COURTESY OF THE PROFESSIONAL LOGGING CONTRACTORS (PLC) 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 in its tenth 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 22 on the Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC) Alfond Campus on U.S. Route 201 in Hinckley and will run through Nov. 5, when students will graduate.
“The demand for qualified logging operators and forest truckers in our region remains high, and this program continues to address that need in the most efficient and affordable way for the industry,” Dana Doran, Executive Director of the Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast (PLC), said. “This is our 10th year of operation and that is a testament to the enduring value of the program. There is no better opportunity for anyone interested in starting a career in the logging industry, and thanks to continued support and generosity from industry sponsors and supporters and the State of Maine, students can access this training at little to no cost.”
Students in this year’s class include: Odin Tanguay, Yarmouth, ME; Jackson Newton, Anson ME; Hunter Newton, Buckfield, ME; Emily Pierce, Albion, ME; Samuel Armstrong, Richmond, ME; Lochlan Campbell, Starks, ME; Nicholas Clewly, Pittsfield, ME; Bowen Leighton, Starks, ME; Chandler, McMichael, Vassalboro, ME.; Josh Perry, Waldoboro, ME; Hunter Lafoe, Harrington, ME; Caleb McKusick, Abbott, ME; Peyton Plourde, Solon, ME; Isaac Jordan, Londonderry, VT; and Evan Ford, East Dorset, VT.
The program is administered by KVCC 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.
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 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 the region.
The program was created in 2017 by the Maine Community College System, the PLC, and industry partners. Dozens of graduates are working in the Northeast’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.
Most logging in the region now relies on mechanized equipment. The industry also relies almost exclusively on heavy trucks to move wood. With the majority of logging operators and forest truckers at or nearing retirement age, the demand for new workers in the logging industry is high and most students in the certificate program have had job offers before graduating.
Logging is a vital part of the Northeast’s forest products sector, contributing an estimated $1.3 billion to the region’s economy in 2024.