Sawmill Machine Operators
Job description
These individuals operate, monitor, and control sawmill equipment. They cut, saw, and split lumber and shingles. They are employed in sawmills and processing plants.
Environment
- Controlled ambient temperature
- Equipment, machinery, tools
- Nontoxic dust
- Noise
- Falling objects
Main tasks
- Operate loaders and cranes that feed logs into sawmills.
- Determine dimensions, condition, and quality of logs and rough lumber.
- Start up conveyors, adjust sawing equipment, and replace saw blades or bands.
- Sort and stack lumber according to length and thickness.
- Carry wood piles.
- Monitor the movement of lumber and ensure that the wood is cut as required.
- Prepare production reports.
- Clean and lubricate sawmill equipment.
Advancement and mobility
- There is some mobility between jobs in this group.
- Experience leads to supervisory positions.
Hourly wage
The hourly wage is calculated by averaging wages from 2020 to 2022.- Minimum
- $17.49
- Median
- $22.50
- Maximum
- $28.00
Job prospects for 2023-2027
sr.comparaison-region.titre
Job prospects for 2023-2027
Job prospects
All of Québec
All of Québec
Total jobs for 2022
All of Québec
All of Québec
Gender distribution
All of Québec
- 4.9% Female
- 95.1% Male
- 4.9% Female
- 95.1% Male
Job types
All of Québec
- Full time
- Part time
- Full time
- Part time
Yearly wage on 2020
All of Québec
All of Québec
Other characteristics
All of Québec
- Non traditional for women
- None
All of Québec
- Non traditional for women
- None
Sectors of activity
All of Québec
-
NAICS 32179% of jobs
-
NAICS 233% of jobs
-
NAICS 113, 11532% of jobs
-
NAICS 3272% of jobs
-
NAICS 3372% of jobs
-
Others12% of jobs
All of Québec
-
NAICS 32179% of jobs
-
NAICS 233% of jobs
-
NAICS 113, 11532% of jobs
-
NAICS 3272% of jobs
-
NAICS 3372% of jobs
-
Others12% of jobs
Training and requirements
Formation
Secondary
DVS in opération d'équipements de production
Placement rate: 80.4%
13.3% of graduates pursue further studies
DVS in production Equipment Operation
Placement rate: 41.4%
58.6% of graduates pursue further studies
Sometimes required
- Certificate in workplace first aid may be required.
- Several years of experience in the same company are usually required for Head Sawyers and Planer Operators.
Main skills and characteristics
Skills
- Data collection
- Operations and control
- Monitoring operations
- Quality control analysis
- Troubleshooting
- Result evaluation
- Critical thought
Abilities
- Control accuracy
- Manual dexterity
- Hand-arm stability
- Near vision
- Speed control
- Digital dexterity
- Awareness of issues
- Reaction time
- Selective attention
- Limb coordination
- Endurance
- Core strength
- Static muscle power
- Depth perception
- Deductive reasoning
- Inductive reasoning
- Distance vision
Knowledge and attributes
- Capacity to work under pressure
- Focussed on results
- Autonomy
- Capacity to work in a team
- Knowledge of production and treatment
- Sense of initiative
- Assiduity and punctuality
- Sense of observation
- Commitment to quality
- Tolerance to routine work
Interests
- Make, build, install
- Work manually
- Develop and exploit natural resources
Personality profiles (RIASEC)
- Realistic
- People with this profile prefer carrying out concrete tasks and being physically involved in what they do.
- Conventional
- People with this profile prefer specific, well-defined tasks. They like to respect the order of things and follow established rules.
- Investigative
- People with this profile prefer relying on theoretical knowledge before acting. They like observation, analysis and problem solving.
Official name of the NOC 94120
Sawmill machine operators
Job titles
- Sawmill Equipment Operators
- Sawmill machine operator
- Head-saw operator - sawmill
- Sawyer - sawmill
- Saw operator - sawmill
- Automatic edger operator - sawmill
- Head sawyer
- Shingle cutter
- Shingle maker
- Shake maker
- Trimmerman/woman
- Splitter - sawmill
- Machine splitter - sawmill
- Block splitter - sawmill
- Chip reclaim operator - sawmill
- Sawdust reclaim operator - sawmill
- Trimmer operator - sawmill
- Log haul cut-off saw operator - sawmill
- Canter operator - sawmill
- Chip-n-saw operator - sawmill
- Transfer operator - sawmill
- Resaw operator
- Lumber sizer operator - sawmill
- Edger - sawmill
- Tilt-hoist operator - sawmill
- Trimming machine operator - sawmill
- Splitter operator - sawmill
- Sawing machine operator - sawmill
- Planer mill machine operator
- Log hoist operator - sawmill
- Planer operator - sawmill
- Log cut-off operator
- Stave bolt saw operator
- High-speed stud operator - sawmill
- Scrag-saw operator - sawmill
- Slab saw operator
- Drag saw operator - sawmill
- Log gang saw operator - sawmill
- Circular saw operator
- Cut-off saw operator - sawmill
- Jumbo operator - sawmill
- Trim saw operator - sawmill
- Slasher operator - sawmill
- Slasher trim operator - sawmill
- Trimmer tender - sawmill
- Edgerman/woman
- Bolterman/woman - sawmill
- Planer - sawmill
- Log cut-off sawyer - sawmill
- Timber cut-off sawyer - sawmill
- Shingle sawyer
- Stave bolt sawyer - sawmill
- Bolt sawyer - sawmill
- Shake sawyer
- Board sawyer - sawmill
- Resawyer - sawmill
- Trim sawyer - sawmill
- Gang sawyer - sawmill
- Log gang sawyer - sawmill
- Shake splitter
Skill type
Manufacturing and utilities
Last update: February 14, 2024