Your degree in Wood Products Processing

Skills you’ll develop

While studying Wood Products Processing, you’re developing interdisciplinary skills to utilize sustainable resources in manufacturing, building, and engineering while also exploring innovative product potentials for wood and developing business management skills.

These skills may include:

• Business management and leadership skills
• Coordination of the production and use of renewable products from wood
• Analysis of the physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of wood and wood-based products
• Technical skills in statistics, relational database systems, product design visualization, and programming
• Understanding of wood products markets and global trade policy issues affecting the industry
• Operation of wood processing machinery and equipment
• Manufacturing of wood products, including design, furniture construction, wood finishing, and protection practices
• Understanding and application of industrial engineering concepts and methods to assess, analyze, and improve organizations and processes
• Problem-solving relating to quality control, inventory management, and other manufacturing planning
• Secondary manufacturing of wood products with a focus on material preparation and fabrication, including the use of CNC equipment
• Planning, drafting, and editing of professional quality documents for specialists and other stakeholders
• Delivering effective and engaging oral presentations

Career possibilities

Career opportunities vary widely across a range of fields including business management, product design and development, wood finishing, sales, quality control, marketing, research, and sustainability.

There are many career paths that can combine your academics, skills, and experience with your different interests. Read through the job titles below for ideas. Some career options may require further education or training.

Visit the National Occupational Classification website to research basic requirements and responsibilities of jobs in your field.

Make the most of your program

Your experiences will open doors to new opportunities and help clarify your understanding of your values and interests.

• UBC Forestry Co-op Program
  Gain paid work experience related to your degree by alternating academic terms with work terms through the Co-op Program.
• Work Learn Program
  Develop valuable skills through a part-time, on-campus job and grow your professional network.
• Forestry Digest
  Sign up to receive weekly updates about paid and volunteer opportunities, upcoming events, and more.
• Forestry Tri-Mentoring Program
  Connect with peers and industry mentors around career interests, and build your communication and networking skills.
• UBC Sustainability programs and clubs
  Browse on-campus paid and volunteer opportunities related to sustainability.
• Let’s Talk Science
  Connect with educators and youth to deliver STEM learning experiences in school and community settings.
• Departmental events
  Network with Forestry students and faculty members at a variety of events.
• Departmental research opportunities
  Reach out directly to faculty members to ask about potential research positions.
• UBC-BCIT Biotechnology Club
  Meet other Biotech students with similar interests through events and programs.
• Go Global
  Learn more about international opportunities available for UBC undergraduate students.
• Haida Gwaii Institute Semesters
  Take immersive, UBC-accredited courses in Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, on topics including Natural Resource Science, Marine Conservation, Community Resilience, and more.
• NSERC Undergraduate Research Awards
  Receive funding to work on research-related jobs and projects.
• Student Biotechnology Network
  Attend events, meet professionals, and receive mentorship from innovative industry leaders.
• Canada Summer Jobs Program
  Check out summer jobs for full-time students.
• Federal Student Work Experience Program
  Apply for government positions across Canada through this student recruitment initiative.
• Government jobs
  Access federal, provincial, and municipal government job postings all through a single resource.
• Government volunteer and internship positions
  Find local and international opportunities to prepare you for future employment.
• Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions internships
  Apply your classroom knowledge to real-world settings through climate change mitigation or adaptation projects.

Build your network

Employers often hire people they know, so help them get to know you. You can build your network through clubs, classes, informational interviews, and more. There are so many ways to make connections and find mentors.

The professional associations below are also great resources for meeting people, learning about specific industries, and finding job and volunteer opportunities. Most have reduced membership rates for students and new grads.

• Advanced Biofuels Canada
• Association of BC Forest Professionals
• BC Council of Forest Industries
• BIOTECanada
• Canadian Association of Information Technology Professionals
• Canadian Association of Professionals in Regulatory Affairs
• Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists
• Canadian Lumber Standards Accreditation Board
• Canadian Mill Services Association
• Canadian Wood Council
• Canadian Wood Truss Association
• Clean Energy BC
• Clean Resource Innovation Network
• College of Applied Biology
• Connecting Environmental Professionals Vancouver
• ECO Canada
• Engineered Wood Association
• Forest Products Association of Canada
• Information Technology Association of Canada
• Interior Lumber Manufacturers’ Association
• Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology
• Wood Preservation Canada

Connect with alumni on LinkedIn

Find UBC Wood Products Processing graduates on LinkedIn to learn about where they’re working, and their career and academic paths.

More information

From your Forestry degree, you’ll develop skills and experiences that can translate into many career paths. Check out other things you can do with your Forestry degree.