Sawmill machine operators
Career Overview
Sawmill machine operators run, monitor and control automated lumber mill equipment.
Sawmill machine operators work in sawmills and planing mills to:
- Saw timber logs into rough lumber
- Saw, trim and plane rough lumber into dressed lumber of various sizes
- Saw or split shingles and shakes
Job Titles
Duties
Sawmill machine operators perform some or all of the following duties:
- Operate front-end loaders and stationary deck cranes to feed logs into the sawmill
- Examine logs and rough lumber to determine size, condition, quality and other characteristics to decide best lumber cuts to carry out, or use automated equipment to convey logs through laser scanners which determine the most productive and profitable cutting patterns
- Operate automated lumbermill equipment from control rooms or equipment consoles to saw logs into rough lumber; saw, trim and plane rough lumber into dressed lumber of various sizes; and saw or split shingles and shakes
- Start conveyor system to move logs and lumber to and from saws
- Set up and adjust saw equipment and replace blades or bands using wrenches, gauges and other hand tools
- Operate equipment to sort and stack lumber by length and thickness, move stacks to storage areas or drying kilns, and feed lumber through planers
- Monitor movement of lumber and computer screens to make sure cuts are made according to specifications, and print production reports
- Clean and oil sawmill equipment
Earnings
Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.
Work Environment
# Workers Employed
1,820% Employed Full Time
62%Key aspects of the work in this occupation:
- Work takes place in a regular controlled indoor environment
- Working with equipment, instruments, machinery or power/hand tools may be a source of injury
- Flying particles and falling objects, such as logs may pose the risk of injury
- The workplace may contain strong or toxic odours
- Noise in the workplace may cause distraction or hearing loss
- Airborne particles such as sawdust may be present in the work environment
Career Pathways
Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
There is some movement among jobs in this occupational group.
Related Careers
Occupational Interests
It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.
For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.
Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:
Education, Training and Skills
- Completion of secondary school is usually required
- College courses in wood processing technology may be required
- Several weeks of on-the-job training are usually provided
- Head sawyers and planer operators usually require several years of experience in other sawmill machine operating positions in the same company
- A certificate in industrial first aid may be required
Education programs in B.C.
Skills
Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.
Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.
See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!
Watching gauges, dials or other indicators to make sure that a machine is working properly.
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Keeping track of and assessing your performance, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Conducting tests and inspections of products, services or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Labour Market Statistics
Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.
Employment
Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.
Employment
1,820Employment by Region
| Region | Employment | % Employment of this Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 325 | 17.9% |
| Kootenay | 125 | 6.9% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 490 | 26.9% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 180 | 9.9% |
| Northeast | 45 | 2.5% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 325 | 17.9% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 335 | 18.4% |
Labour Market Outlook
The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.
Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)
500Forecasted Job Openings
Forecasted Employment Growth Rate
Composition of Job Openings
Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)
| Region | Job Openings | Avg. Annual Employment Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cariboo | 60 | -0.9% |
| Kootenay | 30 | -0.6% |
| Mainland/Southwest | 160 | 0.0% |
| North Coast and Nechako | 30 | 0.4% |
| Northeast | 10 | -0.9% |
| Thompson-Okanagan | 90 | -1.2% |
| Vancouver Island/Coast | 110 | -0.3% |
Industry Highlights
Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.
Forecasted Job Openings by Industry
| Industry | Job Openings (2024-2034) |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 390 |
| Wholesale Trade | 40 |
| Forestry, Logging and Support Activities | 30 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 20 |
| Construction | 10 |
Resources
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British Columbia Community Forest Association (BCCFA)bccfa.ca
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British Columbia Saw Filers Associationwww.bcsfa.ca
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Independent Wood Processors Association of BC (IWPA BC)iwpabc.com
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United Steelworkers (USW) Wood Councilwww.usw.ca/districts/wood
Career Videos
Watch the video below to see what it's like to be a sawmill operator.
Watch the video below to see what it's like to be a sawmill operator.
