Notice: Norbord is now part of West Fraser. Click here to visit westfraser.com
Our future success depends upon
the quality and talent of our employees.
At West Fraser we recognise that we need to attract great people to help us achieve our vision. We’ve come to be one of the world’s leading manufacturers of engineered wood-based panel products by recruiting the best. We aim to create workplaces that are reflective of the communities we are a part of and where diversity in culture, experience and background are valued.
Our approach underpins our strategic objectives to attract, employ and retain engaged, talented and high-performing people, support better decision making, reach a broader pool of potential employees and maintain a more inclusive work environment.
Our staff are our greatest asset and we know we’re only as good as the people who work for us, so if you’ve got ambition and talent and are looking to work for an industry-leading manufacturer then you need look no further.
Employee Assistance Programme
We offer access to counselling, bereavement support, legal guidance on debt-management, advice on medical or health-related issues. For details ask your HR team.
Cycle to work scheme
West Fraser takes part in this government initiative to encourage people to commute to work by bike, speak to HR for details.
Holiday
31 days holidays, ask your line manager about how these are managed.
Life insurance
All employees are eligible for life insurance in the event of death while in service.
Pension
You will automatically be enrolled in the company pension scheme.
As a wood panel company, we know how precious the planet’s resources are, and we are committed to playing our part in reducing our emissions. We’re proud that all our timber panels have been certified as being net carbon negative. This means we lock up more CO2e in our products than we emit making them. Click here to see how we’re doing our bit for the environment.
We’re passionate about the next generation and are dedicated to developing our undergraduate trainees and graduates, both technically and professionally.
We offer both Undergraduate Trainee Programmes, to be undertaken during your university studies, as well as Graduate Development Programmes to develop your career post-university.
We aim to strengthen our manufacturing operations by annually recruiting our trainees and graduates, therefore attracting, developing and retaining these resources is a key priority for us.
We are looking for people who enjoy working on a diverse range of technology and thrive in an environment where you can work independently, with the right balance of coaching and support.
What first attracted you to the company?
Being born and living in Inverness most of my life, you grow up knowing West Fraser as one name. The Cloud Factory. So, when I was coming to the end of my university degree it was one of the first places that came to mind. It was a stone throw from where I lived, offered interesting graduate job opportunities, provided knowledge into several disciplines of manufacturing, promised training in order to gain a greater understanding, and a long list of other incentives that gave the Cloud Factory that silver lining.
What’s been your career path and how did it happen?
My career path has been very straight forward. Having worked in retail for the past 10 years prior to West Fraser. As soon as I walked out of the graduation hall, I was lucky enough to be offered the opportunity to work in an industry and truly begin my career path.
What’s the best thing about your current role?/What is the most interesting thing you have gotten to work on so far in your time here?
The freedom I have in being able to get involved with several differing jobs and projects around the site. It enables me to gain an understanding of various operations that take place in producing the OSB.
The one that stands out the most was one of the very first projects I was involved in, replacing Teflon floor panels inside a conveyor. It might not sound all that, but to finally get to climb inside the conveyor and see the inner workings of it instead of pictures and drawings was very interesting.
What do you hope to achieve at West Fraser?
I hope to become well versed in multiple different aspects of a working industry. Developing my skills in mechanical operations, electrical operations, management, leading projects, usage of tools & equipment, amongst multiple others.
My main goal and what I am aiming for is progressing my skills enough to become Head of Engineering in West Fraser.
Which of West Fraser’s core values do you identify with most?
All of West Fraser’s core values are just as important as each other. The three I identify most with are Safety, Trust and Teamwork.
Making sure everything and everyone is safe is always the first thing that appears in my mind when I am working. This can be achieved if we all work together as a team and are comfortable asking questions if not fully understanding the task. So, you are trusting that the person you are asking for help is knowledgeable enough to explain the task to you and help you complete it, effectively gifting you information for next time. If all of these are achieved, you be able to have fun while working.
What first attracted you to the company?
I wanted to train with West Fraser because the scope of work involves a range of engineering aspects. They also had an appealing strong commitment to their customers, employees and being a sustainable business overall.
What’s been your career path and how did it happen?
This is my first full time job so I still am early in my career. I came into this role after completing my degree in Product Design Engineering and hope to continue this path in engineering.
What’s the best thing about your current role?
So far, I have greatly enjoyed my time at West Fraser. I have been welcomed in my team as well as across the company and have been encouraged and supported from the beginning.
How do you live by the company values?
Firstly, by ensuring that I am working safely at all times for myself and others. Taking responsibility for my work to ensure I bring success to the business and developing myself to the fullest through seeking continuous improvement. Lastly, by making sure that I am being a good team member by ensuring I am honest, committed and treat everyone with respect.
What first attracted you to the company?
After graduating from university during COVID, there were very few companies taking on any new recruits at the time. I heard about an opportunity to apply for West Fraser’s graduate programme in the summer of 2021 and I was interested in finding out more about the opportunity and what it had to offer. Having taken time to research the company, its values and core beliefs, I soon realised that this was the perfect place to make a start to my professional career.
What’s been your career path and how did it happen?
In the summer of 2021, I applied for West Fraser’s graduate scheme and shortly after interviewing, I was offered the position as the sole graduate engineer for the intake period. As a graduate engineer, your job specification and day to day working life can be very fluid. The scheme allows young professionals to explore and experience different areas of the business to highlight any interests or other strengths that they would like to pursue.
Having spent 11 months on the graduate programme, I was taken on full time as a ‘Reliability and Project Engineer’ where I learned a lot about the process, lean manufacturing and predictive maintenance. West Fraser also gave me the opportunity to lead my own projects, start to finish.
After just short of one year in the Engineering Development team, an opportunity came up to join the QEHS team as a ‘Quality Engineer’. It was only through West Fraser’s graduate scheme that I was given the opportunity to explore what the Quality team had to offer, and to realise that is where my future was going to be. I have now been a Quality Engineer since October 2023 and I am enjoying the challenging and demanding work that is expected of me.
What’s the best thing about your current role?/What is the most interesting thing you have gotten to work on so far in your time here?
I have been fortunate to be involved in several different projects which have increased my overall knowledge of the plant. Currently, I am the project lead for the installation of a new CNC router which will drastically increase the health and safety of our lab technicians and operators when producing lab samples for our regulatory testing. This has given us the chance to take traditional tasks and bring them into the new age of engineering by utilising new equipment and software to develop the accuracy and time frame in which these tasks are completed.
What do you hope to achieve at West Fraser?
I believe that with hard work, the right opportunities will arise. I will continue to keep my head down and work to the best of my ability to prove to the company that they made the right decision in hiring me, and hopefully, the company values me enough to progress through the business whenever they see fit.
Which of West Frasers core values do you identify with most?
Safety – Having a site that puts safety as the top priority means that I can go about my job knowing that people are watching out for each other to ensure we all go home safe to our families.
Trust – Trust is massive in the workplace. Since joining the business, I have worked with several people on several topics. You need to have the trust in that person to complete their side of the work and hold themselves to the same high standards that I put on myself.
Teamwork – Although the Cowie mill is a very large site, whenever I go on site, I am always stopped by another member of staff to either catch up or even just to say hello. This bond has been generated through working alongside different departments and gaining the exposure to other areas of the business. We can all do our part to make everyone else’s jobs easier and more enjoyable.
What first attracted you to the company?
My interest in West Fraser was sparked by their impressive commitment to innovation and sustainability. The company’s significant investments in technology and local communities stood out to me. Additionally, the opportunity to work within a multinational organization with diverse engineering challenges and a clear path for career progression was highly appealing. The chance to contribute to a company that values its employees and strives for environmental responsibility made West Fraser an ideal choice for my career ambitions.
What’s been your career path and how did it happen?
My career path has been guided by my master’s degree in renewable energy engineering, providing a strong foundation for my current role as an Energy Analyst at West Fraser. This marks my transition into the field, where I focus on optimizing energy management and supporting sustainability initiatives. I’m passionate about applying my knowledge to contribute effectively to West Fraser’s environmental goals and enhance energy efficiency practices.
What’s the best thing about your current role?/What is the most interesting thing you have gotten to work on so far in your time here?
The incredible learning opportunities and supportive environment. One of the most interesting aspects of my role has been implementing a new energy reporting system and quantifying energy savings for various projects. Additionally, I’ve had the chance to explore opportunities for further energy and emission reductions, which has been both challenging and rewarding. I also enjoy visiting our Inverness site to collaborate with the team there, gaining first-hand insights into our operations and identifying areas for improvement.
What do you hope to achieve at West Fraser?
At West Fraser, I hope to play a significant role in advancing our sustainability goals, particularly in reducing emissions. My aim is to develop and implement innovative strategies to minimize our carbon footprint, enhancing our energy efficiency and sustainability practices. By leveraging data analysis and cutting-edge technologies, I aspire to identify key areas where we can achieve substantial emission reductions. Ultimately, I want to contribute to West Fraser’s reputation as an industry leader in environmental responsibility and help pave the way for a more sustainable future.
Which of West Frasers core values do you identify with most?
The West Fraser core values I identify with most are Safety and Teamwork. I am committed to working safely at all times for both myself and my colleagues. Additionally, I believe in the power of teamwork and strive to be a good team member by being honest, committed, and treating everyone with respect. These values are essential for fostering a positive and productive work environment, and they guide my interactions at West Fraser.
Business exposure & contractor relations
Financial skills development
Situational leadership
Safety leadership training
Project management
Training
Hands on experience
For more information on our Undergraduate and Graduate schemes, download our brochure here.
