Whether you’re a student looking for part-time or seasonal work, a recent graduate ready to start your career, or someone who is just ready to wander down a new path, I can think of at least five reasons you should consider a career in forestry.
1. The forest is beautiful!
If you’re on this website, there’s a pretty good chance that you appreciate the forest’s beauty. Whether we’re talking about baby foxes or wise owls, new buds sprouting or old majestic trees, there is beauty to be found all over our forests. And think, that could be your office!
2. You feel content when you are close to nature.
You enjoy breathing in the mixture of tree aromas. You feel comforted by the sound of a woodpecker pecking, and of leaves and twigs crunching beneath your feet. You aren’t bothered by having to dodge tree branches and having to be mindful of your footing as you navigate uneven trails covered in stones, roots, and hidden holes. If you are comfortable with your surroundings at work, you will be happier with your job.
3. You want to play a part in keeping our forests healthy.
The forest is an incredible resource that gives us products ranging from paper towel to lumber to plastic to clean air. Managing this giant is both important and challenging, so we have a whole range of people who take care of our forests, from wildlife biologists, to hydrologists, to foresters. There is plenty of opportunity to play a role in keeping our forests healthy.
4. Forestry jobs pay well.
According to the Globe and Mail, forestry and logging wages are up 11.3 percent from last year. This increase is moving much more quickly than the rate of inflation which is only about 2.5 percent. Also, compared with Canada’s average increases in earnings, up 3.1 percent in the past year, forestry is way ahead of the game!
5. There is endless opportunity.
If you’re anything like me, you get bored if required to do the same task too many times. But lucky for people in forestry, lots of the jobs offer variety in tasks from one day to another. For example, one day, a forester might find herself flying in an airplane to get aerial photographs of the forest, and then hiking through the forest inspecting for the mountain pine beetle the next. And with experience, comes plenty of room for growth.
If any of these reasons speak to you, check out our resources to find out how you can find your place in forestry. There is opportunity in jobs ranging from skilled tradespeople, to engineers, to labourers, to environmental scientists. If you are a student (or an aspiring student), check out our Scholarships page to see all the people and companies that want to give you money to learn. If you are ready to get right into the work world, have a look at our Job Postings for opportunities all over Alberta. And if you’re still trying to figure out what you want to do for a career, check out our Career List to see the huge variety of career options in this industry.