Alexa Fowler: Blog 5: 2023 FPAC Green Dream Internship Program

  |  
September 11, 2023

Hello Readers!

Today I woke up around 2pm because I am on night shift for the weekend (day shift at the mill is 6am to 6pm and night shift is the opposite). I began my day by going to my gym at the Allan and Jean Millar Centre. A drop in pass is about $8 and gives you access to the whole facility including the pool! After the gym I got a coffee from the Western Canada Coffee Company for my walk. The trails I walked are in the forest behind the golf course and they lead right to the Athabasca river. The trail loop is about 5 km so this took me about an hour.

After the walk I made myself breakfast and ate outside on my deck in the sun. One reason I like night shift is because I can enjoy a bit of the afternoon sun before I head to work. I then left my house around 5:30 to go to work.  

I work upstairs today which means I will be testing and hosing for a majority of the day. If I work downstairs that means I would be in the warehouse driving a forklift and loading cars/trucks for a majority of the day. I started my first set of bleaching tests at 7pm. I collected pulp samples on the 3rd and 4th floor and brought them to the production lab for testing.

In the lab I tested for brightness, pH, consistency, and other properties to make sure our product is on grade for our customers.

After my bleaching tests I walked around my area and looked for anything that needed to be cleaned. I hosed the 4th floor and the basement. After about an hour of hosing I ran up to the roof to take a picture of the sunset.

After a coffee break I headed down to help out in the warehouse. The warehouse can get very busy at times so I usually head down there to help out for a few hours. We loaded and strapped some train cars with pulp and cleaned out the rail bay. By then it was time for lunch.

Today was pretty consistent so the second half of my day looked very similar to my first half - I did some testing in the lab, did some clean up, and then went to help out again in the warehouse. I also ran up to the roof to catch the sunrise.

After work I drove straight home and went to bed since I have one more night shift tomorrow.

That’s it for my day in my life at work, thanks for following along!

For more information contact:
Rebecca Rogers
Director, Communications
rrogers@fpac.ca
(613) 563-4518
Follow FPAC on LinkedIn
November 10, 2026
FPAC Statement on Joining the Homes and Growth Coalition
Forest Products Association of Canada and Canadian Wood Council Join the Homes and Growth Coalition
Read This
November 5, 2026
FPAC response to Budget 2026 and forthcoming Forest Sector Transformation Strategy
Encouraged by the Government Direction, Sector Needs to See Movement
Read This
November 4, 2026
FPAC Media Advisory: Budget 2026 and Implications for Canada’s Forest Sector
FPAC leadership available for comment on the Budget
Read This
November 3, 2026
FPAC Statement on the Canada–EU Summit
A stronger Canada-EU partnership can strengthen reliable trade
Read This
September 21, 2020
Lisa Raitt Honoured As Community Champion By Canada's Forest Products Sector
Forest Products Association of Canada recognizes former minister Lisa Raitt's leadership in the forestry sector with Forestry Community Champion award
Read This
November 13, 2019
The Search for Canada's Greenest Workforce
Canada's forest industry is a top employer and global leader in sustainability, forest management, clean technology and innovation
Read This
February 20, 2019
Opinion | Workforce Diversity - Canada's Forest Sector Branches Out
Forest Products Association of Canada embraces diversity and encourages women and indigenous to join the forestry workforce
Read This
November 9, 2026
My Favourite Things about my Silviculture Internship | Green Dream Internship 2026 | Blog
My top 5 favourite things about my job as a Silviculture Summer Student at Canfor
Read This
November 4, 2026
Life in Lumber | Green Dream Internship 2026 | Blog
Interview with Pat McMillan, Production Superintendent
Read This
October 30, 2026
My Experience as a Silviculture Summer Student | Green Dream Internship 2026 | Blog
Let’s face it - starting a new job can be scary, especially when joining a company as a summer student
Read This
October 23, 2026
From Tree Planter to Indigenous Relations Leader: Lana Wilhelm’s Journey in Forestry | Green Dream Internship 2026 | Blog
From Tree Planter to Indigenous Relations Leader: Lana Wilhelm’s Journey in Forestry
Read This
November 9, 2026
My Favourite Things about my Silviculture Internship | Green Dream Internship 2026 | Blog
My top 5 favourite things about my job as a Silviculture Summer Student at Canfor
Read This
November 4, 2026
Life in Lumber | Green Dream Internship 2026 | Blog
Interview with Pat McMillan, Production Superintendent
Read This
October 30, 2026
My Experience as a Silviculture Summer Student | Green Dream Internship 2026 | Blog
Let’s face it - starting a new job can be scary, especially when joining a company as a summer student
Read This
October 23, 2026
From Tree Planter to Indigenous Relations Leader: Lana Wilhelm’s Journey in Forestry | Green Dream Internship 2026 | Blog
From Tree Planter to Indigenous Relations Leader: Lana Wilhelm’s Journey in Forestry
Read This