COURTESY OF PROFESSIONAL LOGGING CONTRACTORS OF THE NORTHEAST
The Mechanized Logging Operations and Forest Trucking (MLOFT) Program, a unique hands-on training course that prepares students for careers in the logging industry, is currently in its ninth year of classes at an active harvest site in central Maine.
The certificate program for operators of mechanized logging and forest trucking equipment will run for 20 weeks. Classes began June 23 on the Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC) Alfond Campus on U.S. Route 201 in Hinckley and will run through Nov. 6. Students transitioned from classroom and forest instruction to equipment operation in late July.
“This program continues to address Maine’s shortage of qualified logging operators and forest truckers in an efficient and affordable way,” Dana Doran, Executive Director of the Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast (PLC), said. “There is no better opportunity for anyone interested in starting a career in the logging industry, and thanks to continued federal support due to the efforts of Maine’s congressional delegation, as well as the generosity of industry sponsors and supporters including the Bill and Joan Alfond Family Foundation and Skowhegan Savings Bank, students are able to access this training at little to no cost.”
The program is administered by Northern Maine Community College (NMCC) in partnership with the PLC and includes a strong emphasis on safety as well as giving students an understanding of the variables of timber growth, tree species, and markets. Students pay no tuition or fees. The program provides all personal protective equipment (PPE) and scholarships from Skowhegan Savings Bank to assist with living expenses. Local housing is available at reduced cost to students who live beyond a reasonable commuting distance from the program thanks to support from the Bill and Joan Alfond Family Foundation.
The opportunity to earn a CDL-A permit and receive preparation for the state driving exam was a significant addition to the program in 2023 and has expanded opportunities for graduates while increasing benefits to Maine logging employers who need more mechanized logging operators and truck drivers.
Students in the program harvest timber and operate trucks using sophisticated state-of-the-art machines like those they will encounter in the logging industry. The hands-on experience students gain operating equipment is an opportunity unavailable anywhere else in Maine and neighboring states.
This project is funded 100% by a $1M grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The program was created in 2017 by the Maine Community College System, the PLC, and industry partners. Dozens of graduates are working in Maine’s logging industry today, and the demand for additional equipment operators and truck drivers remains high due to the rapidly aging workforce in the logging industry.
Graduation for the students will be held on Nov. 6.