I Want a career in:

Case Study

Name: Dan Sedunary
Position: Manager of Tactical Planning
Company: VicForests
Qualifications: Bachelor of Forest Science Hons
Age: 30

What is a typical day for a manager of tactical planning?
A typical day is probably difficult to describe as day to day the job is so varied, which is one of the highlights. I can be in the field one day with forest officers carrying out field assessments, or alternatively in the office assessing forward planning figures, compiling plans for approval or interpreting the regulatory issues that make up a huge part of native timber operations.
A big part of day to day work also involves monitoring of annual objectives and targets and ensuring staff have the resources required to meet our annual business plan.

How long have you been the manager of tactical planning – and what did you do before?
I’ve been in this role for 8 months. Prior to that I was in our certification and audit team, and prior to that I was a forester, so I’ve been able to experience a number of roles within VicForests. 

What made you choose to work in the forestry industry?
I chose to work in the forest Industry as I have always had an interest in the outdoors and in timber production. I wanted a job that allowed a balance between desktop work and being outdoors, while also allowing for a range of challenges. I also wanted to also be in an industry that allowed me to develop skills across a variety of areas, allowing for career development and opportunities along the way.

What do you find most challenging about working in the industry?
The misunderstanding that a large part of the community has about what we do. I see the industry as something that is sustainable and that we’re all very passionate and knowledgeable about. The industry in Australia is really well regulated and managed and compared to a lot of other forestry industries around the world.

How do you respond to that perception?
To deal with those people who don’t agree with the way we undertake things, the best approach is to just discuss and take them through the process that we follow. I often find that there’s a lot of misinformation out there about the industry and forestry in general. I’m passionate about speaking to people and explaining the facts about what we do and how we do it, which often results in them dramatically changing the view that they have regarding the industry. They can then understand how sustainable and beneficial it is to the environment in the long term. 

Would you recommend perusing a career in the industry?
To anyone considering doing forestry, I would highly recommend it as a really worthwhile industry to work in. Studying forestry is in itself very interesting and the career opportunities that are then available are very broad, so you’re able to decide which area you would like to get into and follow those paths.
 
We spoke to Dan about his career and what he does day to day. We hope you find this useful and interesting – but please remember, that all jobs are not exactly the same and other roles with the same title may be different in many respects. Confirm all the details of a particular job with the organisation offering it.