The Wisconsin Forestry Center coordinates the Wisconsin Forestry Careers Coalition (WFCC) to address the urgent need for skilled workers in the forestry industry. With support from an $8 million state Workforce Innovation Grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. and in collaboration with many partners, the WFCC is a forestry education and career pathway program. This start-to-finish pathway program addresses the full spectrum of forestry, from planting trees, sustainable forest management, timber harvesting, converting logs to lumber, and creating wood products.
The program has three focus areas: educating high schoolers through applied curriculum, training entry-level employees through immersion programs in forest operations and mill technology, and raising public awareness of the forest industry and its careers.