Supporting Military Transition into Forestry: Learning from Industry to Shape Future Pathways

FTSUK recently attended and supported a three-day Forestry Taster Event in North Wales, bringing together service leavers and career changers to explore the opportunities available across the forestry sector. Coordinated and led by Elaine Heckley, Confor Regional manager for Wales with the support of Natural Resources Wales (NRW), Maelor Forest Nursery and Ransford Sawmill, the programme provided participants with a valuable insight into the breadth of careers available throughout the forestry supply chain. 

The event included visits to NRW-managed forests, Maelor Forest Nursery and Ransford Sawmill, alongside presentations and networking opportunities. Participants were able to engage directly with industry professionals, gain first-hand experience of forestry operations and hear from individuals who have successfully made the transition from military service into forestry careers. 

For FTSUK, the programme was also an important opportunity to listen and learn. By engaging with employers, forestry professionals and service leavers throughout the event, we were able to observe where existing training provision is working well, identify emerging skills needs and better understand the challenges faced by those entering the sector from military backgrounds. 

These insights help FTSUK continue to support the industry through the development of relevant training opportunities and by identifying potential routes into employment. Understanding the skills, experience and attributes that service leavers bring to forestry allows us to work more effectively with employers and industry partners to highlight progression pathways and address potential training gaps. 

We would like to thank the Elaine at Confor and the teams at Natural Resources Wales, Maelor Forest Nursery and Ransford Sawmill, as well as the speakers and service leavers who shared their experiences throughout the programme. Their openness and collaboration are helping to shape a clearer picture of how the forestry sector can continue to attract, support and develop talent from the Armed Forces community. 

FTSUK remains committed to supporting employers, learners and industry partners by helping ensure that training provision aligns with workforce needs and that viable, attractive pathways into forestry are visible to those considering their next career.