After a bumpy few years that saw some operators scaling back their operations, agri-timber is back in a big way in Arkansas. Since 2015, investment is up, demand is running high, and the need for workers is nearly constant. For people with the right skills and a good work ethic, the agri-timber industry provides a solid career choice.
WHAT DOES AN AGRI-TIMBER WORKER DO? Agri-timber involves the management of forest resources, harvesting of trees in an environmentally responsible manner and processing the wood into a variety of products that consumers and other industries rely on every day. These final products range from lumber for the construction industry to paper products, to processed building products such as plywood and veneers. The types of careers available in this field include: Logging equipment operators • Use tree harvesters to fell trees, shear off limbs and cut trees into desired lengths. • Drive tractors and operate machines called skidders, or forwarders, which drag or push logs to a loading area. Log graders and scalers • Inspect logs for defects and measure the logs to determine their volume. • Estimate the value of logs or pulpwood. • Often use hand-held data collection devices to track forest and specimen data. Diesel techs • Diesel engines power many industrial vehicles and machines. • Diesel engines are increasingly sophisticated, with onboard electronics and telematics. • Skilled diesel techs are required to keep such machines running at peak efficiency. Just like any other manufacturing facility, sawmills and paper/pulp mills are dependent on a variety of skilled professionals, such as computer programmers/coders, electricians, plumbers and industrial maintence workers. WHAT’S NEW? Advanced manufacturing Sawmills and paper/pulp mills have a long-standing reputation for being hot, smelly and unpleasant places to work. However, many of today’s mills rely on advanced manufacturing techniques, which harness the power of technology and automation to process raw timber. This results in a cleaner, safer and more comfortable workplace, greater yield and efficiency, and more responsible handling of waste products.
WHERE DO AGRI-TIMBER PROFESSIONALS WORK? Generally speaking, logging crews spend their time outdoors in the woods, working in all types of weather. Factories and processing plants tend to be located within a reasonable distance of where the trees are harvested to help contain logistical costs. Arkansas’s timber processing plants are scattered throughout the state, with many of them clustered in the southwest corner, extending from Fort Smith diagonally to Arkansas City on the Mississippi River and to the Louisiana and Texas state lines. WHAT’S THE JOB OUTLOOK? There were 270 log graders and scalers in Arkansas in 2018 and that number is expected to stay about the same by 2026. There were 1,770 logging equipment operators in the state in 2018 and that number is expected to drop to 1,580 by 2028, faster than the national average. HOW MUCH CAN I MAKE? Logging Equipment Operators • Lower range wages (bottom 10 percent) — $24,210 annually/$11.64 per hour • Middle range wages (median) — $45,230 annually/$21.75 per hour • Higher range wages (top 10 percent) — $60,020 annually/$28.86 per hour Log Graders and Scalers • Lower range wages (bottom 10 percent) — $25,600 annually/$12.31 per hour • Middle range wages (median) — $37,890 annually/18.22 per hour • Higher range wages (top 10 percent) — $54,430 annually/$26.17 per hour
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE SUCCESSFUL? Communication skills • Must communicate with other crew members to perform work efficiently and safely. • Must be able to work as part of a team. Computer skills • Able to operate and adjust digitally controlled factory equipment or handheld devices. Detail oriented • Must watch gauges, dials and other indicators to determine if equipment and tools are working properly. HOW DO I LEARN THE CRAFT? • A high school diploma is all that’s required for most logging jobs. • Most industry-specific training comes on the job. • Some community colleges offer associate’s degrees or certificates in forest technology. • A few community colleges offer education programs for logging equipment operators • Many state forestry or logging associations provide training sessions for logging equipment operators. • Training often takes place in the field, where trainees can practice various logging techniques and use particular equipment. • Logging companies and trade associations may also offer training programs for workers who operate large, expensive machinery and equipment. • Such programs often culminate in a state-recognized safety certificate from the logging company.
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