17 Mar 2026
Graduate Certificate in Forestry
A new Graduate Certificate in Forestry is being celebrated as a success story for industry and university collaboration, with steady enrolments and positive feedback from participants and employers.
Developed by a group of leading tertiary institutions – the University of Tasmania, University of Melbourne, Australian National University, University of South Australia and University of the Sunshine Coast – the course is designed to address a clear gap in advanced forestry training. The response from the sector has been very receptive.
Industry Need Spurs Industry Uptake
From its first intake, the Graduate Certificate attracted professionals from across the forestry and forest products supply chain, including plantation managers, forest planners, policy advisors and operational staff.
Many participants are already working full-time in the industry and enrolled specifically to strengthen their technical knowledge and broaden their career pathways. Employers have also shown strong support, recognising the value of upskilling staff in areas such as carbon accounting, silviculture and forest operations.
This level of engagement reflects the program’s practical, industry-driven focus, and the growing demand for higher-level forestry expertise as the sector adapts to climate, regulatory and market pressures.
Flexible Design Drives Participation
One of the biggest factors behind the course’s early success has been its delivery model. Designed with regional professionals in mind, the program blends online learning with short, intensive residential schools.
This structure has enabled participants from across Australia to take part without stepping away from their jobs or communities. The residential components have also proven to be a highlight, giving students the chance to connect face-to-face with lecturers, researchers and peers from across the country.
For many participants, the opportunity to build professional networks alongside technical skills has been just as valuable as the academic learning.
Building Confidence and Capability
Feedback from early participants show the course is already delivering tangible outcomes. Students report increased confidence in applying forestry science to their day-to-day work, particularly in emerging areas such as forest carbon, sustainable plantation management and modern forest operations.
The program has also helped participants better understand how their roles fit within the broader forestry landscape from policy and regulation through to supply chain and end-use markets.
A good example of the diversity of participants was felt in the Plantation Silviculture course unit (led by UniSA), where there was a range of silviculture experience. The different levels of existing knowledge and experience were catered to by dividing into small groups. The feedback on what was a daunting unit for some was overwhelmingly positive.
One participant reported:
The field trips were excellent.
Another told organisers:
We were all dreading Thursday a bit being in what we thought were lectures for the whole day but moving around to the 4 different workshops was great. I lost track of the time and actually wanted more time in each.
A Model for Future Workforce Development
The success of the Graduate Certificate program demonstrates how workforce needs are met when universities and industry come together. The collaboration of universities involved in the program have given the course national reach and access to a some of the country’s top academic and industry experts.
Popularity of the course means it will continue to contribute to a more skilled and confident forestry workforce and can be held up as a best-practice model for future collaboration in education and training.
This initiative has been funded by the Australian Government under the Forestry Workforce Training Program (FWTP).
Want more updates?
See the FWTP news page for the latest news articles and milestone updates from the program.
