I started as a 4th Class Power Engineer, progressed to a 3rd Class Power Engineer and now I am the Relief Chief Operator. What I like most about the forestry industry is it is self-sustaining and recycles waste products such as: chips, fines, and hog fuel.

My advice is you can’t go wrong with a career in forestry, if you enjoy working in a team environment but also being independent to work alone at times too. It’s a very good industry to work in, people treat you very fairly and there are so many learning opportunities and challenges along the way. 

To create a healthy work/life balance, I use my holidays to go on vacation. I find the shift schedule is really good with the days we work to our days off. The company helps by being understanding with changing schedules when needed or if wanted, excused days if needed, and always very family orientated.

I graduated from NAIT’s Forest Tech Program, and my first job was in a forest nursery tending to seedlings/plants, research plots and other greenhouse duties. I later joined the woodland department doing cutblock layout, regen, surveys, scaling logs, dealing with weight/scale trucks, doing land use contracts with oil & gas, industry and farmers. Several years ago I joined Slave Lake Pulp as a Utility Operator and learned to offload some of the chemicals used in the process of making pulp.

My advice to women considering a career in forestry is to have conversations with people already enrolled in the forest industry studies or working in forest industry jobs. What I like about the forestry industry is that it offers many diverse fields of employment depending on your interests and strengths, you can work in both private and government sectors.

I have been in the forestry industry for four years. I started as a Silviculture summer student and worked as a Silviculture Assistant my second year there. I’m currently a Silviculture Supervisor with West Fraser and I run all the herbicide activities and take care of the aerial seeding program at our division. I also help with mechanical site prep and pile burning during the winter months.

Sustainability is a huge reason why I got into this industry. It is very important to me to have a career where I am making an impact and in the Silviculture department I can do that. We take care of the reforestation on a cutblock after harvest and prescribe different methods of treatment so that we can bring back a successful stand.

My advice to women is to not be intimidated and that anything is possible if you just put the work in. The number of women joining this industry has grown tremendously. There are so many aspects to forestry such as field, technology, research, and teaching that are pursuable. Getting into forestry was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The experiences and skills that I have obtained so far have been great.

Creating a work life balance can be difficult sometimes, depending on which projects you are working on. I try to make sure that I give myself time to recharge and leave work at the office. I also have amazing superiors that are very understanding and flexible. Outside of work, I really enjoy playing sports and love taking photographs. I’m constantly taking pictures wherever I go. Traveling is a huge part of my life and I’m grateful that I work for a company that lets me take time.

I started out logging for a local logging contractor in Williams Lake for 4 years. I ran equipment and progressed to a supervisor for the logging company. I then moved to West Fraser as a Woods Assistant. I worked in this role for about 1.5 years, after which I was promoted to Operations Supervisor.

I like the diversity, and the challenges that I am able to work through. The geographical regions you get to explore, and I am constantly learning. I am able to get outside and explore the nature around me, while I help create sustainable healthy forests for the generations to come.

My advice would be to get your hands dirty! Don’t be afraid to ask questions, and work hard. You can achieve anything you want if you put your mind to it!

I am able to create a work/life balance by having weekends and evenings free to spend with my family and friends. I also get to enjoy my passion of the outdoors most days at work, so this is helpful for enjoying my job immensely. West Fraser is great about helping to do this by creating good working hours and supporting us in time off to make sure we are rested and get to enjoy time doing the things we love. They are flexible about the hours you work as well to help with the schedule needed by your family.

I spend a lot of my free time in the summer camping, fishing, or hunting. In the winter I enjoy spending time playing hockey, or snowmobiling. I am extremely lucky that a lot of my passions go so well with my job.

Starting in public practice exposed me to many different companies in various industries. I love that I now get to work with one company and specialize in one industry. The contributions that I make are valued and used to make informed business decisions. Every day is different and brings a new challenge. The varied nature of the role means I get to use different aspects of my CA training on a daily basis, which is something I really value.

One of the things that has always impressed me about West Fraser is how, for a very large company, it really feels like a family-run business. Blue Ridge Lumber is a great place to work because of the people. Everyone that works here takes a lot of pride in the job they do and the industry that they are in.

West Fraser promotes a family-first culture and they stand by it. Having five young children, this is very important to me and allows me to better balance responsibilities in my life. Living in Whitecourt, AB, only a half-hour drive from the mill also helps with this. For a small town, it has many amenities and a lot of great activities for young families. Edmonton is also close enough to make day trips possible.

In 2009, I attended UNBC and began working with West Fraser as a summer student, gaining experience in silviculture and harvesting operations. After graduating in 2014, I took on a full-time position with the company’s Quesnel Division as an Operations Coordinator. I supervise harvesting, road construction and hauling, as well as ensure that production, quality, environmental and legal requirements are met in a safe and cost-effective manner.

I like being outside and working with the logging equipment, especially with new technology such as tethered machines and selective harvesting. A career in forestry means I not only get to work outdoors in nature, but also play an increasingly integral role in managing it.

The best thing about West Fraser is, if you show you’re keen and eager to learn, they’ll help you pursue your interests and gain invaluable experience and training. I am looking forward to taking on more responsibility by managing large-scale harvest operations projects, such as major road design and development.

I feel like I am one of the luckiest engineers. I get to say that I don’t have to sit on a computer all the time and I travel across picturesque landscapes of Alberta and British Columbia to help West Fraser’s solid wood mills replace inefficient equipment with more energy efficient equipment. While working on these technically stimulating projects, I get to interact and understand the perspective of a large number of employees in the hierarchy ranging from a general manager to a mill operator. In the next few years, I am looking forward to working on more energy projects.

During my engineering career, I’ve worked with several companies. The employee-friendly work ethics and peaceful environment that I found at West Fraser is the best. The warmth, friendliness, and laid back nature of its employees has swept me off my feet. I feel like I work with my family.

While working in Quesnel, I get the opportunity to experience fly-fishing, hunting, hiking, mountain biking, and photography. As a nature lover, these activities help me strike a good work-life balance. I can proudly say that I am having an amazing time working at West Fraser!