After years of slumps, layoffs and mill closures, the forestry industry benefited from International Paper Week in Montreal (http://www.paperweekcanada.ca), including the job fair organized on February 5-6 to let it be known that it is seeking skilled workers and now offers career possibilities and a dynamic future!
David Lindsay, president and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada, has stated that there will be 60,000 jobs to be filled in the industry by 2020 for all of Canada (including one third for Quebec).
A large part of these are to renew the workforce, since employers in the industry agree that it’s difficult to replace the rapid pace of retirements.
Hiring needs also come as good news, since activities and exports to Asia have grown strongly and resumed to the USA, and are also related to the development of new products.
Employers are in particular seeking candidates in specialized trades (mechanics, electricians), engineers, environmental supervisors, etc., and they are revitalizing their attractiveness in order to be competitive compared to companies in the mining industries and other manufacturing industries, to prove that the forestry industry also offers interesting prospects.
Some HR representatives and recruiters interviewed at the show (Tembec, Cascades, Résolu Produits Forestiers) confirmed that hundreds of various technical jobs will be offered in the next few months, in Quebec, Ontario and Western Canada.
Companies in the industry have worked hard to restructure and now promise candidates that their industry is a promising sector with a future.
To support this new image of the industry and reach young people, the industry has also launched a contest to award eight Canadian students (2 from Quebec) a Dream internship in a forestry company.
Participants must take the stage in a video explaining why they would be the ideal candidate for these internships (http://lamaindoeuvrelaplusverte.ca/).
The forestry industry also intends to present a new face, looking to the future, with sound careers, projects that are environmentally friendly and contribute to quality of life, in order to attract and recruit young people.