This Isn’t Your Father’s Forestry
July 26, 2013 5:57 pm Leave your thoughts
Tolko takes co-ops and interns seriously. This isn’t your father’s forestry.
Working in human resources, I realize that the numbers don’t lie: forestry’s aging workforce is an unavoidable challenge for the industry for the next decade.
Luckily, Tolko has taken notice of the issue. An era of increased retirements has come to stay. In response, Tolko has overhauled its approach in recruiting youth and students, starting with attracting co-ops and interns in a variety of professions.
The opportunities are endless. While some Tolko co-op students and interns are in the field in forestry-related positions, others are engineering students in our mills. Some are in human resources like me, while further opportunities exist in our information technology and communications departments. Sales, marketing, finance, and accounting positions are active positions that provide fast-paced, real world experience for business majors.
The range of majors and programs is just as wide – English, environmental science, engineering, forestry, commerce, and computer science are just a few of the programs of studies that our co-ops and interns are pursuing this year alone.
Tolko is serious about making interns an integral part of the company culture. In May, Tolko invested in a co-op and intern orientation event for those in the Okanagan and Thompson-Nicola regions of British Columbia, hosted at Tolko’s headquarters in Vernon.
Co-ops and interns were fully orientated with Tolko’s strategic plan and direction. The group was then fully immersed in the business through engaging presentations from the various departments and divisions of Tolko, acquainting the group with the company’s international markets, logistics, transportation, woodlands operations, products, marketing, and human resources.
Many promotional products and a delicious lunch later, co-ops and interns were treated to an ideal Friday afternoon – zip lining. The group was taken to the Oyama Zip Line for a unique opportunity on a beautiful Okanagan summer day. Tolko co-ops and interns took this time to bond, network, and make memories as they zipped from tree to tree at incredible speed. Screams, hollers, and thrills naturally ensued.
Photo from www.OyamaZipline.com
Clearly, Tolko is willing to make an investment to leave a mark on their youth and student employees. Young people are a key component of Tolko’s recruitment strategy and our human resources department takes this seriously – don’t be surprised to see our logo at numerous job fairs across Western Canada.
Numerous exhilarating zip lines later, Tolko bags stuffed with take-home Tolko swag and newly equipped with plenty of in-depth Tolko knowledge after co-op and intern orientation, I now believe that being a forestry intern isn’t what I thought it would be – it’s great!
More than ever, I am convinced – this isn’t your father’s forestry.