Will Mace Cochrane is in his final year of a Bachelor of Forestry Science with Honours (BForSc) degree at the University of Canterbury and says taking Materials Technology (Metalwork) for several years at St Andrew’s proved invaluable to his studies. “Materials Technology was my favourite subject and provided the opportunity to plan, develop, and build a project. The skills I learnt, especially within the planning aspect, have significantly improved my capabilities to create high quality reports, understand client needs, and quantify timelines. This is important in forestry, which requires in-depth research and report writing to inform clients of environmental, social, and financial viability for their investments.”

He says he would ‘highly recommend’ that every student try Materials Technology at some point. “It provides a variety of skills not commonly taught in other subjects at school, which are important to any career path, no matter the direction one takes in tertiary studies.”

Will has accepted a graduate role with PF Olsen in 2023, and is looking forward to being part of the forest industry within New Zealand as it adapts to changes in environmental, social, and financial needs.