Grand Lake Timber apprentice program is growing skilled trades

J.D. Irving, Limited’s Grand Lake Timber in Chipman, N.B. is growing its skilled trades workforce with an in-house apprenticeship program.

Amidst stiff competition for millwrights province-wide, Grand Lake Timber has turned to a program that identifies high performing, mechanically inclined employees on the floor and provides them with an opportunity to try out working as a millwright apprentice.

Following a six-month period, successful participants join the New Brunswick Apprenticeship Board and can start working towards their Red Seal certification.

The program replicates a successful one from three decades ago. There are millwrights currently working at Grand Lake Timber that got their start there.

“It’s about giving them a chance to show what they’re capable of,” said Matthew Vandenborre, Sawmill Maintenance Superintendent at Grand Lake Timber. “They were capable of more and just needed the chance and have really taken to it.”

The current cohort comprises eight apprentices who were former stacker operators, edger operators, trimmers and loader operators at the mill. Now as millwright apprentices, the door is open to these individuals for more opportunities that can be life-changing, Matthew said.

Logan McNeill is one of them. He started at Grand Lake Timber in 2016 as a labourer running the stacker. But he had always been interested in the maintenance side, helping the maintenance team as often as he could.

“So when the opportunity came up, I just jumped on,” he said.

Logan has been working as a millwright apprentice since October. Once he’s completed his six-month trial period, he will look at writing his Block 1 exam.

For Logan, originally from nearby Minto, N.B., this opportunity is allowing him to progress his career in his home region. Five years from now, he hopes to still be a part of the Grand Lake Timber team, just with more knowledge and skills.

“It gives me a goal to work towards instead of just coming in and doing the same thing every day,” he said. “It pretty much changed the way I look at life, really.”