Hyne Timber stopped the Tuan Mill earlier today in order to shake the hand of 70 employees during their graduation ceremony.

For a company now boasting a string of training awards, the celebration marked the completion of either a Certificate III or IV in Competitive Systems and Practices.
Over 130 people attended the event including the Fraser Coast Deputy Mayor, Robert Garland and the Director of Training (North Coast Region) from the Queensland Government’s Department of Education and Training.

Another graduation event will be held this evening for a further 56 night shift employees with approximately 300 more employees also graduating at events being held throughout the Hyne Timber sites Australia wide.

Mal Kernke, Business Excellence Facilitator and long term Hyne Timber employee said this event celebrated a milestone for him and his colleagues at the Tuan Mill,
“We have spent two years training and implementing learning’s into our day to day business to achieve real improvements.
“Essentially stopping the Mill today and getting the whole shift together to present us with our certificates and enjoy a team lunch with live music was certainly appreciated on my part.
“The training we have received is about empowering employees, having the confidence to not simply accept status quo when we identify opportunities for improvements or problems that need to be resolved.

“We have been shown and trained in the use of tools to find solutions based on the collation of data and fact in a standardised way throughout the business.
“Our consistent visual management systems, or rather display boards for reporting requirements in all work areas throughout the company means any employee can review another teams measures. It’s a fully transparent system.” Mr Kernke said.

Hyne Timber requires all employees to undertake national qualifications in order to ensure it remains competitive through cultural change, improved productivity and value adding.
Jon Kleinschmidt, Hyne Timbers Chief Executive Officer and driving force behind the training said he enjoyed the opportunity to personally shake the hand of all graduates and thank them for their efforts,

“It’s been a great day of recognition, celebration and reflection and something completely different to the usual ‘run of the mill’.
“We have made a significant investment in our employees and in return, they have worked and continue to work tirelessly to implement the required changes to the way we do our business.
“It’s been a big ask and a significant journey over the last two years and I hope our people personally benefit from their achievement of this national accreditation as much as the company will.

“We are already seeing so many benefits and improvements from the projects which have been completed so far and this graduation doesn’t mark the end; it marks the beginning.” Mr Kleinschmidt concluded.

The training program at Hyne Timber is partially Government funded through both Commonwealth Incentives and the National Workforce Development Fund.
Hyne Timber employs a number of dedicated facilitators throughout its sites to ensure ongoing training and system implementation continues for both the graduates, and new employees.

Earlier this month, just 48 hours after being inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame, Hyne Timber was announced the winner of the North Coast Queensland Training Awards – Large Employer of the Year Category and now goes on to the Qld State finals to be announced on the 11th September.

Picture: Tuan Day Shift Graduation