26 April 2013

The Forest Industry Training and Education Council (FITEC) will be merged into a another industry training provider, Competenz, on 1 May. 

FITEC is New Zealand's industry training organisation (ITO) for forestry, wood manufacturing (sawmilling, wood panels, and pulp and paper), furniture and biosecurity. Competenz is the ITO for manufacturing, engineering and the food and beverage industries.

FITEC CEO Ian Boyd says the main drivers of the merger have been decreasing numbers of trainees (and therefore less funding) for FITEC and a push by the government for fewer ITOs.

Competenz and FITEC have strong links with manufacturing and wood processing and there are already overlaps with training qualifications. There are also cross-links with forestry where increasing mechanisation, in-forest log manufacturing, and use of heavy equipment provide a ready relationship with engineering and manufacturing.

In addition, the forest and wood industry are keen to keep the wood supply chain intact and industry associations have expressed support for the merger. Importantly, Competenz has undertaken to maintain the forest and wood industry training profile and the Rotorua operating base.

Competenz and FITEC are aligned on a skills based Board governance model where a Board position will be available for forest and wood industry skills. There will also be an opportunity for the forest and wood industry to have an additional representative attend Board meetings for 12 months on a transitional basis.

The FITEC team (RTAs) will remain intact (except for some rationalisation as a result of lower trainee numbers which would have occurred with or without a merger) so there will be little change with the industry interface. The back office functions will merge with their respective Competenz functions with rationalisation taking place where necessary.

John Blakey, CEO of Competenz says they are looking forward to working with the industry and Competenz has committed to maintaining FITEC operations in Rotorua; to maintaining sector identity for the industry within its brand; to maintaining the FITEC sector advisory committee structure; and to engaging with the wider industry stakeholder groups.

The outcome is expected to be enhanced training services and a stronger financial base to expand future services to the forest and wood industry.

Source: Friday Offcuts