More Dollars For Forestry Training
Monday, November 19, 2012 @ 10:33 AM
MLA John Rustad, student Clifford Wilson, Minister of Jobs Tourism and Skills Training Pat Bell, and Central Interior Logging Association Executive Director MaryAnne Arcand (photo-250News)
Prince George, B.C. – Another 30 students will have the opportunity to gain the skills needed to get employment in the forestry sector.
An agreement between the Province and the Central Interior Logging Association will see another $497, 296 dollars pumped into the FIRST ( Forest Industry Readiness Skills Training) program.
The pilot project has already graduated its first 22 students who took programs on log truck driving, and heavy equipment operating, skills which the forestry industry says are in high demand. While some may think this second round of funding is a response to stories last week about the skilled labour shortage in the industry, not so. The pilot project was first launched about 6 months ago after the the CILA approached the Province about finding a way to address the skilled labour needs of the forestry industry.
All of the students from the first round of the program have found work. “The industry has been great” says CILA’s Executive Director, “They’ve been calling us and saying ‘I want seven more’ or ‘I’ll take 4’ so the demand is there.” Arcand says she is also very pleased to say that 20% of the graduates are women, 15% First Nations. “Certainly with the U.S. housing market ramping up and the demand for lumber increasing along with a mill reopening in Terrace, there is a demand” adds Arcand.
The tricky part of this training, is making sure the students plan to stay in forestry. Mining and the oil and gas industry have been attracting heavy equipment operators and truckers who were caught in the forestry downturn and are now seeing much improved incomes with the higher salaries paid in those resource sectors. “Forestry offers workers a chance to be at home with their families instead of working 10 or 20 days in and ten out” says Arcand, “So in that sense, it offers a different life style.” She says candidates for the program are carefully selected to ensure the students aren’t planning to jump to the other resource jobs at the expense of this forestry program.
Student Clifford Wilson is closing in on the end of his training and says this opportunity could not have been realized without the funding. “I was working as a contractor painter, but when I heard about this program I thought this would be great for my family, it would offer more stability.”
The second intake of students will be heading into the Burns Lake, Houston and Smithers area.
The funding is made available through the Canada B.C. Labour Market Agreement which provides funds for programs and services for employed people who are low skilled and for unemployed people who are not eligible for Employment Insurance.
You can find out more about the program by clicking here.
Comments
There must be someone preparing a labour market opinion to justify importing a few hundred temporary forgeign workers to fill the gap!
Amazing how much money there is for working people when the government is at 23% in the polls. Considering the “revenue neutral” HST is still taking in tens of millions extra every month despite voters deciding to get rid of it, I don’t think we have seen the end of the vote buying by a long shot. At least we get to see Premier Clark on TV every Thursday night for a taxpayer funded BC Liberal commercial.
“candidates for the program are carefully selected to ensure the students arenât planning to jump to the other resource jobs at the expense of this forestry program”
So let me see ….. there are two, if not more industries that require truck drivers. BTW, a general shortage of truck drivers was predicted many moons ago and we are just now starting to get to trying to pump some out.
Since there is a shortage, who cares where they go? When one industry gets a bit more satisfied with having enough, they will no longer be paying as much and people will move to another industry if they are not already moving for other reasons.
I cannot see how people can be so naïve as to think they can predict or control what people will be doing in a country that has a tradition of people moving to where the jobs are.
The money to train for such programs typically comes from government. God only knows BC has been on the receiving end of trained/educated people from the rest of Canada and from other parts of the world for eons. So, if a few people go to Alberta or the Peace to work in oil and gas, or locally in mining, so be it. Figure out other ways to attract people to drive logging, lumber and chip trucks.
The article on opinion 250 linked below is nearly six years old â¦â¦ in that time the people and organizations who have some control â government, unions, industrial associations – have essentially done squat.
blog/view/4637/1/truckers+need+input+before+any+changes?id=143&st=20851
http://www.opinion250.com/blog/view/4626/1/ombudsman+says+labour+shortage+impacting+safety?
Ombudsman’s report from January 2007:
â¢Wants the Province to move forestry training programs into the Advanced education system and provide the same funding as is offered for other industrial training.
â¢Wants the Auditor General to review WorkSafeBC legislation and recommends a province-wide competency certification for log truck drivers
â¢Says establishing a safe and professional workforce will only happen if the issues of dependable work continuity, lifestyle and job satisfaction are addressed.â
“in my opinion every cent is an attempt to buy votes or this would have been done years ago”
I am sure some are. But there has been a shift in leadership from the right of the party to the left of the party, the way I see it. Just for that reason it could not have been done ears ago because the mindset at the top has changed. The battle has taken place and a change has happened. Those who are leaving are essentially those who have been to the right of the party.
People keep saying it is a coalition. Well, the BCLiberals were taken over by the “Howe street boys” as people may recall. Campbell was the one the “Howe Street Boys” annointed.
Well, the coalition is still left of centre, but has moved towards the centre instead of further away from it.
Business and Indusry Associations may think they are “Free Enterprise”. In reality, they like handouts to help them achieve the “free” part of their enterprise. ;-)
What business in North America would not??
Workers who have to move to follow where the jobs are …… the North American version of Gypsies.
The linked article was about long haul freight truck drivers in 2008, but is based on a 2005 study which predicted a serious shortfall of drivers by 2014
http://www.costdownconsulting.com/attachments/File/Articles/TrafWdDvrShort0001.pdf
The article speaks about congestion getting worse and adding to the problem. Well, in forestry distances are getting worse and will add to the problem unless manufacturers move closer to the source or more logs a nd chips are moved by rail.
We hear very little about that in the media. Tomorrow will not look like today or yesterday. Too many people assume it will.
Driving a logging truck is very serious business and is one of the more dangerous professions in the woods. I’m not sure I could do it for any length of time. I do hope these guys are getting proper training and actually want to be in the bush because its a tough road to plow….
Where did John Rustad come from? Haven’t heard a peep from him in 10 years but in the last month he’s popped himself out of the condo in Maui and started to get into a few photo ops. Last week he chimed in about mary jane, job well done Mr Rustad!
“Driving a logging truck ….. is one of the more dangerous professions in the woods”
The thing is, it does not have to be. It only is because
1. roads are built cheaply to poor standards
2. times behind the wheel are too long
4. some trucks are likely not in the best of shape
5. no one patrols the roads to enforce safe driving
6. navigation systems are primitive …..
you missed number 3, which I suspect is:
3. The system wasnt designed by gus
Thanks for reminding me. Momentary lapse of memory. That was actually number one on my list, but computer gremlins manage to outdo gus every now and then.
BTW, did you ever read this document for content?
Natural Resource Road Act Project
http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/mof/nrra/Summary-of-Public-and-Stakeholder-Feedback_Feb21.pdf
A little sampling from page 12 of public feedback about the state of forestry roads.
As RPF, with road layout experience, class 1 log truck driving experience, and log truck ownership experience I find these abuses everywhere on the coast:
1) Coastal spur roads designed with outrageous steepness that is dangerous and unsafe for modern highway log trucks
2) Switch backs that are too sharp for tridem trucks to safely manoeuvre
3) Adverse grades that are too steep for trucks to pull under their own power using loaders to push loads up adverse grades is extremely dangerous and truck or loader can slip and push logs thru the cab of the truck … this is common practice that has to stop
4) Highway trucks break frames in rough spurs, being pushed or pulled thru deep mud, over rocks, thru ditches, etc, and unknowingly go onto public highways with truck problems that cannot be seen due to mud and truck can come apart at highway speeds that can be lethal to trucker and traffic.
on page 10, same document …. we have this commnet… (must be my son … :-)
Resource roads are the single largest liability that exists in our province both to public safety and environmental hazards.
If I was a designated maintainer, I would require that I have the authority to temporarily close my road for any reason.
I would expect to have the authority to require radio communication and post the channels (even CB channels) at the beginning of the road.
I’ve seen too many accidents and closeâcalls on resource roads in my time that they should be managed with public safety in mind as the highest priority.
Such an idiot, eh? Your are going to have to find that person, Interceptor, and give him a piece of your mind!!!
actually gus my comment was tonque in cheek because you dont often make mistakes like that ;)
I agree with you 100%
There you go. The dangers of tongue in cheek remarks when body language is not visible ….. going from dead pan to smirk …..
Since I am a tongue in cheek man myself, I have tried to change my ways on the internet …. difficult to do without losing one’s personality …. ;-)
gus: you really should sign on with Ben et al for your ability to research and the experience you’ve had in many areas. You seem to have very good insight to a lot of things. You could write articles for this blog as some others do.
I have hauled logs on the coast where we used to tobboggan down some slopes loaded, when it was wet and had a really tough time getting up them empty. Thrilling rides to say the least!
What is a John Rustad? I don’t believe I’ve ever seen one.
Biggest problem I see is the pit run they use on the off pavement roads. Saves money for the forest companies, but dangerous as hell. Trucks sink into it when its soft and the rocks pile up between the tires to fling out later once on the highway.
A person was killed from a flying rock only last week in the Kootenies.
Companies are too cheep to use proper crush rock to support the trucks, while allowing the water a place to go.
As for training… anyone can drive a truck on good roads… very dangerous though to have them on the roads this time of year if they don’t have enough confidence in their own abilities. Most drivers couldn’t throw a pair of chains on if their life depended on it… most will wait until its a very dangerous situation to find out how… most trainers couldn’t throw on a pair of chains themselves much less teach someone else how to.
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