Students learn about forestry at the Grande Prairie sawmill.

Exploring our industry up close.

Charles Spencer High’s Career and Life Management class enjoyed a recent field trip to the Grande Prairie sawmill and planer in Alberta. Led by construction teacher, John Rimmer, the trip gave the students a chance to explore the forest industry up close and learn about the many career paths it offers.

John Rimmer brought the class to Canfor for a meaningful reason. “Canfor has always been a part of my life,” he shared, explaining how his dad worked as a Woodlands Superintendent at the old Canfor Hines Creek mill. Rimmer added, “The forest industry is one of the biggest sources of jobs in our area, so showing students the different trades at the sawmill made perfect sense.”

The students saw firsthand how technology transforms logs into various types of boards, marveling at the precision and efficiency of the operations. For many, it was their first exposure to how lumber is made, aligning perfectly with their curriculum goals of exploring diverse career paths.

Rimmer especially wanted his students to see the technology and variety of jobs in the industry. “A lot of them were blown away by the tech involved. Some even compared certain jobs to playing a massive video game,”.The sharpening room, where enormous bandsaw blades are maintained, was a big hit. “Even my construction students were amazed at the size of those blades. Honestly, I was impressed, too,” Rimmer admitted.

Rob McLaughlin, Harvesting Superintendent at Grande Prairie, made the tour engaging and informative, answering all the students’ questions and offering interesting insights. The Grande Prairie team was excited to share information about the forest forestry industry and potential career paths with the students. For some students, it might just be the spark they need to consider a future in the field.