Education
It really amounts to a little piece of paper. That gives you an edge in this competitive world. And helps you fast track. ESPECIALLY if you want a career in the Wood Products Industry.
Why Education?- Find out why education is vital if you want to fast track in this industry
Industry on Education - Hear it from the "movers and the Shakers" (a.ka. Industry Leaders and Educators.
What Kind of Education Do I need? - Learn in very un-scientific terms what kind of education you'll need to get the job of your dreams Educational Institutions - Cruise the school web sites, see if anything sparks your interest.
It used to be that a person could drop out of high school and start working at a wood products company pulling lumber or sweeping floors. With enough time and effort, they could slowly work their way up the ladder and get into a supervisory position.
For the most part, you can kiss those days good-bye.
Today's wood products industry is one of the most technologically advanced industries out there. Right up there with aerospace, actually. Companies needed highly skilled employees.
Graduates from wood processing programs get snapped up quickly. But there aren't enough of them to go around.
Industry is determined to get more. That's why they've created this web site.
And they are heavily involved in new wood processing programs.
But you should hear it from them.
When you're out looking for a job, do not give up! That's the first cardinal rule. Do not give up. Listen to what other people say about what you have to offer. If several people have said you need more skills in computers, more communications skills, or more basic wood science information - go and get that information. Chances are they are right. -David Laurence
If
a program in any post-secondary institution produces good individuals who do well in the workplace, other companies will be encouraged to go back to that place to find good people. I would say look at the institution that you're going to. Look at where some of the graduates have ended up. If they have ended up in areas where you want to be then it's a good place to start. But you're not going to be able to get to where you want to go just because somebody went through that program and did well. It's always going to be based on your ability and what your efforts are.
-David LawrenceI grew up learning how to run a chainsaw and drive a bulldozer. Now I'm a Cabinet Minister (in British Columbia), but I dont' know how to run a computer. My kids have to make the VCR work. The technology that we need to service the world's needs for wooden products is the younger generation's skill set that my generation never had. -Corky Evans
Companies need skilled workers...I think we need to have people that will come in with skills in key areas, such as technical areas, and have a drive to use their imagination and minds in new ways that maybe the employer cannot define. How do you define creativity? An employer wants to have a person come into the industry who is going to say something new or do something new - make something happen. Just coming in and fulfilling the function is the past. The future is all about how you can contribute and how you can personally grow. -Ian Harvey
WHAT KIND OF EDUCATION DO I NEED?
Well, that depends on two things. What sort of job you want and how long you're prepared to go to school.
Now, we have devised a very unscientific guide as to what jobs you can get with different levels of education.
And because it is SO unscientific, a small disclaimer is necessary.
Read this as a guide only. Nothing in this world is absolute. There are many ways of attaining your professional goals. These are merely suggestions to help get you there.
So don't sue us. Okay, here it is.
The Guide
If you don't graduate from high school, companies don't want to hear from you. This is a technically sophisticated industry that needs equally technically sophisticated employees.
With a high school education only, you could start working at a company in production. This means you will be lugging lumber around and sweeping floors to start. You could upgrade your skills (and make yourself more valuable) by taking short technical courses like grading and First Aid. The company may even pay for these courses, as well as put you through their own training programs. Over time, you could work your way up to operating machinery. Obviously the more you upgrade your skills, the more valuable you are, and the better your chances are to move up.
As a technical institute or college grad with a wood processing diploma, your employment prospects are good.. You may even land a junior supervisory position. But you will still need to start on the ground floor to understand the business. Naturally, your ability to learn quickly and master skills means you'll probably move up quickly. With this kind of an education, a future management role is not out of the question.. It depends on the company and whether or not you prove you're worthy.
Technical institutes (and some colleges) will also offer programs in the skilled trades (ie.
millwrights, electricians, welder/fabricators etc.). Now, a skilled trade is not a bad move - especially if you like working with your hands. Good trades people are always in demand and the wages are good.
If you're interested in management (one day), find a wood processing program at the University level - one that combines wood engineering with general business education. If you graduate and do well, your job prospects are excellent. Companies will likely come looking for you. They need people with the brain power and technical knowledge to make their companies competitive into the next millennium. You'll still have to learn the business from the ground up, but your career potential is virtually unlimited. One day, you could be president or C.E.O. and be taking home the paycheck that comes with those titles.
Anyway, that's the end of The Guide.
The wood industry needs people with a whole range of education backgrounds. They need computer experts, technologists, machine operators, engineers, accountants, sales people, communications people, product designers and others.
But wood products companies don't want just any old computer programmer, engineer or machine operator. They want employees who understand wood - where it comes from, how it performs and what you can do with it. They want people who understand the wood industry - its challenges and opportunities. And they want practically skilled people who are comfortable working with technically sophisticated equipment in a manufacturing operation.
Well, it's a good thing for these companies that universities, colleges and technical institutes are responding to their needs.
In fact, several new college and university programs are being developed specifically for the wood industry - in partnership with the wood industry. These new programs are providing relevant and practical education that is directly related to industry needs. (Yes. These colleges and universities are on the planet earth.)
The key features of these education programs are that they give you skills as well as knowledge. They combine relevant technical information about the industry with practical, hands-on learning opportunities. Most have co-op programs which give you the chance to work in the industry while going to school. And they teach about more than just wood. You can learn about business, computers, communications, and interpersonal skills. The end result is that you, the student, gets a very well rounded education - an education that gets you a job, too!
So check them out.
But first...there are some choices to make.
CANADIAN SCHOOLS TYPE Camoson College College Conestoga College College University College of the Cariboo College College of New Caledonia College Selkirk College College NAIT Tech SAIT Tech Value-Added Skills Centre Tech University of British Columbia University Lambrick Park Secondary School Secondary School US SCHOOLS Fox Valley Technical College College MATC College North Carolina State University University Oregon State University University Purdue University University Pennsylvania State University University University of Idaho University University of Minnesota University
