iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

BCIT closes it's Forestry programs due to poor enrollment

Started by SwampDonkey, February 21, 2007, 06:13:28 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

SwampDonkey

The following news was just released by the folks at ASTT in British Columbia.

Forestry Programs Cut At BCIT
The BC Institute of Technology has decided to close its two forestry programs due to low enrolment.  Forest professionals manage all aspects of the forest including fish, wildlife, soils and forest health issues such as the mountain pine beetle outbreak.

ASTTBC Executive Director & Registrar, John Leech, AScT, CAE, expressed concern over the decision.  "I am certain BCIT gave a lot of thought to cutting the Forest Technologist and Forest Technician programs.  What concerns me is the apparent lack of program rationalization province-wide" he says.  "The Forest Technologist program at the College of New Caledonia in Prince George is also hanging on by its teeth".

In a recent statement, the Association of BC Forest Professionals declared that the public relies on BCIT and the other forest technology schools in the province for the high-calibre graduates they produce each year to take care of the forests.  The employment rate for forest technology programs is 100% and the demand for trained forest professionals is going to grow as the workforce ages.  "When you work in forestry you have the opportunity to make a difference for future generations." says ABCFP's president Bob Craven, a BCIT alumni. "Unfortunately, young people are not getting this message and are not choosing to go into forestry programs."

Strategic leadership by the BC government is required to provide province-wide direction for technology education.  Until then, institutes and colleges will continue to make decisions without full consideration of provincial needs.  Looking at future demand for graduates should be the driver for keeping the programs going, not current enrollments.

The ASTTBC Executive Director met with Chief Forester, Jim Snetsinger, and will be meeting with BCIT President Tony Knowles in mid-February, to discuss the issue.  ASTTBC Council members Jim Blake and Doug Carter, CTech as well as ASTTBC Community Representative Colin Dix, AScT... all based in Prince George... are keenly interested in the future of technology programs at the College of New Caledonia.

While Malaspina University-College, Selkirk College and the College of New Caledonia still offer forest technology programs, BCIT was the only one in the highly populated Lower Mainland.

In addition to the recent BCIT forestry announcement, there have been cuts or reductions in technology programs in other disciplines in recent years at Kwantlen University College, Thompson River University, College of New Caledonia, Northern Lights College and North West College.  At a time of a coming skills shortage, a crisis in technology education appears to be building.

"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

BrandonTN

Hollywood needs to make a movie that glorifies the forester...like Top Gun did for fighter-pilots, Ladder 49 for fire-fighters.  That'd be good advertising and make young people more interested.  8)
Forester, Nantahala National Forest

sawguy21

Swamp, I noticed that article too. The University of BC is also looking at merging it's forestry faculty with another school. There is a huge demand for forestry people here especially with the pine beetle problem but the discipline is not being properly promoted.
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

SwampDonkey

People are probably getting tired of having worked at a job for 4 or 5 years to then have to look for another job and start at the bottom again.  ::) I found that a career with the Ministry of Forests is no more secure than with a consultant. A lot of the folks, as you are well aware of, are over in Fort McMurray.  ;) Quite a number are fresh out of high school also.
I blame a lot of the promotional thing on the RPF associations and government, especially here in NB. They are doing well to remain out of the public eye. I guess they don't have a good spokesmen to promote it. I can see the main reason the government isn't promoting it, is that they don't have a job to offer. They also killed the Forest extension a few years back, that didn't help. We have INFOR, that if your lucky they might make an appearance once a year at woodlot owner meetings. The last fellow they sent to a meeting I attended was so out of touch that it was embarrassing. And when forestry issues come up, you get a company spokesman at the podium, not a forester. Some people have company websites with question and answer forums, but hiding behind computers isn't the same as putting someone on the spot in the moment. ;D
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Thank You Sponsors!