Forestry Technician

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Location:	Lindsay
Program Status:	Accepting applications
Program Code:	FT
Co-ordinator:	Gerald Guenkel
Credential:	Ontario College Diploma
Classes Start:	September 7, 2010
Tuition/ Fees:	$1,660.75 per semester * * Tuition and fees subject to change.

Program Highlights

Be a part of a close-knit community of men and women across the country who are making a difference in our environment as a Forestry Technician. This career path will appeal to you if you are passionate about the outdoors, and concerned for the responsible management of forest resources.

In Fleming's two-year Forestry Technician program, you'll acquire the right stuff to work effectively in natural resources management - from identifying trees to working with high-tech computers.

Students performing a forest assessment.

In an ideal combination of theory and technical hands-on experiences, your studies in the classroom will be complemented by numerous field excursions.
You'll participate in the Forestry program's unique field camp experience.
In addition, you can increase your credentials (and career readiness and versatility) by taking certification courses such as forest fire fighting, first aid and CPR, tree marking and cutter certification (at a modest extra cost).

Want to gain an international perspective on forestry? Through an international exchange program, you can visit Europe for as little as three weeks or as long as one semester, attending courses at our partner institutions - the University of West Hungary, in Sopron, Hungary and the University of Padua in Legnaro, Italy.

Word from the Workplace

"I had completed the Fish and Wildlife program, and realized that the Forestry program was an excellent complement to it. In addition, I could receive both diplomas within a three-year period. I believe the Forestry program is `leading edge' within Ontario, and provided me with the basic fundamentals and sound knowledge that I needed to succeed in this career. In some districts, geographic information systems is a fairly new concept, and the training and background I received at Fleming helped to really set me ahead in this area."

Jennifer Hughes, Program Graduate
Area Technician, Pembroke District,
Ministry of Natural Resources

Why Choose Fleming?

Three decades of producing excellent grads has the close-knit forestry industry seeking out more for new hiring opportunities every year. Our grads are now in a position to hire new grads, and are doing so as a result of their own positive experiences in the program. Fleming's Forestry program has an excellent reputation for producing top-notch, competent technicians for a wide variety of agencies, companies, and organizations. The Forestry grad is highly sought after by government ministries, agencies, and forestry companies - including, for example, the B.C. Forestry Service and the Nova Scotia government's ministries of natural resources and the environment. Employers recognize that the students' training is holistic, and prepares them for a wide variety of tasks and duties.

Common First Semester
Students in our School’s diploma programs take the same courses for first semester after choosing and being accepted into one of our programs. This common focus exposes you to a variety of career options and other programs. You will have the freedom to explore and obtain a multidisciplinary perspective, while you acquire a base of knowledge and fundamental skills.

Although students are accepted into a specific program for their first semester, the common first semester allows you to change direction if you find another program or career area is more appealing. Once you have successfully completed the common first semester, you can enter the program of your choice in second semester, subject to enrolment capacity.

Work Experience

There are many practical, hands-on opportunities throughout the program. You'll have the opportunity to participate in our field camp, practicing your forestry skills while developing teamwork skills.

What it Takes to Succeed

Forestry Technicians are responsible for resource management planning and protection. Experience working in parks, nature centres, or similar venues, either as a volunteer or employee, would be an asset. Your success in forestry will be greatly helped if you have:

a passion for forests, environment, outdoors
problem-solving ability
strong organizational skills
good background in maths, sciences
willingness to move for a career opportunity

Career Opportunities

There are career opportunities anywhere there is a forest, in rural, wilderness, and urban settings. As mentioned above, major employers in the field seek to hire Fleming graduates, so there's many career opportunities straight out of college. You could find yourself working for hydroelectric companies, conservation authorities, municipalities, forest industry (woodlands, sawmills, pulp mills), government agencies, forest nurseries, federal/provincial forestry-related ministries, and private contractors both within Canada and abroad. Job titles you may hold include forest ecosystem assessor, firefighter, silviculture technician, forest technician, conservation authority technician, forest operation supervisor, and forest planner. With additional training, you could also work as a forester. There's lots of opportunities for women! Employers of Forestry Technicians are after brains, not brawn in the men and women they hire.

Minimum Admission Requirements

OSSD with the majority of credits at the College (C) and Open (O) level, including:

2 College (C) English courses (Grade 11 or Grade 12)
2 College (C) Math courses (Grade 11 or Grade 12)

When (C) is the minimum course level for admission, (U) or (U/C) courses are also accepted.

Mature Students
If you are 19 years of age or older before classes start, and you do not possess an OSSD, you can write the Canadian Adult Achievement Test to assess your eligibility for admission. Additional testing or academic upgrading may be neccessary to meet specific course requirements for this program.

* Students starting in January are required to attend classes over the summer semester.

Related Programs

When you graduate from the Forestry Technician program, you can continue on for a third year in Natural Resources Law Enforcement or consider Geographic Information Systems for even more career opportunities. You might also consider doing a dual diploma, by taking another of our technician diploma programs. You can graduate with an additional technician diploma with just two more semesters of study.