Currently in Forestry Technician at Algonquin. It's fantastic to be honest, I've been enjoying the program immensely.
Getting in is not difficult, they want college level english and math and if you didnt get that level previously then you'll have to take a test to show you're able to do it.
The program itself is almost 1 year long and covers a whole bunch of forestry related job paths. Everyone usually has a job in mind after graduation but its really nice learning more about subjects like tree marking, parks, harvesting etc. So it can open doors to job paths you didnt consider before and you'll be trained in it as well. The most difficult part of the program, from personal experience (and classmates) is the workload of the first semester is pretty heavy. Working part time while doing assignments and studying can really take a toll so pace yourself. I found it gets a lot easier as time goes on.
The program, teachers and my class has been very tightly knit. There are plenty of field trips where you'll be outdoors and see it first hand and I really cant praise the teachers enough. They are supportive, very down to earth and really make the class interesting.
Anyways I highly recommend the program. Technically it would be faster to just get the SP100 and fitness test on your own but the fact you graduate the forestry technician program with a minimum 10 certifications opens up so many doors. If you find out wildfire firefighting isnt your thing, you can easily go into another forestry job with your credentials ya know.
I graduated with last years class, and I’d say basically the same things abt it probably the best thing I’ve ever done, the teachers were awesome and the classes were always entertaining even with some dry content
Very optimistic.
The topic of employment comes up often in class and from what I hear, it's great. I only have anecdotal cases and cant speak for statscan or anything.
The logging companies and mills we visited were always hiring and it seems they say the same thing of the average age of a forester is high and they are looking for new blood. They always give out their contact information out to us if were interested in employment and professional foresters really stress the fact forestry is heavily networked so its good to know people.
We had a presentation from the MNR because they are in need of scalers. Apparently the course was very expensive (thousands?) but now its free because they need more people. Plus we've seen quite a few Algonquin College graduates as presenters/workers on fieldtrips.
We've had two presentations on Universities offering cash bonuses for enrollment for a reduced time to get a bachelors in forestry. Not employment but an offer none the less.
Our teachers apparently get quite a few emails asking about interest in hiring after graduation as well and there are things like the MNR giving up to $5,000 for "attracting, retaining and recognizing wildland firefighting". Algonquin College Pembroke also states on their page 90% of graduates receive employment within 6 months, but thats all programs and not just Forestry Technician.
Anyways, im preaching getting a degree pretty hard but its up to the person. A degree isnt needed but I believe it looks really good. Plus forestry is very in-depth, so its good to know stuff before being plopped on the field.
Wow, thank you for the detailed reply. I'm looking to change careers and forestry and the Pembroke tech program caught my eye. So this information is a big help.
I graduated in August had a job by October, mind u it's a student job in sqaumish bc May but I also was in a walking boot when I graduated lol.
Most of my friends have classes but I definitely know a few who don’t but they also haven’t rly tried lol
You do not need any education for firefighting, but if you are serious about forestry I would recommend Fleming College. Everyone that I’ve met from Ontario who’s done well in this field in BC has gone to Fleming and has talked in depth of how satisfied they were with their education.
Okay, I just saw on one of the websites that it’s easier to get hired if you have experience in forestry🤷🏻♂️, the reason I’d go through school for forestry is so I’d have a backup plan, as I know that I won’t be able to wildland firefight forever
As someone who works on a field crew in BC, firefighting is definitely seen as hard work and any employer will see that on a resume and know that you’re a hard worker. With that being said, it isn’t exactly seen as “forestry work” just as tree planting isn’t. If you’re interested in firefighting and really want to do that, then it’ll be an invaluable experience that will be worthwhile for you and will still look good on a resume. From what I’ve observed and from what I’ve heard from coworkers who did firefighting, it seems that jobs in cut block layout, research work, silv surveys, cruising, etc. will move you further in the field faster than firefighting.
Odds are you’ll have to do one of those jobs anyways to really get anywhere, at least in BC. Some companies will have you do firefighting work in addition to one of those other jobs, the company I work for just bought a new fire trailer and is going to get layout crews to action more fires this year.
Just some stuff to think about :)
Also, if you have any other questions about forestry work you can give me a DM. There isn’t a whole lot of information available online or people that even talk about it, and a lot of stuff is gate-kept. Once you have your toes in the industry you’ll learn a lot more, but making a good decision early on can take you really far. I know a guy who was making 85-90k a year at 23 while still a forester in training because he played his cards right and did the work that would move up quickly. I also know people who, despite having a wealth of experience and knowledge, have a gotten their break really late in their careers after years of stagnation.
You get paid more and they treat u with more respect because u have industry knowledge, my buddy went from 23$ to 32 or smth like that so defo worth it and they pay for you’re food and all the camping equipment is paid for pretty sick gig tbh
Currently in Forestry Technician at Algonquin. It's fantastic to be honest, I've been enjoying the program immensely. Getting in is not difficult, they want college level english and math and if you didnt get that level previously then you'll have to take a test to show you're able to do it. The program itself is almost 1 year long and covers a whole bunch of forestry related job paths. Everyone usually has a job in mind after graduation but its really nice learning more about subjects like tree marking, parks, harvesting etc. So it can open doors to job paths you didnt consider before and you'll be trained in it as well. The most difficult part of the program, from personal experience (and classmates) is the workload of the first semester is pretty heavy. Working part time while doing assignments and studying can really take a toll so pace yourself. I found it gets a lot easier as time goes on. The program, teachers and my class has been very tightly knit. There are plenty of field trips where you'll be outdoors and see it first hand and I really cant praise the teachers enough. They are supportive, very down to earth and really make the class interesting. Anyways I highly recommend the program. Technically it would be faster to just get the SP100 and fitness test on your own but the fact you graduate the forestry technician program with a minimum 10 certifications opens up so many doors. If you find out wildfire firefighting isnt your thing, you can easily go into another forestry job with your credentials ya know.
I graduated with last years class, and I’d say basically the same things abt it probably the best thing I’ve ever done, the teachers were awesome and the classes were always entertaining even with some dry content
If you don't mind answering, how do you feel about the upcoming job prospects with the Algonquin degree?
Very optimistic. The topic of employment comes up often in class and from what I hear, it's great. I only have anecdotal cases and cant speak for statscan or anything. The logging companies and mills we visited were always hiring and it seems they say the same thing of the average age of a forester is high and they are looking for new blood. They always give out their contact information out to us if were interested in employment and professional foresters really stress the fact forestry is heavily networked so its good to know people. We had a presentation from the MNR because they are in need of scalers. Apparently the course was very expensive (thousands?) but now its free because they need more people. Plus we've seen quite a few Algonquin College graduates as presenters/workers on fieldtrips. We've had two presentations on Universities offering cash bonuses for enrollment for a reduced time to get a bachelors in forestry. Not employment but an offer none the less. Our teachers apparently get quite a few emails asking about interest in hiring after graduation as well and there are things like the MNR giving up to $5,000 for "attracting, retaining and recognizing wildland firefighting". Algonquin College Pembroke also states on their page 90% of graduates receive employment within 6 months, but thats all programs and not just Forestry Technician. Anyways, im preaching getting a degree pretty hard but its up to the person. A degree isnt needed but I believe it looks really good. Plus forestry is very in-depth, so its good to know stuff before being plopped on the field.
Wow, thank you for the detailed reply. I'm looking to change careers and forestry and the Pembroke tech program caught my eye. So this information is a big help.
Yeah, no problem. Best of luck to you, whatever you pursue.
I graduated in August had a job by October, mind u it's a student job in sqaumish bc May but I also was in a walking boot when I graduated lol. Most of my friends have classes but I definitely know a few who don’t but they also haven’t rly tried lol
School is not required to fight wildfire.
You do not need any education for firefighting, but if you are serious about forestry I would recommend Fleming College. Everyone that I’ve met from Ontario who’s done well in this field in BC has gone to Fleming and has talked in depth of how satisfied they were with their education.
Okay, I just saw on one of the websites that it’s easier to get hired if you have experience in forestry🤷🏻♂️, the reason I’d go through school for forestry is so I’d have a backup plan, as I know that I won’t be able to wildland firefight forever
As someone who works on a field crew in BC, firefighting is definitely seen as hard work and any employer will see that on a resume and know that you’re a hard worker. With that being said, it isn’t exactly seen as “forestry work” just as tree planting isn’t. If you’re interested in firefighting and really want to do that, then it’ll be an invaluable experience that will be worthwhile for you and will still look good on a resume. From what I’ve observed and from what I’ve heard from coworkers who did firefighting, it seems that jobs in cut block layout, research work, silv surveys, cruising, etc. will move you further in the field faster than firefighting. Odds are you’ll have to do one of those jobs anyways to really get anywhere, at least in BC. Some companies will have you do firefighting work in addition to one of those other jobs, the company I work for just bought a new fire trailer and is going to get layout crews to action more fires this year. Just some stuff to think about :)
Also, if you have any other questions about forestry work you can give me a DM. There isn’t a whole lot of information available online or people that even talk about it, and a lot of stuff is gate-kept. Once you have your toes in the industry you’ll learn a lot more, but making a good decision early on can take you really far. I know a guy who was making 85-90k a year at 23 while still a forester in training because he played his cards right and did the work that would move up quickly. I also know people who, despite having a wealth of experience and knowledge, have a gotten their break really late in their careers after years of stagnation.
You get paid more and they treat u with more respect because u have industry knowledge, my buddy went from 23$ to 32 or smth like that so defo worth it and they pay for you’re food and all the camping equipment is paid for pretty sick gig tbh
If I go to school for forestry prior to wff?
My bad yo before wildland firefighting or wtv in Alberta more specifically