The inaugural seminar of the Forest Products Research Centre (FPRC), held recently at Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College, tackled the thorny issue of the declining number of students enrolling in degree courses.

The seminar was the first of what is hoped to be an annual event with the objective of getting the academic and business elements of the timber industry to work even more closely together, so that every opportunity is pursued. In the past, it was acknowledged, there has been a gap between the two parties and this seminar was intended to be a strong bridge between them.

There are currently six students on the MSc course at the FPRC; three from Finland, two from Britain and one from France. The two students currently receiviing no government funding are the British. Now that the undergraduate course has closed because of lack of interest, the number of future students is unlikely to grow unless the industry takes an active role, by using college resources, helping to finance students and making timber a desirable subject to study.

Young appeal

This may seem unrealistic but, as Charles Trevor, director of the wood. for good. campaign showed in his keynote address, the industry is starting to make timber a desirable product to buy; the industry could build on this and make itself desirable to students. Given the potential for travel, high levels of technology in manufacturing and a growing demand for its products, the wood industry has the potential to attract young people.

Dr Mark Irle, head of the Centre, brought the delegates up to date on the activities of the FPRC. While the undergraduate course has closed, there have been successful results from the Institute of Wood Science programme, as well as the MSc course. This, together with consultancy and research, gives an excellent platform for the wood industry.

Dr Irle explained how the FPRC was continuing to raise revenue through consultancy and had received backing for its wide programme of research via UK and European government funding, as well as from industry. It has excellent facilities with a well-equipped workshop, which includes kilns and preservation equipment. Recent research has focused on benign treatments for wood protection, biodeterioration and preservation. The ongoing research into forestry, as well as the physical and mechanical wood properties, all ensures that there is scope for the wood industry to work with the FPRC across a very wide range of specialties.

Mr Trevor began his keynote address, on behalf of the wood. for good campaign, by explaining to the delegates how he wanted to find ways of creating closer ties with organisations like the FPRC and become more involved in training, particularly by using short courses. Mr Trevor gave an update on the progress of the campaign, highlighting the key objectives, namely promoting the benefits, changing attitudes and improving the public’s education about wood, with the goal of increasing consumption by 800,000m3 over the next five years. The campaign’s plans were explained, illustrating the need for a greater investment in training and education for the wood industry.

Customised training

Paul Hodges, consultancy manager for the FPRC, offered delegates the chance to have some input into the style and structure of courses that are suitable in the ‘real world’. Mr Hodges also offered the opportunity for training courses to be built around individual or company needs, so that more benefit could be gained by students and sponsors alike.

In today’s job market, where the leisure, media and IT industries are enormously popular and there is a shortage of bright young people, the wood industry needs faculties like the FPRC and others around Britain, to provide the key resource for our future, trained, informed, timber experts.

The seminar finished with a wide-ranging plenary session which included discussion on many of the areas of oppor-tunity for future training. Delegates acknowledged that, while there was a problem that must be tackled, there was a bright future, given the resources and commitment of all parts of the wood industry.

By the time of the FPRC’s seminar next year some signs will be starting to emerge. Clearly, the hope was that they’re as positive and forward-looking as this first event.