Logging Industry Needs Skilled Workers
Wednesday, March 7, 2012 @ 3:58 AM
Prince George, B.C.- The logging industry in and around Prince George is very busy. “We are really seeing a ramping up of the industry” says MaryAnne Arcand of the Central Interior Logging Association.
She says the predictions are for the activity to increase over the next few years, the problem is finding the people to do the work.”We have a tremendous worker shortage, I could used 500 trucks today” says Arcand, who says when spring break up is upon us, loggers will end up leaving wood on the ground because there aren’t enough equipment operators or drivers to make sure the logs get out of the bush.
Arcand says the situation is in part, the result of skilled workers moving to find work elsewhere during the downturn. “Of course, mining is ramping up in the area, and those are all transferable skills, you still need loggers. They’re not logging for two by fours, they’re logging for right of way and pipeline and mine site clearing, so they’re still doing what they know how to do, its just not necessarily for the production of lumber.”
Arcand says there are concerns that when the U.S. lumber market returns to it pre-crash level, there just won’t be enough people available to do the work to produce enough product to meet the demand. There are also challenges in trying to compete with the pay scale offered by mining.
That’s why the Central Interior Logging Association has developed “FIRST Logger” which is the Forest Industry Readiness Skills Training. Kate Iverson is the Director of Training and says the program is looking for young adults, who are willing and ready to start new careers in forest harvesting. The program trains people on equipment and trucks, gives participants the certifications needed to start a job. “We still have a labour pool that is interested in forestry. It’s been interesting to see the folks who are coming back to forestry from mining or oil and gas because they don’t want to be away from their families, they don’t want to spend all that time in remote camps, they want to work in their own backyard.” Iverson says there is a different model being examined to try and bring people back to forestry, for instance, having three or 4 women share the responsibilities for a truck, “They only have to spend 20 or 30 hours a week, and can still have time to spend with their family and children at home.”
Iverson is looking for a total of 90 participants, with 30 of them from Prince George, 30 from the Okanagan and the balance from the north east.
Email Kate@cila.ca for more information.
Comments
“I could used 500 trucks today”
I did not realize trucks harvest trees. I could have sworn that is the transportation/trucking industry.
This is a long term problem for a number of reasons, manpower shortage being only one of those.
Hauling distances are getting longer every year. More trucks per 1,000 cubic meters logged are required to get the logs to the mills.
The solutions that may be required is to move some to smaller mills closer to the timber or do multi-modal transportation by developing some railheads along existing rail/highway corridors to load onto railcars – either piggyback or direct load in the case of plants located adjacent to rail service, which should be all or most of them.
Does anyone know if this problem is being looked at in a more integrated planning fashion?
one of the big problems – is companies don’t want to train people!
I know several laid off sawmill workers – don’t have experience on logging equipment or driving truck – but logging companies don’t want to hire them and train them. Especially, if they are 40 or 50 years old Read the job ads – “only experienced need apply”
The worker shortage is the fault of the companies!
They can’t afford to train them, Pansy. The margins today are just stretched too thin.
Part of the problem is what Gus is alluding to above. The companies, both on the logging and on the milling side, have all bought into the “unit cost is a function of volume” model. And while it is, the downside to that is that everyone is trying to beat the costs down to compete with the outfit that can produce the largest volume. That simply doesn’t leave anything to fund training for most firms.
The problem is compounded by the fact that Workers Compensation is now no longer a ‘no fault’ insurance scheme. EVERY accident is deemed to be the EMPLOYER’S fault, whether it is or not, and this is reflected in massive premium hikes and/or severe penalties imposed on Employers in an instance where someone gets hurt.
Companies can’t afford to take a chance on hiring someone who they can’t prove is already experienced, and then trying to train them ‘in house’. Those who are experienced, the 40 and 50 year olds, will often be passed over for younger people who have some formal ‘certificate’ that they have been ‘trained’, and then gained a verifiable record of actual on-the-job experience elsewhere.
The big problem, I think, is that while “unit cost” definitely IS a “function of volume”, that only holds true so long as ALL the “volume” can actually be SOLD. Dumping more product into a market that’s already glutted with unsold product only depresses prices below costs. Then everybody that still works, works for nothing. But that gives our politicians something to talk about ~ how they’re going to increase the number in that position.
Sure perfect timing with all these high school kids out because of strikes. Lure them into these high paying dead end jobs.
Isn’t that better than a low paying dead end job?
BTW you have to be at least 19 and less than 4 points in the previous 2 years and no criminal driving convictions in the last 3 years to get a Class 1 license.
This problem isnt going anywhere. Its tough for people to decide to leave but when they do they are slow to return to an industry that is erratic. The local mills have survived by cutting contractor costs but now its going to be very difficult to bring them back.
The industry isnt spreading the wealth around like in the Burke Purden and Sure Spar days. If you buy a truck now you will be working 16 hours a day to barely stay afloat. I dont see to many people rushing back for that.
The hardest part was leaving BC and the communities that people called home. After people leave they start a new life and its hard to get them back. Besides who thinks that the lumber industry in the interior is solid? Sure someone will sell lumber but less and less will come from the bug devestated BC interior.
thank Canfor and their rate cutting. Used to be every second driveway on the Hart had an O/O log truck. Now you can run one 16hrs 5 days a week and still lose money.
“BTW you have to be at least 19 and less than 4 points in the previous 2 years and no criminal driving convictions in the last 3 years to get a Class 1 license.”
Wow. Impressive. This might weed out the worst of the worst.
” Posted by: He spoke on March 7 2012 8:06 AM
Sure perfect timing with all these high school kids out because of strikes. Lure them into these high paying dead end jobs”
Today is pretty much the end of the strike issue and I would rather my kids were in high paying deadend jobs than low paying deadend jobs.
” Posted by: gitterdun on March 7 2012 8:47 AM
Isn’t that better than a low paying dead end job?
BTW you have to be at least 19 and less than 4 points in the previous 2 years and no criminal driving convictions in the last 3 years to get a Class 1 license”
There is a huge need for class one drivers in this province. To obtain training to get your class one licence I recommend contacting Human Resources Development Canada. Most people are eligible for gov’t paid training in order to obtain their class one or other training that market research shows a need for workers.
There are certain employers in PG that will take new drivers and train them. There has recently been a television commercial advertising one that does. Just don’t believe the part where they say you get to sleep in your own bed every night. You may be in your own bed but it may be during the daytime.
Canada’s Basic Problem , do not spend any Money on Training, we only hire trained People . If you want to make Money ,spend some on training your Workforce !
Why train new people, it’s cheaper for business owners to go offshore giving our jobs away and shafting consumers for their over priced imported junk.
Canada’s Basic Problem , do not spend any Money on Training, we only hire trained immigrants we have lured here to fullfill our shortfalls.
And meanwhile, the shareholder must still be fed. The root cause of many of our problems today.
Not exactly on topic, but still germane.
metalman.
BUT—It only takes two or three men to run a logging site now. Technology removed the jobs. I watched one feller buncher at the end of the Coalmine road clear and stack a huge amount of trees all by himself–no one else around for 2 months.
Comments for this article are closed.