A forestry technician manages and assesses forest conditions and resources. To become a forestry technician, you will typically need to enroll in a diploma, certificate, or associate's degree program in forestry technology. Often, forestry technology programs include an internship component to provide hands-on experience. You might also have to pass an exam to qualify for this type of job. These positions are commonly found with government agencies, but you can also seek work with lumber companies, wood pulp businesses, mining companies, and even some fuel businesses — schools sometimes help with job placement.
You will likely need at least some higher education to become a forestry technician. In most cases, however, this won't require as much time as earning a bachelor's degree. Instead, you can typically enroll in a forestry technology program to prepare for this career. You may find this type of educational program through a community college or junior college, and these programs often last for about two to three years.
The classes you will take to become a forestry technician may vary, depending on the school you attend and the length of the program. Usually, however, these types of programs include classes in such subjects as land surveying, natural resource management, forest harvesting, and wild-life management. Courses might also cover such subjects as logging, forest mapping and inventories, outdoor recreation, and plant biology. This type of program may provide not only instruction in these and other forestry-related subjects, but also cover computer programs and mechanical equipment that can help you in this career.
You can learn a good deal about forestry in traditional classes, but you will likely benefit from hands-on learning experiences as well. For this reason, many forestry technology programs include an internship component through which you can learn by doing. Often, these internship programs take place during the summer months, but this will vary from school to school. If the school you choose to attend does not offer an internship program, you might benefit from seeking one on your own.
If you want to become a forestry technician for a government agency, you may have to pass an exam. Often, this exam is referred to as a civil service exam. This type of examination is usually standardized and used to assess your knowledge of matters related to forestry.
Besides government agencies, you can also seek employment opportunities through private organizations, including lumber companies. Depending on where you obtain your education, you may find the school from which you will graduate a good source of job help. Often, schools that offer forestry technology programs offer job-placement programs as well.
