Project 14. Enhancing Industry Tertiary Education

Home / ForestWorks / Forestry Workforce Training Program 2024-2027 / Project 14. Enhancing Industry Tertiary Education

Project Description

This project strengthens Australia’s tertiary forestry education by establishing a nationally accessible Graduate Certificate in Forestry to address a long-standing gap in tertiary forestry education. A flexible, multi-provider delivery model is used to reduce travel barriers and enable participation from workers in all states, supporting access to quality training regardless of location.

A Tertiary Workforce Development Manager is appointed to coordinate industry partnerships, student recruitment, consistent communications, and a sustainable, multi-university delivery model.

Timeline
  • January 2025 – June 2026
Lead Organisation
  • Led by the University of Tasmania and delivered in collaboration with the University of Melbourne, the Australian National University, the University of South Australia and the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Contact

Julianne O’Reilly-Wapstra
Professor, Forest Sciences
julianne.oreilly@utas.edu.au

Kaye Tyter
Workforce Development Manager
ktyter@forestworks.com.au

Graduate Certificate in Forestry

Australia has had a long-standing gap in forestry education since undergraduate degrees were no longer offered. This project addresses that gap by supporting the development and national rollout of a Graduate Certificate in Forestry backed by the industry. The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) and its member companies are working to secure viable annual cohorts and co-design a relevant curriculum to ensure the qualification remains responsive to workforce needs.

The Graduate Certificate in Forestry offers four units:

  • Unit 1 — Introduction to Forestry
  • Unit 2 — Carbon Forestry
  • Unit 3 — Plantation Silviculture
  • Unit 4 — Forest Operations

It is led by the University of Tasmania (UTAS) and delivered in collaboration with leading universities:

  • The University of Melbourne (UniMelb)
  • The Australian National University (ANU)
  • The University of South Australia (UniSA)
  • The University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC)

Why this program matters

  • Rebuilding tertiary pathways: Australia’s forest industry needs a reliable pipeline of tertiary-qualified professionals with job-ready skills. With undergraduate forestry degrees no longer offered, the Graduate Certificate in Forestry provides a practical, industry-aligned pathway to build capability across softwood, hardwood and native forest supply chains.
  • Designed for workers and regions: A flexible, multi-provider model reduces travel barriers and enables participation from workers in all states, supporting access to quality training regardless of location.

What has been delivered

2024 groundwork (pre-pilot):

  • The course structure was refined with AFPA and partner universities.
  • Two units offered using existing university “shells”: Introduction to Forestry (ANU, Semester 1) and Carbon Forestry (UniMelb, Semester 2), each with supported industry cohorts and intensive field schools.

2025 development and pilots:

Accreditation and approvals: UTAS progressed AQF/TEQSA pathways. Following UCUPC Executive reviews (May–July), the Academic Senate endorsed and approved the Graduate Certificate in Forestry at the end of July 2025. Legal arrangements clarified multi-institution delivery and industry funding commitments.

Pilot delivery Semester 1, 2025: Two units were offered: Introduction to Forestry (ANU) and Plantation Silviculture (UniSA). Two scholarships (AFPA, Forestry Australia) were awarded.

  • Twenty-three students undertook Introduction to Forestry (with a six-day Tasmania field program); 18 undertook Plantation Silviculture (online + Mount Gambier field program).

Pilot delivery Semester 2, 2025: Two units are being offered: Carbon Forestry (UniMelb) and Forest Operations (UTAS and UniSC)

Unit 4 development: UTAS/UniSC co-developed Forest Operations content/UniSC and commenced delivery on 5 August 2025. Content will continue to be refined through co-teaching in 2025.

Outreach and partnerships

  • Industry pathways and annual cohorts: UTAS and AFPA have established a streamlined process to identify annual student cohorts, which includes circulating an Expression of Interest form to AFPA members and creating a UTAS Course & Unit Handbook page for the Graduate Certificate (2026 entry).
  • Formal commitments: Letters of intention from AFPA and collaborating universities are being converted into legal agreements to underpin minimum enrolments and shared delivery.

Scholarships and equity

UTAS is working with Forestry Australia and AFPA to offer equity scholarships for 2026 (including an intended Indigenous scholarship).

Further actions underway

  • Q3–Q4 2025: Continue refining Forest Operations content; deliver Semester 2 units; finalise UTAS–partner university contracts and AFPA funding arrangements; progress credit/exemption agreements; transition Introduction to Forestry to the UTAS LMS for co-taught delivery with ANU from Q1 2026; expand marketing for student recruitment.
  • Jan–Mar 2026: Consolidate evaluation across students, employers, and staff; propose refinements; complete final reporting; consider expansion to the Graduate Diploma; and secure multi-year formal letters of intention for ongoing student places, scholarships, and course coordination funding.
  • Marketing and outreach (ongoing): Develop a dedicated marketing webpage, gather testimonials/case studies, and plan targeted campaigns to land management agencies and adjacent professions.

Graduate Certificate in Forestry

The University of Tasmania (UTAS), in collaboration with leading Australian universities, offers a nationally accessible Graduate Certificate in Forestry. The qualification provides a practical, work-integrated pathway that responds to current and emerging workforce needs across Australia’s forest sector.

How to Get Involved

Employers and individuals can register interest for upcoming intakes via the Expression of Interest form coordinated by the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) and view course information on the UTAS Handbook page.

What the program offers

  • Purpose-built for industry: Designed with employer input to address current and emerging workforce needs.
  • Flexible for working professionals: Study online from your community and attend short, intensive field schools for hands-on learning.
  • Nationwide delivery: A coordinated qualification offered across multiple leading universities.

Program structure (4 units)

  • Unit 1 — Introduction to Forestry (Co-taught by The University of Tasmania & The Australian National University)
  • Unit 2 — Carbon Forestry (Taught by The University of Melbourne)
  • Unit 3 — Plantation Silviculture (Taught by The University of South Australia)
  • Unit 4 — Forest Operations (Co-taught by the University of Tasmania and The University of the Sunshine Coast)

Delivery model

  • Online learning for flexibility and access.
  • Intensive residential field schools for hands-on, practical experience.

Who is it for

  • Employed, regionally based professionals seeking to upskill through online study and short, intensive field schools for hands-on learning.
  • Early- to mid-career practitioners moving into forestry roles, supervisors and technicians broadening their capabilities, and professionals transitioning from related sectors.

Industry partnership

Backed by the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) and member companies, the program benefits from:

  • Support to build viable annual student cohorts.
  • Co-designed curriculum to ensure content remains aligned with employer and workforce requirements.

Governance and accreditation

The Graduate Certificate has full University of Tasmania approval, following UCUPC Executive endorsement on 25 July 2025 and Academic Senate approval at the end of July 2025, with arrangements in place for third-party delivery and industry funding.

Building forestry capability

Graduate Certificate in Forestry

Project 14 piloted a flexible, industry-supported Graduate Certificate in Forestry to strengthen university-level forestry education and meet the needs of employed and regionally based participants.

The project tested a nationally collaborative model that brings together university expertise, industry participation, online learning and practical field-based education.

Program Information

Explore the Graduate Certificate in Forestry

Outcomes at a glance

  • 56 students enrolled by April 2026
  • 1st cohort graduated
  • 40 students continuing
  • 5 collaborating universities
  • 4 specialist course units

Addressing an industry capability gap

The discontinuation of undergraduate forestry degrees in recent years reduced access to specialised education pathways at a time when the sector continued to face expertise shortages.

Forestry roles are also becoming more complex, requiring knowledge across policy, regulation, forest governance, silviculture, carbon management, forest operations and supply chains.

Project 14 responded by supporting the establishment of a recognised AQF Level 8 qualification delivered through a national university network.

The project progressed from an initial concept to an accredited postgraduate program. The first cohort graduated during the project period, demonstrating that the Graduate Certificate and collaborative delivery model could deliver a recognised forestry qualification to the participants.

Course structure

The Graduate Certificate has four modules delivered by five universities:

  • the University of Tasmania
  • the Australian National University
  • the University of Melbourne
  • Adelaide University/UniSA
  • the University of the Sunshine Coast.

Capability targeted to industry need. The course builds practical knowledge in policy, regulation, silviculture, carbon management, forest operations and the broader forestry sector.

A workforce pathway. The format is designed for regionally based, employed participants and supports full-certificate progression, individual-unit participation, and a micro-credential pathway.

How the national model works

The project tested more than a course. It tested whether universities and industry could work together to deliver a coordinated forestry qualification for employed participants.

The model follows five stages:

  1. Participant nomination — employers identify capability needs and nominate participants, supported by sponsorship or scholarships. Workers can also apply directly.
  2. Course coordination — the University of Tasmania manages enrolment, accreditation and cross-institutional arrangements.
  3. National specialist teaching — five universities contribute expertise to the four course units.
  4. Flexible and practical delivery — participants complete online learning and residential field schools.
  5. Recognised capability — participants apply their learning in operational and policy contexts and work towards the Graduate Certificate.

The industry participates through:

  • identifying capability needs
  • providing scholarships
  • contributing guest teaching
  • supporting field-based learning
  • reviewing course content
  • promoting participation.

What participants valued

Participant feedback highlighted the value of:

  • face-to-face and experiential learning during residential schools
  • field trips that connected technical content with forestry operations
  • interaction with academic specialists, industry leaders and other participants
  • national and international perspectives on forestry
  • practical coverage of harvesting, supply chains and contracting
  • stronger engagement through peer and professional networks.

From pilot to an enduring national pathway

The proposed development pathway includes:

Ongoing relevance: Course and unit content is reviewed following delivery. The Committee for the Future of Forestry Education (COFFE) also reviews the program annually.

Potential extension pathways: Subject to viability and regulatory requirements, future options could include:

  • a Graduate Diploma comprising eight units
  • additional specialist units
  • micro-certifications
  • individual-unit participation
  • full-fee domestic access
  • international participation.