Canvas is accessible only within New Zealand and Australia.
Canvas is accessible only within New Zealand and Australia.
The silviculture programmes provide nationally recognised qualifications that combine workplace-based learning with essential forestry operations knowledge. They equip people with the skills to work in roles such as planting, pruning, thinning, tree measurement, and other tending tasks in plantation forests. Training covers safe work practices, risk assessment, environmental care, crew coordination, and compliance with forestry standards and regulations.
Benefits of the programme
Programmes available
Forestry, or silviculture, contractors and their workers plant, prune and thin young trees to ensure the stand of trees is healthy and maximising growth. They may also spray for weeds, fertilise and measure trees to track growth and help the forest manager plan activities. Forestry workers will often be involved in fire fighting activities.
Often a ten-hour working day; sometimes weekend work is required. There is a mix of jobs from preparing the ground for planting, planting seedlings, pruning trees, and selecting and cutting down unwanted trees. Some workers may be involved in measuring trees to track growth.
Crew leaders will plan the day to day operations as well as carry out quality and safety checks.
These can be useful from school:
Good NCEA Level 1 passes in:
Traineeship or apprenticeship
Competenz can provide training plans, support and qualifications – tailored to your businesses specific needs.
We partner with your industry associations (Forest Industry Contractors Association (FICA), NZ Forest Owners Association (FOA), NZ Farm Forestry Association(FFA)) and members of your industry to help recruit and build talented employees. This support includes promoting careers in your industry and identifying potential trainees.
We also ensure your industry’s qualifications continue to meet needs, support industry events like local graduations, and regularly celebrate your learners’ success.
When your worker enrols as an apprentice or learner, we assign them a Competenz account manager. Our account managers understand the forestry industry and the skills learners and businesses need to gain.
Forestry is an industry that offers great career opportunities. Find the one that fits you here.
Competenz can help with silviculture qualifications at both level 3 and 4. Trainees may complete these qualifications individually and progress from one level to the next. Programme length varies but qualifications typically take from 9-18 months to complete.
In some cases two programme options exist for each qualification. A trainee may be able to complete the qualification in a shorter time if they already have some of the required unit standards.
We are currently developing an apprenticeship programme for Silviculture.
