Career Profiles

 

The following list of Career Profile videos were put together by GoForestry- a great interactive website that aims to increase awareness and educate the general public on forest, forestry and related career opportunities. Visit www.goforestry.ca

 

Wildlife Biologist- Jean-Michel explains what he does as a wildlife biologist for the province.

Forester, Consultant- Sarah goes through what is involved by owning a consulting firm, and why she likes working in the forestry field.

Forest Technician- Brian explains what his role is as a forest technician, and some of the best parts of the job.

Urban Forester- Don shows what his work is like on a daily basis as an urban forester.

Forestry Equipment Operator- Andre works out in the field operating forestry equipment.

Chief Forester- Kevin goes through what a chief forester does, and the best parts of the job.

Forester- Barbara explains why she loves her job and what the forestry industry offers.

 

Additional video footage about different forestry and natural resource careers:

Forest Technologist- learn about what a forest technologist may do on a day to day basis.

Careers in Forestry- what does someone with a forestry background do?

 

Career profile

 

Jim Farrell
Assistant Deputy Minister
Canadian Forest Service
Natural Resources Canada

Jim has had an interesting career path leading to his appointment as Assistant Deputy Minister of the Canadian Forest Service in March of 2007.

Jim began his career at Abitibi Paper Company (later Abitibi-Consolidated) in Pine Falls, Manitoba after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from the University of Toronto in 1975. Jim admits to not having a specific plan after graduation, but his general plan was to work in the private sector and then look for opportunities in the public service.

In this position with Abitibi, Jim lived in the bush camps and supervised forestry operations, and the buying and selling logs for company mills. Jim supervised cut and skid crews, road construction, wood hauling, locating roads and cruising timber. Jim recollects buying a 1967 Chevrolet Impala after his first year working with some of his left over wage!

Jim also worked with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources in Toronto.
In 1983, Jim joined the Canadian Forest Service as the senior forestry officer in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. He later became Director of Forestry Development for Ontario, where he was responsible for federal-provincial programs and for research and development programs in forest-landscape management, fire management, forest health and climate change.

Afterwards, Jim was the Director General of the Policy, Economics and Industry Branch, where he was responsible for domestic and international forest policy, economic analysis, industry and market access issues (including forests and climate change), overseas market development and industry research.

Asked why he perceives the government to play an important role in sustainable forest management, Jim responds that while the provincial governments have clear responsibilities around land ownership, managing and pricing natural resources and all that entails, it is the federal government which has a pivotal role both domestically and internationally in numerous fields. These fields include environmental regulation, innovation and R&D, trade policy and development, along with fiscal, monetary, tax and transportation policy. All these fields which directly affect industry sector competitiveness. And Jim avers that industry sector competitiveness is an essential pre-requisite for sustainable forest management.

Currently, as Assistant Deputy Minister of the Canadian Forestry Services, Jim oversees the 5 Forestry Centres across the country, the Canadian Wood Fibre Centre, along with 3 other branches addressing Operations, Economics and Programs.

The Canadian Forest Service is a science-based policy organization with close to 1,000 employees working in forest research centres in five locations across Canada, as well as in science and economic policy coordination functions in Ottawa. The Canadian Forest Service conducts research and addresses issues including forest disturbance, climate change impacts, mitigation and program technologies all which supports the goals of healthy, sustainable forests operating within a competitive forest sector

In regard to advice for forestry students, Jim suggests that what worked for him was to learn from where he was, seize opportunities as they arose and to always challenge himself to do a bit better.

Jim generally believes that the traditional employers of the past, including government and industry, will likely continue to hire fewer foresters. However, more non-traditional employers will emerge and begin to hire. Non-traditional employers may include the energy sector, community based tenures, and consulting groups.
Jim also acknowledges the recent decline in forestry faculties at universities and other educational institutions across the country, which has led to some schools re-evaluating their forestry programs.  Jim believes the best response to this is not to be defensive rather to “embrace the opportunity for change and be pro-active in re-defining this and the next generations’ expectations of foresters.”

Jim Farrell feels extremely fortunate to have had numerous opportunities to learn from the experience of being a federal public servant. He suggests that students consider the many great things about being a Federal Public Servant, and consider it in their career path.
For more information on the Canadian Forest Service please visit: http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/

 

To see  the Deputy Minister speak about sustainable forest management in Canada please follow the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnruLHydeIA