Blog founder Mark Curtis posted a news piece
with a comment from Mike Moroney, CEO of
the Association of Farm & Forestry in Ireland:
“Young people don’t want to drive machinery
anymore.”
It’s an issue that continues to engulf the
industry and one that doesn’t show any sign
of stopping. Needless to say, this generated a
huge response from the forum.
“It doesn’t help that schools try to convince
everyone to be a solicitor or a doctor,” a member
lamented. Another said that while young people may
not want to do it, older people do and there is too much
industry red tape holding them back.
Mark offered his opinion: “I think it’s a whole mix
of things. The generation now is completely different.
They’re educated different and as the article says, you
need to educate kids in school at a young age and let
them make up their own mind. Then, on the other hand,
the industry has changed so much, there’s not a lot of
enticement for them.
“They may try it for a while and decide it’s not for
them, but so be it. We can all change our minds after
we try something, but better to try anyway. Then there
is the argument that there’s not as much work now as
there used to be anyway.”
Another member shared his own experience, and
it didn’t make for encouraging reading: “It’s so hard
to get anyone to give you a chance. I’m a time-served
“IT DOESN’T HELP
THAT SCHOOLS TRY
TO CONVINCE EVERYONE
TO BE A SOLICITOR OR
A DOCTOR.”
heavy plant fitter with 14 years’ experience and
six years’ experience operating large excavators
and I tried last year to get into forestry and no
one was interested.”
Others suggested a lack of job security, the
old catch–22 of no experience, no job but no
job, no experience and no clear route into the
industry as part of the problem.
Speaking plainly, one member raised a lot
of points, which, by all accounts, hit the nail on
the head: “Let’s be completely honest, how are you
ever going to convince a young lad to stay away all
week or longer and if he’s staying away he obviously
will be racking up some miles on his vehicle which
as we all know costs a lot. Stay in a caravan all year
long, might be with the forwarder or harvester driver
he’s working with or on his own. Will probably have
no phone/internet 75 per cent of the time. No social
life. While his mates are home every night, not ruining
a decent vehicle, seeing mates, probably earning not
far off the same as they don’t have loads of weekly
expenses and are loving life. Why would a young lad or
lass even think of that as a career?”
It’s tricky. Long stretches away from home, far from
your friends and family, with travelling taking its toll.
A better work–life balance might help make forestry
a more appealing prospect, but is that even possible?
There are no easy answers but, as always, feel free to
share your thoughts on the blog.