Building careers in forestry – one summer job at a time
Born and raised in Northeastern Ontario, Abigail Williams wanted to find a profession that allowed her to remain close to home and spend a lot of time outdoors. Lakehead University’s Forestry program was a perfect fit and she is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in the field. In her quest to get hands on experience, she has now completed a second summer at the EACOM Timber Corporation’s Elk Lake sawmill as a Woodlands Summer Student.
Her role was primarily to assist road construction supervisors as they maintained and built logging roads in Northeastern Ontario’s Timiskaming Forest, which EACOM helps to manage. These roads are crucial for accessing areas targeted for harvesting but they also serve local populations by connecting and facilitating access to remote areas and isolated communities. Abigail also conducted equipment utilization studies, analyzing data from previous projects to determine which machines were used for what periods of time. Such studies provide insight into area for improvement and recommend best practices that result in time and cost savings as well as minimizing the impact on the environment.
“I chose to come back to EACOM for a second summer because I’d had such a great experience the first year and the team is so much fun to work with. It’s a great environment for learning practical things about the industry. Everyone is so supportive and takes the time to answer every question. I feel like I learned so much about Forestry here that I couldn’t necessarily get in a classroom.” – Abigail Williams, Forestry student
As to what the future holds, Abigail is not sure what subject she would like to pursue for her Master’s degree, but her experience has only reinforced her desire to work in the great outdoors.
“We’re thrilled to see enthusiastic students come back year after year, eager to learn more about sustainable forest management. We have wonderful, knowledgeable foresters on staff here at EACOM that are only too happy to pass on their expertise to the next generation and keep Canada’s working forests healthy. Students like Abigail are strongly encouraged to consider a career with us once they complete their studies.” – Kyle Aird, Woodland Manager for EACOM at Elk Lake.
Lumber is a renewable resource and environmentally friendly building material whose use is projected to increase, bringing with it endless career possibilities. As another school year kicks off, we at EACOM are proud to support all students interested in learning more about the industry, whether it be by helping them gain experience in the field, facilitating internships, or visiting one of our mills.