Is becoming a logging worker right for me?
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How to become a Logging Worker
Most logging workers have a high school diploma. They get on-the-job training to become familiar with forest environments and to learn how to operate logging machinery.
Safety training is a vital part of the logging workers’ instruction. Many public forestry or logging associations provide training sessions for tree fallers, whose jobs require more skill and experience than other logging positions. Sessions may take place in the field, where trainees have the opportunity to practice various felling techniques.
Logging companies and trade associations also offer training programs for workers who operate large, expensive machinery and equipment. Often, a representative of the equipment manufacturer spends several days in the field, teaching loggers how to operate newly purchased machinery.
Some vocational and technical schools and community colleges offer courses leading to a two-year technical degree in forest harvesting. This degree may help workers get a job. Courses may include field trips to observe or participate in logging activities. A few community colleges offer training for equipment operators.