Recruiting for Our Future

A study by the Forest Products Sector Council (FPSC) predicts that at a minimum, Canada's forest products industry will need to attract an additional 40,000 people to careers in our industry by 2020. That's based on very conservative estimates for retirements, loss of employees to other industries, and growth within the sector. At the upper end of the scale, we may need as many as 120,000 new workers in the next decade. Our forest planning expertise has ensured the viability of the industry for several generations. And we're developing our knowledge base and becoming better at forest management every day. New mapping and timber inventory techniques are coming on-stream, enhanced understanding of cumulative effects is being achieved through scientific studies, and we're learning more about how to mitigate the effects of harvesting on animal and plant populations. All of this means that an already sustainable industry is getting even better. The program's messaging is much like what I've outlined above. We've got a diversity of careers in a great industry: careers that will allow youth to make a difference and enjoy a great lifestyle, no matter what their skill set.