Trees and Timber
GREEN CAREERS
No Two Days the Same scotland.lantra.co.uk
Why work in Trees and Timber? The more wood that we grow and harvest in Scotland, the less we have to import from overseas. This saves transport emissions and can help preserve older forests abroad.
Forests and woods also do a great job of improving the quality of poorer soils in Scotland. Conifers particularly thrive on thin soil, and grow better than their broadleaved cousins, so planting them is one of the best ways to enrich our soil without disturbing other natural woodlands. While society has a high demand for woodbased products already, softwoods like these are now being used to replace concrete and steel in construction. This means CO2 can be locked up in buildings, reducing the need for more polluting materials. And while all trees can absorb carbon and become a useful material, we have an urgent need for more (and for more sustainable) timber. Working in forestry means you can be part of the solution!
Be part of the solution!
Sawmills turn felled trees into usable wood resources, with processing after that creating a huge variety of goods that we use in our daily lives.
If you have a keen interest in being part of the transition to a more economically sustainable Scotland, a career in trees and timber could provide you with a challenging future and a rewarding way of life.
The arboriculture sector covers the management of trees in public and community spaces, and on private properties. Arborist craftsmen climb trees so they can treat tree diseases and maintain the health of wooded areas. This is sometimes called a tree surgeon.
Whether you like being outdoors using machinery and getting your hands dirty, or prefer science or research within a lab, look no further than the trees and timber industry. It offers some of the most varied jobs in Scotland, covering a huge range of skills. The timber industry is big business, and covers harvesting, sawmilling and timber engineering operations. Some roles are outdoors, doing things like assessing the safety of trees, surveying patches of land, planning recreational uses of the forest and calculating the size of trees. Other jobs need a more strategic, consultative and managerial approach – such as forest manager or forestry consultant. Forest harvesting usually involves technical and haulage activity on a specific woodland area. Job roles range from site managers and machine operators, to chainsaw operators and timber lorry drivers who transport timber to sawmills.
12,000ha+ With a career in forestry you could contribute towards the Scottish Government’s target of creating 12,000ha of new woodlands per year
There are also opportunities to develop a career in forest education, improving people’s understanding of the need for woodland and forests
How do I get started? The industry is always looking for new entrants, and there are many different career options open to you. You could specialise in science and research, be hands-on in the field working with the latest in harvesting technology or using your communication skills in education or consultancy. The public and private sectors are looking for enthusiastic new entrants, so have a look at some examples of jobs on the next page for inspiration.
£ 1 billion Forests in Scotland contribute £1 billion to the economy, supporting over 25,000 full-time employees
£ 23,920 The average salary for a forest worker is £23,920. Senior consultants can earn over £70,000
Trees and Timber Career Options Here are some of the jobs you could be doing in our industry.
// FORESTRY
// ARBORICULTURE
Timber Buyer Forestry Manager Forestry Contractor
Arboriculturalist Consultant Tree Surgeon
Routes into a Career in Trees and Timber
Depending on your current skills and experience, you could enter at different levels.
JOB LEVEL
SENIOR ROLES
SUPERVISORY ROLES
SCQF LEVEL
TRAINING AND COURSES
12
Doctorate
11
Masters | Graduate Apprenticeship
10
Honours Degree | Graduate Apprenticeship
9
Degree | Graduate Apprenticeship
8
HND Forestry | HND Arboriculture and Urban Forestry | Graduate Apprenticeship Scottish Vocational Qualification | Technical Apprenticeship
7
HNC Forestry | HNC Arboriculture and Urban Forestry | PDA Forestry
6
Forestry Advanced Certificate (Arboriculture or Forest Mechanisation) NPA Woodland Operations | Modern Apprenticeship | Foundation Apprenticeship Land-based Workplace Skills Award | Scottish Vocational Qualification
5
Forestry Certificate | National 5 | NPA Rural Skills | Modern Apprenticeship Scottish Vocational Qualification | Land-based Workplace Skills Award Introduction to Woodland Skills and Rural Estate Maintenance
4
NC Rural Skills | National 4 Skills for Work: Rural Skills | Land-based Workplace Skills Award
SUPERVISED ROLES
Making a difference
Jack Marshall:
Malcolm Whyte:
Forestry Machine Operator
Forestry Operations Manager
I’m currently working on a John Deere forwarder, so I go into the forest after the harvester has cut the trees down, take them out and stack them by the roadside, ready for the lorry drivers to take off site. Normally I can move 100 plus tons a day, but I always make sure I do it as neatly as I can.
It’s an exciting time to get involved in forestry, as we need to plant more trees to offset carbon, to generate income from them, and to create a safe outdoor environment which the public can visit.
Safety’s a big concern for us, so first thing I do each morning is check my machine. At the end of the day, I carry out any maintenance that’s needed, top up the fuel, oil and grease then walk around the vehicle to make sure everything’s OK. I’m qualified to drive a harvester as well, but I really prefer using the forwarder.
We encourage visitors to use our forest paths and we have cyclists, walkers, birdwatchers and horse riders using our network regularly. Choosing the right mix of tree species to cater for all these different needs is part of the challenge. It involves careful forward planning, but it is great fun and very satisfying. “It’s an exciting time to get involved in forestry”
“What makes this job so rewarding is that I’m outdoors in the countryside finding solutions to difficult challenges every day” There are some days when the weather’s a bit wild and that’s when we have to spend more time doing brashing. That’s using branches to provide more support on tracks and haulage routes, which keeps the machine from getting stuck. Damage to the ground is also reduced, which is better for the habitats and landscapes we’re working in. My company’s given me a lot of support, especially during my apprenticeship, so it’s been easier to learn from any mistakes I’ve made. The best bit about my job is that you’re always doing different things. Sometimes you could be lifting timber, the next day you could be building bridges or clearing out drains to keep water courses clean. I’m really into machines, so I love having a job that involves driving into the forest and managing woodland. It’s a pretty rewarding career.
I enjoy designing these restock sites knowing that they could be here for another 60 years. This is a long-term business and the fact that what we do now will shape our forestry for future generations is fascinating. The job does change quite a bit through the year, depending on the seasons. Planting starts in spring and continues until early summer, when we’ll start harvesting the older trees until the winter. Then it’s usually wetter underfoot so we’ll start doing ground preparation for planting again in the spring. There’s a major push for creating new woodland at the moment, so if you’re prepared to get your head down and work hard, the rewards are fantastic.
Find out more For information on training and qualifications available, email scotland@lantra.co.uk or call 01738 310 164. www.scotland.lantra.co.uk www.myworldofwork.co.uk @lantrascotland @lantrascotland @lantra.scotland
GREEN CAREERS
Lantra in Scotland is supported by the Scottish Government Updated October 2022