Having completed his degree in Forestry Science, Blair has landed a graduate role which is designed to give him exposure to many aspects of forest management.

‘I have been producing harvest plans, supervising and planning road construction and have recently been surveying first year planting survival,’ he says.

‘Currently I spend four days outdoors each week and one full day in the office. I also get to see a lot of the countryside during my travels, and that indoor-outdoor flow makes it interesting.’

His love of being outdoors was what initially motivated Blair to consider a career in forestry, but further research when he was deciding to enrol at university made the experience of UC’s Bachelor of Forestry Science degree itself a draw card.

‘Forestry careers were particularly outdoors-related and appealed to me,’ Blair says, ‘and the Forestry Science degree had smaller classes, so it offered more lecturer engagement.

‘The School of Forestry, the students and the lecturers all made the four-year degree a breeze. The students studying the degree across all years were very easy to get along with and everyone was pretty hard case. The lecturers were also very helpful and provided assistance whenever it was needed, and they were never shy to have a conversation!’

Blair says the Bachelor of Forestry Science course is well designed and provides its students with all the theory and practical knowledge they need to give their career a head start.

‘I feel the course was very up to speed with the practices and operations which occur currently within the industry. It offered a broad understanding of the general industry without overcomplicating the smaller things.’

Blair is happy to be gaining a solid foundation of experience in his graduate role before narrowing his specialisation at a more senior level.

‘At this stage I want to gain as much experience and technical knowledge as I can so in the future I am in position to provide knowledge to others. I would also like to work towards a managerial position in the engineering side of the industry, particularly in the harvesting area.’