Norske Skog operates in the pulp and paper and forest growing and management sectors of the Tasmanian Forest and Timber Industry. They are a world-leading producer of newsprint and magazine paper, with 7 paper mills in Europe and Australasia, including 1 in Boyer, Southern Tasmania.
Through their commitment to ensuring the Tasmanian industry utilises best practice techniques, Norske Skog Boyer Maintenance identified the opportunity for 2 employees to undertake a Diploma of Engineering, Advanced Trade Certificate to further their skills and qualifications in the Mechanical field.
The availability of the TSDS fund allowed these 2 employees to complete the qualification, which “promoted training awareness and interest amongst all employees,” said Lauren Poate, Human Resources Associate at Norske Skog. The training “helped to strengthen the bond between employees and the company by supporting their education and training,” she said. The company is now looking to support other employees who have expressed an interest in further training and will continue to work with TasTAFE to achieve this.
Norske Skog agreed that participation in the TSDS program resulted in improved work practices. These new skills have led to an improvement in company productivity. The training caused minimal disruption to normal work practices. They also strongly agreed that participation in the program had provided value for money in terms of their training dollar and met their expectations. Overall Norske Skog were very satisfied with their involvement in the TSDS program.