At first glance, it might not seem like Holly Sauve, Erika Doyon and Kara Mills would have much in common. Holly is a Human Resources Advisor, Erika is an Operations Forester who works in development, and Kara is an Optimization Specialist. Each spends their day doing vastly different things. Holly is a Corporate HR Advisor who specializes in organizational development. She spends her days dissecting and studying data to reveal workforce insights. Erika spends her days in forest planning and development. Kara spends her day optimizing planer mills and grading systems.
The common thread that runs between all of these women is where they choose to apply their skills— working for forest industry leader Tolko Industries, headquartered in Vernon B.C and with 17 operations across Western Canada. Forestry is still an uncommon choice for women. In addition to fighting against the stereotypes that many resource-based industries face, forestry also struggles with the reputation of being a ‘sunset industry.’ Yet, when you dig a little deeper, as these three have, you find an industry vibrant with opportunity that can offer a rewarding career experience for those adventurous enough to look past the rough exterior.
