Forestry continues to be a major contributor to the global economy, fueled by a growth in housing and need for lightweight and renewable packaging sources. However, the industry is facing a growing labor shortage that makes it difficult to find and develop qualified forest equipment operators.

Worldwide, the trend in the supply of skilled labor is the same from construction to manufacturing and forestry – as workers retire it’s getting harder and harder to replace them with the next generation. Retired Oregon State University professor, John Garland, explained that the median age of forestry workers is well into middle age. In fact, it’s even likely to be over 60 for vehicle drivers and equipment operators. Consequently, shortages are expected to reach even higher levels as retirees exit the workforce throughout the coming decade.

Despite ongoing efforts, the number of workers joining the industry remains low. Operating heavy equipment within the confines of a timber harvest worksite involves a great deal of potential risk, responsibility, and stress.

Read the blog post here.