Come Home to Forestry
16 juillet 2013 15:46 Laisser vos pensées
Who says you can’t go home?
As a business student, I truly believed that advancing my career would likely require relocation, away from my comfortable surroundings in the tranquil Okanagan Valley. I was under the impression that climbing the corporate ladder would require at least a few years in a big bustling city, like Calgary, Vancouver or Toronto.
Like many of my forestry perceptions, I was wrong (again).
For all of us who grew up in a small town that is big on forestry, remember that these professional opportunities do exist should you feel the need to return to your roots. Much like any large corporation, there is room to develop, grow, and advance your career in the many professions offered by the forestry industry– forestry and non-forestry positions alike.
One is welcome to stay in the rush of the city, but should you ever wish to return to escape the rat race and return to those small town values, your favorite little coffee shop, the laid-back lifestyle, the festivals and celebrations, traffic-free roadways, the street you grew up on, the quiet beauty of nature, the smiles of the locals, and the friends and family that you love, remember to look the way of forestry for professional opportunities in your very own town. And don’t forget that you may actually be able to afford to buy a home!
Thanks to Tolko, I was able to find work in my field of study at home. Being back in my hometown has been a blessing; I have already entered a lawn bowling tournament with my family, and I am organizing a junior curling event at my hometown curling club. I can be a part of the groups and associations that I enjoy, and I can be a part of my local community. I run into people that I know everywhere I go (including my manager), and people always have time to chat in this stress-reduced corner of the globe. Best of all, I’m not missing out on dinners with family, laughs over ice cream, and special moments shared with the people that I love.
I am not an exception – I am just one account of someone moving back into town for a career at Tolko. Already, I have heard many stories of employees moving back to town to raise their families and grow their careers in beautiful Vernon in a diverse array of professions. Working in Tolko’s human resources department has certainly changed my perceptions of career building, and I am realizing that I can challenge myself, develop my leadership skills, and build a career in many different fields while living in the community that I love.
So, to the young professional that yearns for the small town life again: before you wistfully sigh as you apply for another big city job far away from home, remember to turn to forestry for your next career-building opportunity in your own hometown.
Do yourself a favour and come home to forestry.