A Cut Above

A Cut Above 1

The Green Triangle Regional Plantation Committee (GTRPC) was formed in July 1996 as co-ordinating body of the major interest groups associated with forest growing, farm forestry, processing, education and training and natural resource management in the Green Triangle region of South East South Australia and South West Victoria. Funded by the Federal, South Australian and Victorian Governments, the GTRPC employs a full time executive officer based at 19 Penola Road, Mt Gambier.

As a committee FITNET recognised the fact that the Timber Industry is not "sexy" and we needed to:

  • raise the awareness of the community and education sectors
  • raise the profile of the industry
  • promote the vast range of career opportunities there are within the industry

Which laid the ground work for "A Cut Above" to be produced and subsequently launched at the 2005 Australian Institute of Foresters annual conference that was held in Mount Gambier.

The magazine was primarily produced to promote the enormous career options the industry has to offer using a local flavour where local Green Triangle Region identities presented their individual case studies.

The magazine has been since used as a tool for:

  • promotional purposes
  • information purposes in particular within the secondary schools across the Limestone Coast

It now has national recognition and the original version has recently been updated by Forest Works to be able to use the publication as a national promotional tool.

The Original A Cut Above can be downloaded from this web site, BUT Please note that the file is about 6 Megabytes and will take some time to download if using a dialup connection. The alternative is to contact the Green Triangle Regional Plantation Committee for a hard copy to be posted to you.

A Cut Above is available for down load BUT note that it is 6 Megabytes (quite large, approx 35 minutes by modem)

A Cut Above 2

The Cut Above Committee once again took on the challenge from FITNET to review the publication and identify the gaps and further improve the publication and was Launched during the AUSTimber 2008 Conference in Mount Gambier in March 2008.

A Cut Above 2 has:

  • updated information on the region and the industry
  • a section dedicated to the promotion of the VET Certificate 1 course in Forestry (which saw FITNET as a finalist in the 2007 Schools in Excellence Awards)
  • useful weblinks from a broad range across the industry
  • increased sponsorship
  • a section on "where to from here" which directs the reader to different areas / businesses / organisations that can assist with getting into the industry & finding a job.

The success of the publication, FITNET believes lies with utilising real people in real life jobs in the case studies throughout the magazine and we look forward to A Cut Above 2, further promoting and enhancing our sustainable industry into the future.

The Original A Cut Above can be downloaded from this web site, BUT Please note that the file is about 12 Megabytes and will take some time to download if using a dialup connection. The alternative is to contact the Green Triangle Regional Plantation Committee for a hard copy to be posted to you.

FITNET
PO Box 9172
Mount Gambier West SA 5291

Other careers initiatives undertaken by FITNET include:

  • Launching A Cut Above
  • instigating mystery bus tours for VET coordinators and career counsellors within regional high schools
  • revamping the VET Certificate 1 Course in forestry, which gives participants a hands on approach to the industry through all the sectors and since the new look course was introduced there have been 20 participants successfully complete the Certificate 1 with 4 of those participants now within full time employment within the industry
  • school roadshows, where a contingent visit all the secondary schools in the region to promote the industry and the VET Course
  • Career expos, where we have been invited into the local and other regional expos to promote the vast range of careers the industry has to offer
  • taking part in industry exhibitions such as those organised through Timber Communities Australia and ran at the annual regional shows
  • being recognised as a state finalist in the SA Schools Of Excellence training awards in 2007