The forest industry and its products offer solutions to global climate and environmental issues. We can genuinely say that our work has meaning. On this continuously reforming field, we are working with a renewable raw material and building a sustainable future. A new patent report shows that Finnish forest industry companies are at the forefront of developing new products to global markets.
The availability of workforce is not a given, which is why we need to constantly communicate in a positive, forward-looking manner with wide target groups. The close cooperation between forest industry operators and educational institutions is important for securing our future workforce. We must be able to describe our field to the young who are considering their places of study and future jobs, in a way that interests them and on the channels they use. It is doubtful that the message of the diverse opportunities of the forest industry, in both blue- and white-collar jobs, has sufficiently reached any student contemplating their future.
Simultaneously, we must take care of the skills, the continuing competence development and the working capacity of our present talents throughout their careers. We must appreciate experience and create models for keeping up both working capacity and motivation throughout a long career in the industry.
The educational opportunities of the field need to be well looked after. We need to promote the continuation and development of the educational programmes required by the forest industry. The forest industry companies have to make their needs sufficiently clear. When the needs and employment opportunities are known, students will start appearing and fields of study will be shaped to fit the needs of the companies. With much of our work taking place far from the largest cities, family members will also need pull factors for living at our working locations. Through collaboration with decision-makers, new solutions must be found to accommodate work opportunities for the adults in the families. Basic services, housing, nurseries and schools all need to be in order.
The forest industry brings to the market climate-friendly products that are produced from renewable and recyclable materials and capable of reducing the reliance of people and the society on diminishing natural resources. We are also working hard to protect biodiversity. We offer varied work that certainly has meaning. Let us be ever more active in telling our great story.
Pertti Hietaniemi
SVP, Human Resources
Metsä Group
