When entries to the Timber Trades Journal’s first Trainee of the Year Award category of the TTJ Awards began to arrive last year there was a recurring thread among the submissions – all the candidates had a thirst for knowledge.

The calibre of the participants was high, with many showing initiative within their companies which, with the help of training, they were able to develop. Relationships with customers were also strengthened as they gained confidence to talk about timber and wood products knowledgably.

Entries to this year’s TTJ Trainee of the Year Award will soon be open and, with the trade’s rising commitment to education and training, it is hoped 2004 will see even more people vying for the title.

Last year’s trainees were at different stages in their careers – some had been in the trade for a while and others were relative newcomers. Many had signed up for the Institute of Wood Science (IWSc) Timber Studies Award course and others the Certificate course, with the result that they have been able to pass on what they learned to colleagues within their own companies.

The TTJ Trainee of the Year Award is sponsored by SCA Timber Supply Ltd whose own training course has IWSc accreditation resulting in the timber studies award. SCA Timber Supply has been at the forefront of offering training to its customers and more than 150 graduates have passed through the courses it runs.

Rob Simpson, managing director of SCA Timber Supply, said the wide range of industries into which timber is sold emphasises the need to understand the material and its properties.

Applying knowledge

But, he said, success is not based on this knowledge alone. Trainees must apply it to bring benefit to their employers – a major criterion for the Trainee of the Year Award judging panel.

There were 13 entries for last year’s award – and four were selected as finalists, with the winner announced at the TTJ Awards at The Savoy, London last September.

One of the runners-up was Sharon Hurst of Swiftwood Imports Ltd. She had been in the trade a little over a year and was nominated by her boss, sales director Peter Fiddling. In his submission he said: “Sharon’s enthusiasm to learn about timber and selling has never diminished. The more she learns, the greater is her confidence in selling timber. She has become a very useful, reliable and industrious member of the sales team.”

Time spent in the company’s sawmill gave Sharon an insight into machining and production methods and she also learnt about preservation treatments, enabling her to advise customers which was best suited to protect wood supplied to them.

Six months after the Awards ceremony Sharon said: “I am still learning, but I know a lot more now. It may be that I get the opportunity to do more training; it is something I would recommend as it gives a better outlook.

“I like timber and I would recommend the timber industry to anyone. It is still male oriented but there are more women coming in which is good.”

Building blocks

Another runner-up was James Wheeler of Hoppings Softwood Products, whose 88% score gained him distinction in his IWSc Timber Studies Award. That training, he said, gave him the basic knowledge that everyone within the trade requires and provided him with building blocks to develop his career.

&#8220I was nominated for the TTJ Trainee of the Year Award by our office manager and was really pleased to get to the final four. The impact came the next day when customers congratulated me!
”

Mark Pearson, Howarth (Timber Importers) Ltd

Hoppings sales director Geoff Alcoe said it was refreshing to find a younger employee willing to learn. In his submission he said: “James can absorb information and put it to use quickly. In my opinion too often trainees become labelled and it can be difficult for them to lose the office junior tag. After his training James gained the respect of the team. An action plan has been put together with James giving him a career development path, ultimately to become an external representative – and it may not stop there!”

James has now built up his own customer base and has started the 18-month IWSc certificate course. He said: “I asked to be put forward for it. I believe if opportunities are there you should take them.

“At the moment I am focusing on the sales side and hope to bring in new business to the company. The training has helped me deal with people if they start to get technical.

“I came into this industry with no knowledge and spent the first six months out in the yard. Although I didn’t appreciate it at first, that hands-on experience helped me learn more than I would have done sitting behind a desk.

“There is a lot of choice within the trade and once you are in you can get a feel for what you would like to do. And my advice would be to take as much as you get offered in training as it is invaluable.”

The third runner-up, Mark Pearson, was credited with “a maturity beyond his years” by office manager Wayne Abrams of Howarth (Timber Importers) Ltd. Mr Abrams added: “Mark’s keenness to progress shows in his hunger to learn from any sources we can provide.

“Mark absorbs knowledge like a sponge, and has the ability to apply that knowledge.”

Mark has been studying for his IWSc Certificate course which, he said, has given him plenty of knowledge. “It has helped as customers seek advice when buying timber so you have to know what you are talking about – end uses, sizes, defects and so on.

“I was nominated for the TTJ Trainee of the Year Award by our office manager and was really pleased to get to the final four. The impact came the next day when customers congratulated me!”

The overall winner was James White of James Latham plc. He gained distinction in his IWSc Certificate course and was accepted on to the IWSc Associate course. IWSc course tutor David Woodbridge said: “In the assessed sections James clocked up a score of 87%. That is a very good score indeed.”

Customer relationships

Company secretary Pippa Latham said James had successfully built strong customer relationships in the south east of England, adding: “Part of his success was giving advice on timber products to customers using them in joinery, shopfitting and machinery.”

James said: “Being in direct contact with the customer, my training has enabled me to give better advice in relation to product knowledge and the timber process in general. I now have a lot more confidence in my own ability to give technical information and, due to a more thorough understanding, the ability to offer solutions to problems. I am much more aware of potential problems of using certain woods and how they react during the conversion process. I also find myself being able to identify certain timbers and provide background information about them.”

James has almost completed his IWSc Associate course and said: “I would say to anyone that any sort of training you can do is worthwhile.”

He said becoming the TTJ Trainee of the Year brought the kudos that goes with winning a national award and added: “One thing I am going to benefit from, as part of the prize, is going to Sweden with SCA Timber Supply to look around some Swedish forests and sawmills.”

James, who has specialised in hardwood and joinery timbers, finds the timber trade rewarding and interesting, and added: “I would recommend the industry to any young person looking for a career.”