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Testimonials
My first 8-month co-op work term at Slave Lake Pulp. At first, I was nervous about what to expect as well as the idea of relocating to a small town. I was able to get accustomed to the workplace in no time, thanks to the help I have received from the other co-workers who were very friendly and willing to help.
I was very satisfied with my work experience at Slave Lake Pulp and in my opinion it is filled with very good learning opportunities all around. Now in my fourth year of chemical engineering and looking back at my time in Slave Lake, I realized I lacked a little on the initiative and missed out a bit on the technical learning opportunities available. However, with a little initiative and motivation, a work term at Slave Lake Pulp can become a great learning experience. I encourage any students in the Co-op program who are looking for a good experience in the manufacturing industry to try a work term or two at Slave Lake Pulp.
- Chris Co-Op Student
I'm a University of Alberta Forestry Grad and have now been working for West Fraser for over 12 years. My first summer of Forestry work experience was with West Fraser at Chetwynd Forest Industries.
I worked that summer as a Silviculture Assistant and gained field experience in a wide range of tasks. Following the completion of my forestry degree, I was given the opportunity to return to work at the Chetwynd division the following summer and fall as a Silviculture and Planning Assistant.
While working in Chetwynd, a permanent job opening came available at Blue Ridge Lumber - another division of West Fraser. I've been working at Blue Ridge Lumber since then as a Silviculture Supervisor, and recently as Silviculture Superintendent. I originally went into Forestry looking for a challenging career and the opportunity to live and work in the outdoors. West Fraser has provided me with excellent opportunities for building a career while also raising a family. My work experience has given me exposure to all aspects of the business and excellent advancement opportunities. I'm looking forward to many more successful years with the company.
- Shane Silviculture Superintendent
I was born and raised in Quesnel, BC and completed my Bachelor of Science in Forestry, majoring in Forestry Resource Management in 1999 from UBC. My first 6-month work term with West Fraser was in the summer of 1999, and three years later I took on a full-time role with West Fraser as a Silviculture Coordinator which involved coordination of all post-harvest activities to free growing timber in several of West Fraser Mills Operation areas.
I have grown my career with this Company and I really like taking on new challenges.
I was excited about the opportunity to take on an Environmental Management System (EMS) Coordinator role in 2003 along with my current duties. In this role I maintained operating procedures forms and records, ran quarterly committee meetings, and completed the yearly management reviews. I became a Registered Professional Forester in February of 2003 and continued to take on new opportunities with West Fraser. For the summer of 2005, I worked as a Quality Control Assistant at Quesnel Sawmill and at the end of that summer I became a Planning Coordinator at the Quesnel Woodlands Division.
I have worked as a Safety Coordinator, a Quality Control/Relief Supervisor and a Sawmill Supervisor at Northstar Lumber before I re-joined the Quesnel Woods group as a Planning Coordinator . In 2012, I joined the Fraser Lake Sawmill as a Harvesting Supervisor progressing to Superintendent working with the operations team overseeing logging and hauling activities supplying logs to Fraser Lake Sawmill. My career keeps building with West Fraser, now, I am the woods manager for our Pacific Inland Resources mill in Smithers."
- Matt Woods Manager
Born and raised in Quesnel, BC, I completed my Bachelor of Science in Forestry from UBC in 1999. As a Registered Professional Forester and started my journey with West Fraser in 2006 as an Operations Coordinator. In this role I was given the opportunity to coordinate and supervise logging and supervise logging and road rebuilding contractors, supervise bridge, large culvert, and arch pipe installation, and provide coverage for log-yard supervisors.
I progressed into an Operations Superintendent position, where I lead a team of seven operations coordinators to ensure the delivery of logs to facilities with the highest standard of safety, environment, and cost control. Today, I am a Woods Manager for our operations in B.C."
- Chad Woods Manager
I graduated from U of A with my Bachelor of Science in Forestry in 2009. I got my first opportunity with West Fraser in 2008 where I worked as a Forestry Summer Student in Williams Lake.
When I completed my degree in 2009 I started a term job in Operations and Silviculture working in Williams Lake and 100 Mile House. In 2010 and 2011, I worked in an Operations Term contract in Williams Lake where I got the opportunity to become a crew leader and worked on permit development in Likely, BC. I often worked in the Cariboo Chilcotin area on timber recce’s, layout, and firefighting.
Since then I have become a full-time Forestry Assistant at Fraser Lake Sawmill. I spend a lot of time in Burns Lake working on permit acquisitions. Some of the training courses I have had the opportunity to complete are: Riparian Classification, Timber/Log Quality, Fisheries Sensitive Watersheds, Cruising, Supervisory Skills, Harvesting, and Silviculture Surveying and Site Plan Data Collection."
- Erin Planning/Timber Supply Supervisor