AKD WELCOMES 25 NEW APPRENTICES
The apprentices are spread across the company’s various locations. Oberon apprentices – L-R: Justin Hollis (electrician),
Jie Baird (fitter), and Jason Drury (electrician).
With the labor market struggling and impacting heavily on the timber industry there’s some good news from Associated Kiln Driers Pty Ltd (known as AKD) this week.
The 100% Australian-owned and operated integrated forestry and timber processing company has announced they have added 25 new apprentices across their operations in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
“Ten of our existing apprentices completed their training and continued on with trade roles within the business,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
“Overall, this brings our current number of apprentices in training up to 75, covering Fitting and Machining, Fabrication, Electrical, Saw Technicians and Wood Machinists.
“In the past 2 years, our total apprentice numbers have increased by over 50%. This means that 1 in 15 AKD employees are trade apprentices, reinforcing AKD’s approach to training and developing its people, and ensuring trade-based skills are available for the longer term to support our sawmilling operations.”
This year, 65% of the apprentices engaged were from internal appointments from people “This is the highest number since the start of the program,” they said.
“This shows our desire to create internal pathway opportunities and offer development opportunities for all employees.”
“This year we also had two employees begin to undertake a second trade, what we call a ‘Dual Trade’. This allows development opportunities for the individual and also provides a more highly skilled and flexible workforce for AKD.
“We wish all of our new apprentices all the best in their chosen career trade,” they said.
AKD is one of the largest softwood sawmill operators in Australia. With six sawmills processing in excess of 2,000,000m3 of sawlog per annum.
