Wood Technologist

Job overview
Wood technologists are involved in the many different processes used to turn a tree into a commercially valuable product in the form of sawn timber, plywood, particleboard or treated poles?.

What do people do in this job?
Wood technologists, using their academic and on-the-job training as well as product and process know-how, provide the knowledge, experience and skills needed to carry out the conversion processes effectively.

The trained technologist can practise in various fields in the timber processing and related industries, viz. ?primary processing? (timber treating, plywood manufacture, fibre and particle board manufacture and sawmilling?)?, secondary processing? (furniture, joinery, building and timber construction?) ?and others such as research, marketing and training labour.

The work in which the wood technologist can be involved, includes:?

• obtaining raw materials, principally timber,?
• preparing, storing and controlling raw materials,?
• converting these raw materials efficiently and cost-effectively into saleable products,?
• transporting inside and outside the processing plants,?
• efficiently storing and controlling finished products,?
• marketing diverse products,?
• managing staff, costs, product quality and safety,
• maintaining equipment and plant,?
• in-service training of staff and workers,?
• in-company, industrial and scientific research.

What kinds of people are suitable for this career?
The prospective wood technologist should enjoy working with wood and timber products, and should like technical subjects and working with people.

What qualifications are needed?
Good school-leaving results in science subjects, reinforced by tertiary studies in science, plus technical college training in wood technology.