Page 14 - Georgia Forestry - Issue 4 - Fall 2022

AGE DISTRIBUTION BY INDUSTRY - 2021
leaving a lot of younger workers who have higher turnover rates when it comes to this industry,” said Hunt. “I know this may sound a little discouraging, but I do have good news. Quits have significantly decreased in the last 30 years, likely a combination of the shrinking workforce and potentially due to technology investments that have made loggers’ jobs a little easier and provided amenities like air-conditioned cabs.”
The hole in available labor is proving to be a challenge for the Georgia forestry industry, but it’s not a challenge that can’t be overcome.
“Employees are making decisions based on culture, based on pay, based on if they’re able to work from home. That’s something that a lot of forestry jobs don’t have going for them that folks are looking for. But there are ways that we can combat this, ways that we can think about this because a lot of people are kind of shuffling around right now and we can find ways to take that to our advantage,” said Hunt at the Georgia Forestry Association Annual Conference. “We know there are still a number of Georgians who are on the sidelines or have barriers to work and could be reengaged for the right incentives. This is important, especially as we think about our young workers. For
the long-time health of the industry, it’s important to focus on recruitment of that younger worker.”
Training the Next Generation of Forestry Professionals
If you were to ask a classroom of high school students about their career ambitions, you’re almost guaranteed to hear doctor, lawyer and even astronaut — but how often do you hear logger? Unfortunately, not often enough, which is why state education leaders are leading a charge to popularize forestry and agriculture careers through early education, said Billy Hughes, agricultural education program manager at the Georgia Department of Education.
“Georgia is very unique. We are the only state in the nation with a true kindergarten-through-adult education model for agricultural education. These teachers are teaching lessons that cover habitat, needs and preferences for native wildlife. They’re talking about what makes wildlife native versus invasive. How production agriculture and commercial industries affect natural resources. The importance of clean water and good soil
management. And they’re also doing simple things like tree identification and wildlife identification. Again, piquing the interest. Showing students that there is a viable career out there in the industry,” said Hughes.
The efforts to increase youth interest in forestry and agriculture appear to be paying off, with numbers showing that thousands of students are coming out of these programs primed to join the workforce. In Georgia, there are 145 schools teaching at least one forestry pathway and in just the last year, over 3,000 students participated in a forestry- related class.
Beyond the classroom, state edu- cation officials are encouraging clubs and events to build young forestry pro- fessional groups that give students the opportunities to learn and grow in the field. Today, there are more than 60 Young Farmers groups in the state alone.
“I hear a lot of people [say] that you need not only for [young professionals] to have technical skills. You need them to have leadership skills. You need them to have team building skills. You need them to have communication skills. And those are all the things that [they are taught] if they participate in the Future Farmers of America, the leadership
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