BSW was approached by the the Let’s Be Engineers! initiative to discuss the company´s  promotion of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) to young people. In the interview for IRT3000 magazine, Alex Brownlie, Chairman of the BSW SI Board of Directors, explained that the company wants to bring new people with fresh ideas into the sector.

What STEM activities do you participate in?

From a business point of view, we are involved in a number of different projects for the development of technology and tools. In the field of education we have modern apprenticeships, through which we develop ‘in-house’ expertise. We train and upgrade specific skills for young people who are then employed with us.

Today, we have between 30 and 35 apprentices at different stages of this program, which lasts for four years. The first year they spend the whole year in college, and in the following years they are partly with us and partly at the faculty. We also support other models of education. Our training manager works a lot with local schools where we organise ‘come to meet’ events. We present our work, professions and opportunities there. We want young people to absorb the desire and awaken an interest in this field.

What are you doing to work with schools and young people?

We are a traditional company with a presence in many locations, particularly in rural settings. We are proud of our staff retention record; people stay with us a long time and we have multiple generations of families working for us. What is great is a challenge for us too because we have an unbalanced workforce in terms of gender and age structure. People have been with us for a long time and are getting older. We want to bring new people into the workplace with fresh ideas and different experiences. Through our activities, we want to encourage and educate young people and to build a diverse talent pool. We want to be seen as a business which attracts young men and women to make a career with BSW.

What kind of co-operation do you nurture with other educational institutions?

We are involved in fundamental research of the latest technologies in industry, many of which are in co-operation with universities. We work in partnership with the UK’s Forestry Commission and the University of Oxford in the field of tree breeding and technology related to this activity. We also use the latest technology from North America to help us improve tree stock growth, as these trees are more resistant to disease and climate change and are more productive in terms of timber recovery.

In Scotland, we also support the program for timber research and development with other partners and academic institutions. We support specialists in the field of timber grading which is a significant part of the added value of products in the manufacturing process. It is a pan-European initiative, where experts from all over Europe come together. Together they develop and enforce new technical standards in the field of timber grading. This is one example where, for example, we are engaged with the University of Aberdeen, University of Glasgow and Edinburgh Napier University.

We saw a change in Slovenia. Six years ago, only a third of students enrolled in technical secondary schools – but now it’s two thirds. Does this make it easier for you to find new, qualified employees?

Today, it’s a bigger challenge than ever before. This is because we have to compete for talent at a global level as young people are extremely mobile. At the same time, we compete across sectors because our industry represents only one sector where people may want to build a career. So we need to create this desire and interest elsewhere. In the UK, this is the same trend; enrollment in technical faculties has grown exponentially over the last 30 years. Our modern apprenticeships target those who do not want to go through classical university education, but who instead want more practical training.

How many engineers do you have at BSW Timber?

In the autumn, 30% of our employees will be classed as engineers, covering a range of roles such as mechanics, electrical technicians, process controllers and sawmill specialists. The latter are engineers with very specific knowledge and who take care of cutting edges, knives and saws.