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National saw doctor training chopped

Posted on October 21, 2009, 7:07am and updated on October 22, 2009 at 8:05 am

Mount Gambier TAFE SA has axed its national saw doctoring program, which has been delivered in the Blue Lake City for more than 30 years.

Considered a major setback for TAFE SA’s Mount Gamier campus and the region’s $1b timber industry, the saw doctoring program will cease in March.

Falling enrolments are blamed for the move, not financial cutbacks at the Mount Gambier campus.

In recent years the Mount Gambier campus has suffered staff cuts under a major restructuring of the organisation.

The Mount Gambier saw doctoring program was the city’s only national TAFE course that attracted students from across Australia.

At Grant District Council’s full meeting on Monday night, several councillors expressed disappointment with the program’s demise.

TAFE SA managing director Denise Janek said the number of students had dwindled from about eight to only three this year.

She said all three first-year apprentices this year were from Queensland and 80pc of students in recent years had come from interstate.

The TAFE chief said the Mount Gambier program was the only one delivered in Australia for many years, but now had to compete against two other training providers.

“Things change all the time and there have been changes to technology where mills are now operating in different ways and do more training on the job,” Ms Janek said.

She said TAFE SA kept the course running in recent years to ensure the timber industry was provided with adequate saw doctors, despite the program losing money each year.

“If we were just talking about the money we would have cut the program eight years ago,” Ms Janek said.

“Things just change, that’s a fact of life.”

But she said TAFE was pouring more than $4m to boost the heavy transport and furnishing/ building trade programs at Mount Gambier.

“Theses two areas are growth areas,” Ms Janek said.

She said these courses were attracting high numbers of apprentices and more money was needed to upgrade facilities and equipment to meet the growing demand.

Ms Janek said the saw doctoring program was also dealt a blow with the retirement of long-term saw doctoring lecturer Alan Sandeman.

She said significant major investment in equipment would also have been needed to keep delivering the course.

Saw doctors oversee cutting tools in timber processing mills to ensure saw blades and planers are in good condition.

SANDRA MORELLO

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