, , L , S . , TIMBERE ORTDEVELOPMENTBOARD EDB MANPOWERDEVELOPMENTFOR'I'llEGllANAWOOD unUSTRYTRAININGCENTRE(WITC FD12/98Rev. 2(I) o S 0.10 T Ok^".^ by F'. K. Odoon Forestry Consultant ARBORNOVALT, (Forestry & Forest Industry Consultants) July, 1999 , Acknowledgements The Consultant would like to express his sincere gratitude and thanks allthose who in diverse ways have provided support during the implementation of this study. This includes allthose who were visited and contacted in the wood industry and the TEDB Special thanks go to the following: TEDB Mr. S. K. Appiah Managing Director WITC F. Hans Gstrein -Technical Director 1.0. K. Gyamfi -Dop. Director, Ag. Head, Wood Processing Department J. A. Sagoe -Kiln Drying Consultant KwasiLumor -Head, Saw doctoring/Saw milling S. A. Boyd-Awuah -Principal Instructor, Saw doctoring E. Adu-Fukuo -Srir. Engineer, Kiln Drying Sammy Dolphine -Assistant Training Officer, Computer Dept George Graham-Smith -Assistant Training Officer, Computer Dept Joseph Oduro -Principal Technician, Furniture Production Mensah K. Sampson -Principal Technician, Furniture Production . ~ , Acronyms BRM Binm Wood Complex CAAST College of Applied Arts Science and Technology CDl Centre for Development of Industry ERP Econoinic Rehabilitation Project ESS Ehwia Saw doctoring School FIRA Furniture Industry Research Association FMSC Forest Management Support Centre FORTG Forestry Research Institute of Ghana FPIB Forest Products Inspection Bureau FRMP Forest Resources Management Project GDC General Development Corporation GIS Geographic Information System GRCC Grading Rules Consultative Council GTZ German Technical Cooperation unD Higher National Diploma IRNR Institute of Renewable Natural Resources ISO International Standards Organisation ITTO International Timber Trade Organisation KNUST Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology LIL Low Impact Logging LKS Lesser Known Species LUS Lesser Used Species MOE Ministry of Education PF Phenol Formaldehyde SBS Saoud Brothers and Sons SFS School of Forestry, Sunyani Sss Senior Secondary School TEDB Timber Export Development Board TUC Timber Utilisation Contract Up Urea Formaldehyde USAID United States Agency for International Aid . WITC Wood Industries Training Centre \ , ~ , 2 . CONTENTS Page I. INTRODUCTION 5 I . I Study Objective 5 2. EXECUTIVESUMMARY 6 3. BACKGROUND 9 4 STUDYMETHODOLOGY 10 5 FINDINGS OFTHE STUDY 11 5 . I Overview of the Forestry and Forest Industries Training 11 5.2 Overview of Past Observations on the Wood Industry 12 52.1 Some Common Characteristics ofthe Wood industry 12 52.2 Logging and Logyard Operations 13 5.23 Sawmilling 15 5.24 KilnDrying 16 5.25 Moulding PlantOperation 18 5.26 Veneer and Plywood Production 19 52.7 FurnitureProduction 22 5.3 The Wood Industry Training Centre (WITC) 25 5.31 Historical Background 25 5.32 CurrentTraining Programmes and Services 26 53.3 Current WITC Technical Staffand Training Facilities 30 53.4 Review ofSome Suggested Curriculaofthe WITC 32 53.5 Some of the Constraints Facing the WITC 33 6 GENERALCONCLUSIONS 34 6. I The WITC's Mission Statement 34 6.2 The Skills requirements by the Wood Industry 34 6.3 The Training Requirements of the WITC Tutors 36 , 7. RECOMMENDATION 38 7. I Suggested WITC Goals 38 71.1 Extension and Consultancy Services 38 7.12 Standards forthe Wood Industry 39 7.2 Some Concepts for WITC Curricula Development 40 7.21 Suggested Coursestructure 40 7.22 Management Training 40 72.3 Training in Logging 41 7.3 41 Training programme forthe WITC Tutors ~ 7.4 Suggested Upgrading of Training Facilities 41 74.1 Saw milling 41 74.2 KilnDrying J 42 74.3 Veneer andPlywood 42 74.4 Sawdoctoringand Tooling 42 7.45 Computer Training 3 . Bibliography 44 Appendices 45 I. Terms of Reference 46 2. Questionnaire 48 3. List of People Met 51 4. Qualifications of the WITC Trainers 53 Tables 5 . I Summary of participation in Courses in 1998 5.2 Staffing of the WITC 5.3 Resource Persons Organisations to the WITC Figures 5 . I Trends in the Structure of the Wood Industry (1991-1999) G I ~ J 4 I. INTRODUCTION This project forms part of the ITTO's "Manpower Development for the Ghana Wood Industry Training Centre (WITC)" - Project No. P012/98 Rev. 2(I). The latter is meant to upgrade the technical manpower capacity of the WITC in saw milling, veneering, plywood production, kiln drying, saw doctoring, moulding and furniture processing to meetthe tertiary wood processing in Ghana and within the West African sub-region The study was under the auspices of the Timber Export Development Board (TEDB). It was undertaken by Mr. F. K. Odooin of Arbor Nova Ltd. , Takoradi, Ghana 1.1 Study Objective The objective of the study is the analysis of the training needs of the technical staff of the WITC to meet the technical skill requirements of the wood industry. This is to facilitate the formulation of proposals to address the deficiencies in the numbers, skills and competence of the WITC Tutors so as to enable the training of personnelto meet the needs of the wood industry. The results are expected to form the basis for the implementation of the above-cited ITTO project - "Manpower Development for the Ghana Wood Industry Training Centre (WITC)" - Project No. P012/98 Rev. 2(I). The details of the Terms of Reference can be found in Appendix I. It includes . Assessment of the training needs of the technical staffat the WITC; . Assessment of the technical manpower requirements of the wood industry; . Comments on the adequacy of the current curricula at the WITC, and . Recommendations to address the deficiencies in the skills of the Tutors at the WITC C ~ , 5 , 2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The technical manpower requirements of the wood industry have been assessed in addition to the analysis of the training needs of the technical staffofthe WITC. The effectiveness of any upgrading programme for the skills of the WITC Tutors is intimately linked with the adequacy of funding and the training facilities for the school Hence, apart froin the Tutors' skills development, the study has also dwelt on the other cited factors that will ensure the effective delivery of service by the technical staffofthe WITC The results of the available past studies and other relevant literature on the skills requirements of the wood industry in Ghana have been reviewed. The management of the TEDB, the staffs of the WITC and selected informed opinions on the wood industry have also been interviewed. Based on these, the following recommendations have been made with respect to the development of the capacity of the WITC to provide a pool of technicians trained in the requisite disciplines that are necessary for the efficient processing of wood by the industry. These are 7/1eAssessed Tech"foalski//Req"ireme"ts @1the Wood/"of"siry The needs of the wood industry range over a wide spectrum of disciplines. It has, however, been recommended that the WITC concentrate on the priority areas in wood processing. These include: . The fitting and setting of wood processing machinery including the layout of production lines and the machinery/equipment for the transportation of work in progress in the factory; . Saw milling and kiln drying; . Sawdoctoring and tooling; . Downstream processing including moulding plant operation, veneer/plywood production and furniture production . Production process controlincluding production and operations management, production economics and material handling and storage. , Training Req"ireme"ts @1the WITC Tech"ic"1stof The numbers of Tutors at the WITC as well asthe range of skills and experience do not suffice to cover the requirements of the wood industry. The relevant academic qualifications of the existing Tutors are concentrated in the areas of furniture and cabinet Inaking, wood technology, kiln drying, saw doctoring and mechanical/plant engineering. Most of the qualifications in the latter fields have been obtained at the diploma and certificate levels with a few at the degree level. There have also been virtually no refresher courses for most of the Tutors in their areas of specialty since their graduation. Hence the training students beyond basic foundation courses are not possible for some of the Tutors. ~ The recommendations are: . The training of the WITC Tutors should give priority attention to the crucial skill requirements of the industry as described above; 6 . t o At least one Tutor as well as one Technician should be trained for each discipline of interest. The Technician would be used for such tasks as practical demonstrations; . The WITC Tutors In ust be trained in pedagogy as well as the relevanttechniques of extension practices to enable theIn to be able to impart their knowledge and also render extension services effectiveIy to the trainees and the wood industry respectively; . For the short- to Inedium-term experienced specialists should be attached to the WITC as instructors to guide the local counterpart Tutors untilthey have been adequately trained to fill such positions. This must be complemented with short study tours by the counterparts to selected institutions overseas; . For the long-terin, young trainee Tutors with the appropriate background and aptitude to adopt modern technology and teaching methods should be chosen for training as future Tutors for the WITC in the relevant disciplines Propos"ISIor C"rric"ICDevelopme"t The WITC course contents are generally stated in broad terms withoutthe requisite time distribution between theory and practical. The short courses are usually focused on attempts to solve the prevailing