Education · 1 of 5

The path

A two-year college diploma with a lot of time in the bush, then straight to work.

1. 1

   High school diploma

   Grade 12

   College-level English and math are the usual entry requirements. Fleming College asks for Grade 11 college math and Grade 12 college English.

2. 2

   Forestry technician diploma

   2 years

   Two years at a college such as Fleming, Sault, Confederation, Maritime College of Forest Technology or the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

3. 3

   Field camps and co-op

   Inside the program

   Programs build in fall and winter camps plus a paid work term. Fleming's co-op semester is about 450 hours.

4. 4

   First season on a crew

   Year 1

   Timber cruising, silviculture surveys, tree marking, road layout, planting inspection.

5. 5

   Specialize or register

   2 to 5 years

   Move into inventory, fire, harvest planning or nursery work. In British Columbia, register as a forest technologist.