NZIF a Valuable Opportunity for Toi Ohomai Forestry Students
Thursday 25 July 2019, 8:17AM
By Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology
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Three students from our New Zealand Diploma in Forest Management (Level 6) course have been invited to attend the New Zealand Institute of Forestry’s (NZIF) annual conference.
Cameron Fenton, Renee Reynolds and Christopher Gill have been hand-selected by NZIF, who will cover their travel and accommodation costs, as well as their attendance at the conference. The trio will assist organisers at the registration desk and attend the field trip as part of this sponsorship.
The partnership is a first for Toi Ohomai and NZIF. Toi Ohomai Forest Management Tutor Mark Cleland says attending the conference is a great opportunity for the students to network with forestry industry representatives from Australia and New Zealand.
“It’s a fantastic learning and networking opportunity. Students were invited to apply for the sponsorship and we were encouraged to select students who are passionate about what they’re doing and willing to network with industry experts. They’ll also be working at the conference, which means they’ll get some experience to put on their CVs.”
Toi Ohomai student Cameron Fenton was one of the stand-out candidates and a definite for the conference. Mark says Cameron shows great potential and is a go-getter.
“He started the course straight out of school and is already working in industry, enjoying the work, which is really promising.”
Cameron is currently working for Hancocks Forest Management in Tokoroa as a student forester. In his first year of the New Zealand Diploma in Forest Management, Cameron will finish the course in October 2020.
“A highlight was the wide variety in the day to day learning, which has us out into the field at least once a week. I’m excited for the industry-based projects that are coming up later this year,” says Cameron.
“I was working at Hancock to gain work experience when I was first introduced to Mark and the forest management course – I’ve loved it.
“I’m really excited to attend the conference because of the opportunity we’ll have to meet industry experts, as well as the opportunity to gather knowledge and get a bit of insight into what’s happening in the forestry industry at the moment.”
The conference will take place in Christchurch from 25-28 August and will focus on communicating forestry in the connected age. It will feature prominent national and international speakers, professional development courses on forest valuation, carbon forestry and leadership, as well as a field trip that addresses topical issues in forest management.