My short time with Weyerhaeuser so far has been a great experience.
June 5, 2013 2:30 pm Leave your thoughts
When I heard I landed the Green Dream internship with Weyerhaeuser this summer, I was beyond excited! I was excited to move and spend my summer somewhere new, and to gain forestry experience working for such a well-known company in the forestry industry, applying what I have learned in school to the real world. So just over two weeks ago, I packed up my car in Vancouver and hit the road. Fourteen hours later I was in Grande Prairie, Alberta. It was a much bigger city than I anticipated, and the weather was amazing (I heard I came just in time – they had quite a harsh winter this year)! I didn’t know anyone coming down here but I’m living in the college residence, so there are lots of young people around and I’ve met a few good people here so far!
My first week of work was mostly orientation, training, and completing a two-day long first aid course, which is an invaluable certification to have. I also got to participate in an annual event called Walk Through the Forest, where grade 6 kids from all over the city got to come spend a day at the Wapiti Nordic Ski Trails where they got to tree plant and learn about different fields of forestry – tree identification, silviculture, logging and forest products. There were just under a thousand kids over the span of 3 days!
The second week, I started working with the Timberlands operations guys, who I will be working with for a month. I’m the only female working with a group of males, most of whom have about 30 years working in the industry, but they are extremely friendly and passionate about their work, and take the time to inform me about our work and answer all my questions. We drove out to a couple of blocks laid out in our forest management area and re-worked proposed road ribbons to the best suitable ground for harvesting and log hauling. While driving out on a side-by-side ATV, we had a moose run out a little distance in front of us, which was an amazing sight to see!
My short time with Weyerhaeuser so far has been a great experience. They are a great company to work for, with extensive safety values, competitive wages, and enthusiastic, passionate employees. I love being able to work outdoors and stay active, and I can’t wait for the rest of the summer to play out. I am extremely grateful to have been given such an amazing opportunity!
Dana Aljanaby