Project Description
This project appoints two National Workforce Development Managers (WDMs) to strengthen connections between the forestry industry and the VET/higher education system.
The WDMs coordinate workforce training activity, diversity initiatives, micro-credential development, industry engagement and system improvements across the Forestry Workforce Training Program (FWTP) projects, ensuring project visibility, uptake, and alignment with broader industry training priorities.
Timeline
January 2025 – June 2027
Lead Organisation
ForestWorks
Contact
Georgiana Daian
Program Manager
gdaian@forestworks.com.au
Enhancing industry and VET engagement across the Forestry Workforce Training Program (FWTP)
Workforce development managers provide hands-on support to FWTP projects, partners and stakeholders. They provide national coordination, practical advice, and quality assurance, strengthening the connection between industry needs, piloted workforce development solutions and the vocational education and training (VET) system.
Workforce development managers
Kaye Tyter
Workforce Development Manager
ktyter@forestworks.com.au
Anthony Walsh
Workforce Development & Projects Manager
awalsh@forestworks.com.au
How they support FWTP delivery
- Provide practical guidance to project leads and delivery partners on: workplace-based training and assessment; standardised tools and templates to improve cross-jurisdiction reliability and portability; remote assessment methods; and effective use of digital learning resources.
- Assist partners to identify measures that widen access—particularly for regional learners and under-represented groups—strengthening project reach and outcomes.
- Monitor milestones and risks with project leads, surface issues early, and coordinate solutions that reduce duplication and improve value for money across FWTP activities.
- Gather feedback from projects and stakeholders, identify gaps and opportunities, and inform ongoing improvement of training products, delivery models and support tools across FWTP.
Connecting industry and training
Workforce development managers
Project 10 established two national Workforce Development Manager roles to strengthen connections between the forestry industry, vocational education and training, and higher education through the Forestry Workforce Training Program (FWTP).
Delivered by ForestWorks, the project provided a central coordination function that connected employers, training providers, project teams, and specialist expertise.
Project at a glance
The objective
Strengthen connections between industry and training by:
- increasing participation in training
- supporting stakeholder engagement and coordination
- guiding employers and participants through training pathways.
The result
Project 10 created a specialist support function through the national workforce development managers who connected program projects, employers, and training providers.
As the program developed, the workforce development managers model evolved into two complementary areas of specialisation:
- industry and workforce development
- digital training and infrastructure.
This combination enabled the FWTP to support both stakeholder engagement and the practical systems, resources and expertise needed to deliver training.
Why the project mattered
The workforce development managers acted as a connective layer across the FWTP. They helped industry and training partners develop relevant pilot activities, access specialist expertise and move implementation issues towards practical solutions.
The workforce development managers:
- connected employers, registered training organisations, delivery partners and project leads
- helped establish pilot working groups
- followed up expressions of interest
- applied vocational education and training expertise to project design and implementation
- helped resolve training and delivery challenges
- shared insights and identified opportunities for collaboration across projects
- supported project teams to meet milestones and deliverables.
How the coordination model worked
Workforce development managers served as central points of contact across assigned projects and specialisation areas.
Through regular coordination, targeted stakeholder engagement, and specialist advice, they supported project lead organisations and delivery partners in connecting industry workforce needs with training delivery and program implementation.
Industry and workforce development
The workforce development manager for this stream coordinated engagement across partner-led and skills-recognition projects. Work included:
- helping stakeholders navigate the VET system
- aligning activity across related projects
- supporting skills recognition
- contributing to broader workforce development outcomes.
Digital training and infrastructure
The workforce development manager for this stream coordinated the development of training resources and digital infrastructure. Work included:
- supporting the ForestEdu platform
- establishing online training systems
- setting up Moodle environments
- coordinating instructional design
- managing the development of digital training materials.
What we learned: The workforce development manager model became more effective when responsibilities were divided between complementary specialist streams rather than managed through one broad generalist role.
The value of specialist coordination
The Workforce Development Manager function reduced duplication across projects, improved project visibility, and gave employers, registered training organisations, and project leads a clearer route to the support required for pilot delivery.
Key benefits included:
- a clearer point of connection to training pilots, providers and specialist expertise
- better alignment across related projects
- less duplication and fragmented stakeholder engagement
- practical assistance with VET navigation and compliance
- stronger support for training design and digital delivery systems
- improved collaboration and transparency through the RTO network
- better tracking and visibility of project actions, risks and milestones.
Specialist capability matters: The Workforce Development Manager function was most effective when its capability mix reflected the program’s major work streams, combining VET compliance, industry engagement, digital infrastructure and resource-development expertise.
Lessons for future workforce programs
Project 10 identified four considerations for designing future workforce development initiatives.
1. Build specialist roles into the program
Use complementary specialist positions from the outset rather than relying on a single broad generalist role.
2. Recruit for the program’s major work streams
For the FWTP, the two critical streams were:
- industry-facing workforce development
- digital training and resource infrastructure.
3. Prioritise practical VET experience
Roles should include practical knowledge of:
- registered training organisation operations
- regulatory compliance
- training and assessment
- planning and delivery
- audit expectations.
4. Plan for continuity
Maintain role and program continuity through:
- documented systems
- clear handover arrangements
- consistent record keeping
- early alignment between staff capabilities and program requirements.
A specialist model for stronger workforce outcomes
Project 10 demonstrated that workforce development programs are most effective when industry engagement, VET expertise, digital infrastructure, and training-resource development come together through a specialist support model.
ForestEdu is a central platform for accessing industry-specific training resources, strengthening professional networks, and addressing workforce capability needs across the forest, wood, and paper sectors. The platform was developed for learners, employers, and training providers as part of the Forestry Workforce Training Program, which is funded by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
