19561227_Cariboo Observer-2.pdf - the Quesnel & District Museum ...

Here's lo 1957 May it bring
you everything you're wishing for.
MARTY'S
PHOTO SUPPLY
Acute Lack Of Trained Men
Is Major Forest Problem
PRINCE GEORGE One of the
biggest problems facing the
lumber industry in B .0. today is
the acute lack of universityforestry
en-
trained foresters and
gineers, Hon.' Ray Williston,
Minister of Lands & Forests,
told a meeting here last weekend.
I
The minister was addressing a
special meeting of the Canadian
Institute of Foresters in the Masonic
Hall. Those present at the
meeting consisted of foresters &
their guests, and eame from as
far away as Terrace.
In an interview following the
meeting Mr. Williston said he
had told the assembly there is
much to be done in the field of
educating the public on the needs
and problems of the forest in »,
dustry.
Forestry is approached from
two divergent points of view, he
went on. industry and conservation,
and public confusion is the
result.
"We must convince the people
that if we are going to follow a
policy of sustained yield we are
going to have a far more technical
industry.
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OAYi
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FULLY EQUIPPED WITH
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We will soon be equipping this UNIT with
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Bridge Service Ltd.
"Until now wee have depended
on the universities to train men
and we of the B.C. Forest Ser\'ice
have started recruiting them in
their third and foiuih. years. The
trouble is, everyone else has
been doing the same thing and
we have not been getting enough
men.
"I am convinced that what we
must do is try to inject interest
in forestry and lumbering into
the Grade 10 and 11 level. We
must supply interesting data on
the industry employment openings
and opportunity for advancement.
"There is no information in the
schools now," said the former
Minister of Education.
"Nearly every other basic industry
has placed such information
in the schools and is reaping
the benefits.
"The data in the schools on the
forest industry — British Columbia's
basic industry — is as poor
as that of any other indiistry in
the province."
Mr. WiUisiton proposed that the
lumber firms contact the high
schools and offer summer employment
to students who intend
Page 12 - CARIBOO OBSEBVER - Thursday, Dec. 27, 195»
to go on to university.
The firms might offer employment
during every summer in
which the student is attending
university, and lend the student
the difference between his saved
earinings and his educational
costs on condition that upon graduation
the situdent would remain
with the company at least
until the loan was discharged.
Great strides have been talcen
in this field by the pulp and paper
industry in B.C., the minister
stated.
This system would not only
hela fill the need for technical
persSonnel, it would solve another
problem which the industry faces;
the problem which arises
from the fact that many forestr"
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