Forest Technology - Diploma
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The Forest Technology Program has been providing forest sector employers with skilled graduates for over fifty years. It provides an ideal starting point for learners excited by the combined career challenges of working in BC’s rugged outdoors and finding modern solutions to current forest management issues. Our primary goal is to provide job-ready graduates to potential employers in both private industry and government.
Students spend more than 50 per cent of their class time in the field learning in real-world projects, which enables collaboration with industry professionals and familiarization with current forest technology used by industry employers. The program also emphasizes advanced technology, including mobile data collection, geographic information systems and global positioning systems applications. Graduates are benefiting from our training and the recognition by government, industry and communities of the importance of better forest management.
Accreditation
The Forest Technology Program is nationally accredited through Technology Accreditation Canada (TAC). Students successfully completing our diploma automatically qualify to become a trainee registrant with Forest Professionals British Columbia.
To help ensure the program is relevant, the quality of the program has been assessed against industry outcomes. The program receives feedback from our Program Advisory Committee, which consists of industry and government representatives, including many past graduates.
Transferability
The Forest Technology Program ladders into the Bachelor's Degree in Geographic Information Systems.
There is a long-standing tradition of our graduates transferring and successfully completing university degrees. Graduates have successfully transferred credit toward degrees in universities throughout Canada and the United States.
Selkirk College also has formal transfer arrangements with:
- University of Northern BC, Bachelor of Science Forest Ecology and Management
- Thompson Rivers University, Bachelor of Natural Resource Management
- Lakehead University, Honours Bachelor of Science in Forestry
Please note that students planning to transfer into a degree program at another post-secondary institution must check the transfer requirements of the program they wish to enrol in. It is strongly recommended that students consult with the program advisor of the receiving institution to ensure they have all of the necessary transfer requirements.
Common Core
The first year of Forest Technology consists of a core of environmental courses in soils, hydrology, botany, surveying, fish and wildlife, ecology, mapping, communications, computers and math. This core year is common with the Applied Environmental Science and Planning Technology (AESP) and Recreation, Fish & Wildlife programs.
The second year of each program synthesizes the skills, knowledge, and professionalism of first year with applied management, planning, and advanced techniques and principles. Integration of learning in each program is required.
The common core allows students to obtain an additional diploma in Recreation Fish & Wildlife or Applied Environmental Science and Planning Technology by completing the relevant third year.