Bachelor of Forest Engineering

By PHILIPPA STEVENSON

The course: Canterbury University's forest engineering programme is one of a kind in Australasia, although courses are offered in South Africa and North America.

Graduates of the under-subscribed course have found their rare skills in demand both in and outside the forest industry with most students having employment confirmed before they have sat their last examinations.

The four-year honours bachelor's degree can be studied part time but a full-time course is recommended. Classroom study is 30 to 40 hours a week, topped by 20 hours of individual work.

Students are expected to work in forest engineering jobs for 180 days over each of the three summers during the course and report formally on their experience.

The degree is designed to provide the skills in engineering and forest management to meet the challenge of the expected rapid growth in timber production in the next 10 to 15 years.

The first, or intermediate, year's study focuses on mathematics, physics, chemistry, mechanics and optional courses chosen by the student.

In the second year - the first professional year - emphasis is on basic engineering subjects, including mathematics, fluid and structural mechanics and design.

In the third year, students' knowledge of engineering principles is consolidated and they are introduced to the basic principles of forest engineering, silviculture and wood science.

The fourth year contains an even balance of forestry and engineering subjects, with special emphasis on management, design, and personal projects.

Practical subjects include forest measurement, surveying, inventory and sampling, computing, and research.

Assessment is by a combination of exams, tests, laboratory assignments, fieldwork and project reports.

The programme is accredited by the Institution of Professional Engineers of New Zealand (IPENZ) and recognised in other countries, including the United States, Canada and Britain.

Graduates can go on to study for a master's degree and doctorate in forest engineering, forestry, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, management, or science.

Students entering the course need a background in mathematics, calculus, physics, chemistry and English.

The course costs about $4200 a year and applications can be made any time for the next intake in February.

Within the forestry sector, graduates' work opportunities include harvest and road planning for forestry companies, forest environmental management, contract management, forest operations contracting, logistics management and forest engineering consultancy.

Outside the forest sector, jobs can be found in civil engineering consulting, environmental management, design engineering, engineering work for councils, highway engineering, regional planning, resource planning, policy, research and development and software development.

Starting salaries range from $40,000 to $45,000.

What students think

Craig Jones, 23

Asset management analyst, Auckland

Graduated 2004


I wanted to study engineering in natural resources or forestry rather than the usual civil or electrical engineering because it is an option that offers a smaller class size and a variety of specialist engineering courses. It means you can specialise for the career you want to follow in the second year.

For work experience I worked for the Department of Conservation after the Cave Creek disaster. I really enjoyed the work and thought this was for me.

In the first year the workload is horrendous as you develop time-management skills and adjust to university life. But everyone is in the same boat - you're all doing assignments at 3am. The third and fourth years are easier.

The highlight is being a specialist engineer in a thriving industry. You are working in a small team so you get more out of it and the lecturers have an open-door policy.

The company I work for now manages large-scale assets such as for local bodies.

I've specialised in health asset management, and that's what the degree in forest engineering does - it provides a specialist engineering focus from day one but also has enough skill and flexibility for you to move into the broader engineering disciplines, commerce and management. It's for people who are not just interested in pure design but enjoy the challenge of juggling other social and economic factors into their decision making.

The degree provides the skills to think outside the square, to apply knowledge in many different ways and in many different situations. Just look at me - I tell hospitals how to spend money. I haven't ruled out going back to forestry but I'd want a position from which to leapfrog into senior management.

What employers think

Director

SPM Consultants, Auckland


Our business is a thought business. It involves strategy and creating solutions and a degree is an essential component whether it be in forestry or another area. We want someone who can do the analysis and determine a decision.

We've tried people without degrees and it's been a disaster. It's hard to get people in our area. An engineering-related degree generally requires the individual to analyse situations and develop a result.

Someone with a degree in, say, biotechnology, measures and reports without necessarily coming to a decision.

We find Craig's degree benefits him. He certainly goes back to projects he worked on before to help him with decisions now.

The qualification

Bachelor of Forest Engineering

NZ School of Forestry

Canterbury University

Ph: (03) 364 2987 ext 8361

Earning: $40,000-$45,000