A Maine logging training program looks to address a shortage of equipment operators and truck drivers in an industry that contributes an estimated $1.3 billion annually to the Northeast’s economy.
A 20-week certificate program in mechanized logging-operations and forest trucking is being offered at Kennebec Valley Community College’s Alfond Campus in Hinckley.
The program started June 22 and will go through Nov. 5. Students will move from classroom instruction to an active harvest site later this month. They will train on the same equipment used by professional logging crews.
The program, administered by Kennebec Valley Community College and the Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast, combines classroom instruction with hands-on training in mechanized harvesting, forest trucking and safety. Students will also receive preparation to earn a Class A commercial driver’s license permit.
“The demand for qualified logging operators and forest truckers in our region remains high, and this program continues to address that need in the most efficient and affordable way for the industry,” said Dana Doran, executive director of the Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast.
Students pay no tuition fees and the program provides personal protective equipment, scholarships to help with living expenses and reduced-cost housing for those who qualify.
The program was created in 2017 through a partnership between the Maine Community College System, the logging contractors group and industry partners. Dozens of graduates are working in the Northeast’s logging industry today, and demand for additional equipment operators and truck drivers remains high due to the rapidly aging workforce.
