punctuality, teamwork and consistency in drug-free testing.
Rawiri is now working with Brown Logging, and Connor and Olive are both in quality control roles for FAST Harvesting, both companies are located in Tokoroa.
The Rotorua based Generation Programme also saw ten participants graduate recently with the majority of the graduates either continuing on to further study at Toi Ohomai or have secured roles in the forestry sector.
If you’re interested in knowing more about the programme or meeting (even possibly employing) the GP graduates you can contact:
Damita Mita – Tokoroa damita@cniwc.co.nz
Henry Mulligan - Tairawhiti/Gisborne henry@ta.org.nz
Rawiri Te Hiko, winner of the Generation Programme Graduate of the Year award
Olive Williams and Connor Wallace both received Excellence awards