Mondi Infrastructure specialist Qualifications: National Diploma Mechanical Engineering BTech Mechanical Engineering Mechanical Engineer’s Certificate of Competency (GCC). Forestry career: Two years I manage various infrastructure-related projects throughout the Mondi business to ensure that they are executed within budget, on schedule and that they comply with all relevant standards. WHY I LOVE WORKING IN THE ... Read More

NCT Forestry Co-operative Ltd Public relations officer Qualifications: BA Communication IMM Marketing Management Diploma Forestry career: 17 years My job has so much variety with no one day being the same. There is the corporate side of producing newsletters and brochures, co-ordinating functions, managing NCT’s identity and branding and attending to queries and media matters. Then ... Read More

Sappi Southern Africa Risk Coordinator – Safety Management Qualification: National Diploma in Forestry Undergraduate Diploma in Safety management Forestry career: 17 years As a risk coordinator working in safety management, my main objective is to produce safety management and intervention programmes that work toward achieving zero lost time injuries. To do this, I assist line ... Read More

Safire Insurance Company General manager – crop division Forestry career: 27 years My job involves interacting with private timber-growers who need fire insurance for their commercially grown plantations. I help them structure their insurance to meet their financial needs and ensure the sustainability of their operations should they suffer losses. Fires can have ... Read More

Mondi Geographic information systems (GIS) technician Qualifications: BSc Geography and Environmental Management BSc Honours Environmental Management MSc GIS and Earth Observation (under way) Forestry career: Three years I maintain Mondi’s spatial database, create maps, update roads, adjust compartment boundaries and write reports. I also use satellite images to monitor forests and work on various research projects. WHY I ... Read More

NCT Forestry Co-operation Ltd Chief financial officer Qualifications: Chartered accountant Forestry career: 13 years As a chartered accountant, I’m mostly office bound which is quite sad when forestry is an ‘outdoor’ industry. I have, however, been able to visit many plantations and mills to get a better understanding of what is involved in the industry ... Read More

SAFCOL Nursery supervisor Qualifications: Matric Programme in Safety Management (NFQ Level 6) Forestry career: 17 years I supervise a team of 54 workers who are responsible for producing all the seedlings required across SAFCOL’s plantations. During planting season, we deliver between 34,000 and 50,000 seedlings every day. It takes six months from planting before a seedling ... Read More

Mondi Operations research specialist Qualifications: National Diploma in Forestry BSc Honours Forestry Post Graduate Certificate in Ergonomics Forestry career: Four years In my position, I wear two hats. The first relates to improving ergonomics at Mondi Forests where I conduct assessments and drive and implement best practice. The second involves work studies for the development of statistically ... Read More

Timber Industry Pesticide Working Group Forestry consultant Qualifications: BSc Agriculture and Forestry MSc Life and Environmental Sciences Forestry career: 18 years I started in research, before moving across to managing a seedling and clonal nursery. I have had my share of safety, health and environmental audits and putting systems in place arising from these. Before leaving ... Read More