STIHL PLAYS ITS PART IN RAISING INDUSTRY'S SKILLS LEVEL

As part of his mission to help his customers upgrade their skills, STIHL SA GM, David Hutton, has sponsored one of the world's best-known aboriculturalists to run a series of training courses at the STIHL head offices in Pietermaritzburg.

Dave Hutton GM Stihl SA with Mark Brewer, owner director of MGC.

“We want our customers to raise the level of their aboricultural and horticultural skills,” says Hutton. “In arbouring, it is essential that people know what they are doing as inexperience in both the use of the equipment and the techniques can cause serious injury.”

This is no exaggeration. In 2004 there were several deaths reported from the aboricultural industry in this country, which amounted to four times more than in the entire U.K.

Mark Brewer, the instructor that Hutton brought to South Africa, is also the owner/director of MGC, a company which specialises in the training of anything related to forestry and aboricultural operations.

Based in Sussex in the U.K., Brewer has worked all over the world including in the rain forests of South America where he honed his skills in one of the toughest forestry environments on the planet.

“My experience has taught me that these skills are vital to a safe and productive industry and I commend STIHL for consistently making the effort on behalf of its customers and the industry to uplift the skills level,” says Brewer.

Four basic courses were covered:

CS38 - basic tree climbing and aerial rescue.
CS39 - using a chainsaw from a rope and/or harness
CS40 - pruning operations, crown thinning, crown reduction
CS41 – dismantling operations including lowering sections of a tree with ropes an felling upright sections for free fall

Hutton explains that successful completion of the courses will qualify the students as instructors of tree arbouring, a first in South Africa. Once the course is registered with the SETA, this element could form part of qualifying towards horticulture qualification.

“The attendees are already highly qualified, all having done the ground units standards. These courses are designed for them to go to the next level,” said Hutton.

Hutton concluded by saying that STIHL is determined to continue raising the bar with respect to the level of skills on the industry.

“We are not in the business of selling for the sake of selling alone. We have a responsibility to play a part in building a world-class industry in South Africa and I am pleased to say that our initiatives are bearing fruit.”

STIHL reports that courses were attended by three municipalities in the country and five people from registered training institutions. Hutton said, “This will give us the foundation of people to now take these unit standards forward to the people on the ground.”

For further information please contact STIHL on 0800 336 996.

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