There are many things I love about my summer job as a Silviculture student with West Fraser, the number one naturally being the fact that I am surrounded by nature nearly every day. It is refreshing and invigorating to be outdoors and there is a true sense of peace when you are in a block at the top of a mountain on a beautiful sunny day, surrounded by landscape views or a vast forest. Finding a river tucked away or a large rock with a particularly good view is always the perfect way to spend your lunch break.
Another thing I love about my summer job is learning. Working in the field is very different compared to what I typically learn in the classroom. It is great to be able to apply what I have learned throughout my degree to my daily work and learn more while I’m at it. I have learned the process of planting a block after harvest, learned why different tree species are selected for each area and how they are suited. I have learned the process of monitoring stands to ensure they are healthy and vigorous, and what to do if they aren’t. My position at West Fraser is specifically a student position, so, thanks to my supervisor and everyone else at the office, I am learning new things every day and that is something I love! There are also six other summer students at the 100 Mile West Fraser office. Working with other students has been a blast and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting everyone and creating friendships I hope will go beyond our short time during the summer.
West Fraser has a full two-week training session with all the students at the beginning of the summer. We get S100 (Basic Fire Suppression) and Level 1 First Aid, as well as ATV/UTV training and bear awareness and safety training. The ATV/UTV training days were a blast and the bear awareness and safety training is what really made me feel confident in the bush. Throughout my summer I have seen more bears than I could ever count, while thankfully none of these encounters were even close to aggressive, I have the training to handle the situation if it were. The bear training day included many scenarios where a large “bear” came rushing toward us on a zipline, and we learned techniques and skills to deal with the situation. I am so happy with each training session we received through West Fraser as each made me for comfortable and confident.
This has been my favourite summer job and I am thankful to West Fraser for this opportunity! I can’t wait to do this again.
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