Millennials are choosing Australia’s regions to pursue careers

“I am looking forward to seeing this year unfold for OneFortyOne. I am sure that the challenges we have recently faced have made us stronger.”

By Peter Brydon, Chief People Officer, OneFortyOne

A recently released report from the Regional Australia Institute highlights the important role regional communities play not only for people from the regions, but also for those who grew up in the city.

The Big Movers: Understanding Population Mobility in Regional Australia presents data which shows regional Australia had a net inflow of 65,204 people between 2011 and 2016. This means regional Australia attracted more people than it lost in those five years. Anecdotally, even more people will move from city to country as the pandemic has demonstrated effective work from home is truly achievable. It will be interesting if this predicted population move proves true.

This is a promising figure. Like most regional industries, forestry needs to attract and retain young people to work within it as our experts get older. OneFortyOne places a high value on strong and resilient regional communities, which is evident through our support of local groups such as the Stand Like Stone Foundation in Mt Gambier, South Australia.

OneFortyOne is proud of the career pathways and development opportunities it can provide for young people in regional communities. Foresters, mill tech specialists, engineers, scientists, IT professionals, human resources and safety specialists, accountants and lawyers are just some of the roles we need to help advance the Australian forestry and timber industry. These are solid, professional careers that have great salary and growth potential.

As a member of the Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub, OneFortyOne champions diversity and safety. We invest in our people to ensure their skills remain relevant as the industry grows and evolves.

OneFortyOne’s Jubilee Sawmill in Mount Gambier is one of the largest mills in Australia and the Green Triangle forest estate is regarded as one of the best assets in the world. To ensure our people have the right skills for a successful career in forestry, the company proudly provides traineeships, graduate programs and career opportunities at the forefront of science and technology in one of the world’s most environmentally sustainable industries. 

As a company, OneFortyOne prides itself on being a safe place to work. ‘Home safe and well’ is our ethos for every person associated with OneFortyOne. With our employees, contractors and partners, we are building a culture of wellness that aims to increase our overall quality of life and reduce our risk of physical and emotional injury. Our goal is to boost the wellbeing of our entire workforce. That means not only keeping them safe from physical harm, but also encouraging mental and emotional health. 

COVID-19 taught us and reinforced many things. We all need to be flexible and adapt quickly when circumstances change. At OneFortyOne, we have been proud of the commitment of our mill workers to adapt to change like physical distancing. Our office employees also took it in their stride and were able to work remotely effectively. This was largely possible thanks to our IT team who proved themselves nimble and resourceful as we equipped our people to work from home.

OneFortyOne’s flexible working environment is a strong aspect of the company and is an asset during the pandemic. We value quality of work and we are flexible with our employees, particularly when they have family and personal commitments.

The last 12 months have brought challenges OneFortyOne has never experienced. The Australian bushfires, pandemic and difficult markets have tested us. Yet, the people of OneFortyOne have navigated through the multiple crisis’ admirably, demonstrating that collective resilience is our foundation. These challenges have made it clear where we need to evolve as a business.

2021 will be an interesting year for us and we have big ambitions. These include evolving our focus on physical safety to safety, health and wellbeing as well as accelerating our diversity, inclusion and acceptance priorities. We still have some way to go, but that doesn’t minimise the commitment of our people who actively improve OneFortyOne’s culture every day.

I am looking forward to seeing this year unfold for OneFortyOne. I am sure that the challenges we have recently faced have made us stronger. Our industry is already one of great opportunity for people looking for a long-term and fulfilling career. I am hopeful that the progressive changes that the sector continues to make increase the appeal for talented people from all backgrounds, interests and locations.