Program helps Alberta school counselors learn about careers in the forest sector
Over the past two decades, Inside Education has earned a respected reputation among Alberta educators for delivering high-quality educational resources focused on forests, water, energy and related topics. Helped by environmental organizations, government, and industry partners like Millar Western, the non-profit society works with Alberta students, teachers and community groups. Classroom visits, field trips, and professional development programs for teachers are all featured in the effort to provide students with bias-balanced, science-based natural resources and environmental education.
This year, Inside Education launched a new program aimed at helping high school and college educators learn about career opportunities for young Albertans in the province’s forest sector. Held November 29-30, 2007, the Career Counselors Forest Education Tour gave participants the chance to meet with industry, academic and government representatives, visit mill sites, talk to mill and woodlands employees, and learn about educational and career paths in forest resource management and forest products manufacture.
Millar Western assisted with the inaugural Forest Careers tour, alongside Alberta Newsprint Company, Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries, Alberta Sustainable Resource Development, Alberta Education, the U of A, and other sponsors. Millar Western’s Human Resources Vice-President Dave Keir addressed the group in Edmonton, presenting information and answering questions about the range of industry activities, position qualifications and compensation levels. Wood Products Operations Manager Bruce West and other staff toured the group through the company’s lumber production facilities in Whitecourt, offering direct exposure to working conditions in the field, and the chance to ask employees about their careers, job requirements, skills and education.
Response to the tour was highly positive. The 17 high school and college teachers and counselors who took part indicated they had gained valuable insights that would help both in providing student career guidance and in structuring educational programs. Many participants had little previous knowledge of the forest sector, and were impressed with the level of expertise involved in resource and operations management, the application of advanced technology, and the broad range of forest-related career options available in industry, government and other sectors. Wrote one educator, “I’ve gained a wealth of information, which I know will have a positive impact on my students.”
For more information about Inside Education’s programs, click the link below to visit their website.