How far have our forestry science graduates gone?

Authors: Bruce Manley
Publication: New Zealand Journal of Forestry, Volume N.Z.J.For. 2024, Issue N.Z.J.For. 68(4) 2024, pp Pages 23 - 28, Feb 2024
Publisher: New Zealand Institute of Forestry

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Abstract: This paper reports on the current location and role of 385 Bachelor of Forestry Science (BForSc) graduates who completed their studies at the School of Forestry between 2000 and 2022. Of these 385 graduates, 267 (69%) are still working in forestry, with 220 of them working in New Zealand as at October/November 2023. A further seven graduates left a forestry job in New Zealand for their overseas experience (OE) in 2023. Of the 40 graduates who work in forestry outside of New Zealand, some 21 work in Australia. Post-1999 BForSc graduates have a wide range of roles across the whole forestry sector, but with concentrations in plantation management, technical services, harvesting and logistics. A number of the 118 post-1999 BForSc graduates who are not working in forestry have completed another degree in engineering, geology, surveying, IT, law or accounting. Some 44 graduates went to a non-forestry job on completion of their degree. The other 74 graduates worked in forestry for a varying period of time, commonly one to five years. Some left for a similar role in another sector and others returned to the family farm. There are trends with year of completion. Since 2000, 89% of the 385 BForSc graduates included in this study got a forestry job immediately after completion. This percentage has been higher in recent years, with 96% of graduates who completed their BForSc from 2014 on getting a forestry job after completion. The percentage of BForSc graduates still working in forestry is higher for those who completed more recently. Overall, 69% of post-1999 BForSc graduates are still working in forestry. However only 58% of graduates who completed between 2000 and 2013 are still in forestry compared to 89% who completed between 2014 and 2022.

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