HCC Awarded $77,522 USDA Forest Service Grant

Haywood Community College was recently awarded a USDA Forest Service Grant in the amount of $77,522 to begin a pilot Wood Products Program through the Continuing Education Department at the school. The program would establish a regionally recognized and sustainable forest products industry training program which offers short-courses and workshops to meet industry demand for specialized training.

Grants were awarded to 23 competitively selected projects as a means to keep local wood businesses globally competitive and sustainable. Funding is provided through the United States Forest Service Wood Education and Resource Center located in Princeton, West Virginia. 

As a result of a recent survey, the lumber manufacturing industry has indicated that there is a need for training in hardwood lumber inspection, sawing, saw filing, and planer operations. The ultimate goal of the pilot Wood Products Program is to provide high-quality training programs that meet these needs. In addition, these courses will determine overall industry interest for program expansion and sustainability.

“This pilot project is a way for the college to test the viability of offering training for the lumber industry in the eastern United States,” explains Scott Page, Project Manager. “The industry has indicated that there is a need for this type of training.”

Specific courses and topic areas to be offered include: hardwood lumber grading, log grading and scaling, band operations, edging and trimming, planer alignment and maintenance, planer setup, and dry kiln operation.

These offerings will provide students and industry employees with training and exposure to the latest equipment, technology, and best practices to remain competitive. Courses will be offered and available to any lumber or wood products manufacturing firm in the eastern United States and beyond as well as current students in HCC’s Forest Management Technology program.

For more information about HCC’s pilot Wood Products Program, please call project manager Scott Page at (828) 565-4167.