This week, as Brad heads into the last few weeks of his work term, he reflects on why he chose Tolko; how our values match with his own; and how much he enjoyed his work term experience over the summer. Co-op and summer students are an important part of the fabric of Tolko. They bring new insights and ideas and we look to them to become the next generation of leaders that will take the company and the industry forward. Brad says he learned a lot about the options that are available to him with Tolko and in the forest industry. We’re glad we could provide him with a positive first work experience and look forward to seeing where his career takes him.
Brad Constantine was selected as one of Greenest Workforce Green Dream bloggers during the summer of 2017. Brad shared some great insight into what it’s like to work in the forest industry and to live in Meadow Lake. We’ll be re-sharing Brad’s summer of blogs over the next several weeks so you can share in his adventure and more about the great opportunities that await you in the forest industry. For more information on the Greenest Workforce visit: http://thegreenestworkforce.ca/index.php/en/home/
By Brad Constantine on August 24, 2017
For this week’s blog, I’m going to talk mainly about the benefits of working for Tolko Industries and why I am glad I was able to start my forestry career with such a good company. Over the course of the summer, I’ve classified my experience with Tolko as an unforgettable time. Although it was a short 4-month work term, the experience alone is worth its weight in gold. It allowed me to really see what the forest industry is after growing up in a forestry-based family.
To really enhance my overall thoughts of Tolko all started back in early October last fall, As I was sitting in on an information session Tolko held, I began to realize that Tolko’s values matched to what I was looking for. A company driven to improve productivity and create a competitive environment within the forest industry. Once I got out here to Saskatchewan, I was ecstatic with how the Woodlands department works in unison and how tight-knit bunch we became.
The main things I’ve enjoyed about my job this summer is the leisure of working in the bush. It’s nice to be able to learn hands-on and can see first hand how the work you did paid off. For instance, I had to do an RMA buffer alongside a stream in a block. There was a wet patch along my line that I ribbon around to ensure that the contractor did not get a piece of equipment stuck and cause excessive soil disturbance. One thing I’ve realized in the Forestry sector is that the small things are just as important as the big things to. Sometimes taking extra steps now will save time for yourself or others down the road.
Safety is key with Tolko. Over the summer I realize that the company pays close attention to safety measures. To be safe, we follow the recommended operating procedures related to the task, then we fill out a hazard assessment to make a mental note of our surroundings and possible dangers. During our Tuesday morning meetings, we choose to review a safety document to keep the procedures fresh in our minds. For these reasons, I believe that this is the main reason that safety plays such a big part because there are steps in place to make us think about what is happening. If someone is mentally aware, it decreases the chance of something negative happening.
This summer opened my eyes to all the options there really is in the forest products industry and how it plays a huge role in the economy. Beforehand, I always thought about pursuing a forestry-based job. This work term has established a great foundation to keep building my skills in forestry. Seeing it is my first formal forestry job, I know that there is a lot of room for me to grow in my thought process, becoming more accurate with my observations in the bush and to overall have a better understanding of everything I encounter in my future jobs.
