Hiring

Overview

Brinkman has been operating continually in BC since our first planting contract in 1970. We provide a full spectrum of silviculture services to clients in all parts of the province, through a high percentage of direct and select award contracts. Our industry leading reputation and wide access to the market provide premium prices and a long steady season to our employees. B.C. offers the longest season in Canada and Brinkman is commonly working during every month of the year, with the majority of our work falling between mid February and the end of October.

What makes B&A the treeplanting company of choice in BC?

Safety highlights

• We use high quality 4X4 trucks only; no vans.
• Our infrastructure makes for an efficient, standardized approach to safety on every project, with dedicated full time staff focused on ensuring that our systems work in the field.
• We utilize quality equipment and camps either owned by B&A or sourced from reliable suppliers.
• We invest in training our people so they are qualified and certified for the work we do.

 Quality field leadership

• B&A’s supervisors are paramount in the industry. This reputation gives us access to the best contracts, and provides unsurpassed opportunity to our workforce.
• Smart, efficient organization means minimal downtime, and helps you make the most of you day.
• Our forepersons are exclusively non-commission. This creates a fair and equitable working environment in terms of allocating land and quality control while also ensuring time for training.
• Brinkman provides excellent and extensive training to first year planters, as well as skills improvement coaching for experienced planters. We believe that everyone can work safer, better, faster and more efficiently with the right training and support.

 Earnings potential

•  Industry-leading payouts – excellent prices, appropriate for ground conditions.
•  Our full time payroll team makes sure you are paid every two weeks by direct deposit and are always available to answer questions.
•  At B&A, the payroll structure is optimized to account for the unique nature of seasonal work. For many of our employees, the benefits of this pay structure translate into $2000-$4000 of increased earnings over a full season of work, compared to what they might experience with other contractors.
•  Our B.C. seasons are some of the longest in the industry, which gives you the opportunity to get the income, the hours and the flexibility you require. Planters who work with us on the coastal and interior projects will commonly book 130-160+ work days.
• You will get paid! Brinkman is a diversified and well-financed company with a long-term vision. We’ve been around since the start we will be here into the future.

 Quality projects, a quality experience

• We have many long-term direct award and preferred bid projects, which reduces the stress and confusion potential of unknown situations – ultimately increasing earnings.
• We work in most areas of the province. Whether you are interested in experiencing the beauty and adventure of BC’s special environments or just trying to find work around your home, chances are we have a project to suit your needs.
• Our camps are organized, fun and social.
• Brinkman’s cooks are top notch providing you with lots of delicious, nourishing food that powers you up for the whole day.

2010 BC crew information

BC Coast

The coast is typically suited for planters who have previous planting experience. The terrain tends to be demanding and the quality requirements can be very specific, with higher prices accordingly. For the north and central coast much of the access is barge or helicopter only with crews staying in logging camps, resorts/ fish camps, or mobile marine camps. The south coast is generally drive access and is more often based out of motels or tent camps. Crew sizes are typically smaller, where 30 persons is a large crew and the average has 12-20.

Brinkman has been the expert in remote access for many years. Our ability to get these logistically challenging projects done safely and efficiently has given us unparalleled and often exclusive access to much work on the coast, resulting in higher earnings for our planters.

Coastal Seasons – early spring and fall work

• The coastal spring plant typically starts mid February to early March and can last into June, but the bulk of the work is done by late April/ early May, when our crews move to the interior following the snow melt.
• The fall plant usually starts mid August and can continue well into October.

BC Interior

Our 2010 spring BC Interior is strong with mostly the Direct Award projects we have been planting in previous years. The bulk of our BC Interior work occurs between April 20th and June 25th. We have some BC July work, but most of our July work is in Alberta.

2010 seasons by project manager (alphabetical)

Barry Needham – Barry’s crew is very consistent from year to year but a few spots open up from time to time. He manages a short coastal spring plant on the north end of Vancouver island, followed by 2 months in the south interior, then back to the coast for 3-4 weeks of work in September. All long held, direct/ select award contracts.

Claud Contant – On the Coast, Claud will be starting at the end of February/ early March working on southern Vancouver island finishing late April. He then moves to Cache Creek for four weeks starting the first week of May. After that, Claud will be working in Terrace for the month of June. Claud typically works one of the longest Brinkman seasons with projects of running through most of the year. His coastal work is almost exclusively hotel based followed by a combination of hotel & camp jobs in the interior.

Dom Mann Bertrand – Dom’s season will start in late April where his crew will work until mid June in PG and Quesnel. Dom’s contracts are all direct award.

Drew Nener – Drew’s crew will be based out of Quesnel in the Cariboo for May and June. After that his crew will head to Alberta until the end of July. Drew will be in tent camps for most of the season and his work is all Direct Award projects.

Erik Brinkman – Erik and Dawn’s crew will start in Merritt from the first week of May until June 10th. For the remainder of the season until June 21st, their crew will be in the Kootenays. Their crew will be in campground based tent camps for the duration of the season.

John Beaton – John will again be fielding a small coastal crew working on Vancouver island and the mainland coast starting early March and finishing late April. John’s interior season is Direct Award work based out of Prince George starting the first week of May and ending mid July.  John has all returning crew bosses and staff and will be based out of tent camps in the interior, and hotels/ remote camps for the coast.

Kyle Strong – Kyle’s Coastal season will begin in early March, on the mainland coast where he will work several select award projects until late April. He then moves to Direct Award projects in the Cariboo and North Thompson for the interior season from the first week of May until the end of June. His coast is spent mostly in remote marine or logging camps, and the interior all tent camps. 

Rainer Korn – Rainer’s crew will be returning to his long held Direct Award work in Elko from mid April to late June. His season will be based out of his tent camp and he has all returning staff.

Brinkman BC’s regional management team

Timo Scheiber is Brinkman’s Western Operations Manager (BC and Washington State). He has been working with Brinkman since 1990, and has managed the coastal region since 1997. Timo is dedicated to keeping Brinkman as the ‘silviculture contractor of choice’ for both our clients and employees within the BC region. He is available to address any questions or concerns regarding our projects in the Western Region. He is based out of Duncan, and can be reached at Timo_Scheiber@brinkman.ca or at 250-746-7037 (office number).

Matt Robertson is Brinkman’s BC Interior Regional Manager. He has been working with Brinkman since 1993, and involved in project management since 1998. Matt is keenly focused on providing a quality experience to both our clients and our employees through good communication and dedicated service. He is based out of Sooke, and can be reached at: Matt_Robertson@brinkman.ca or at (250) 642-1716 (office number).

What kinds of jobs do we hire for? 

Below is an outline of the positions we hire for regularly.  All of these positions involve temporary relocation, typically living in bush camps in remote areas.  All positions are only available to workers who are capable of enduring long days of difficult physical labour. For all positions, except cooking, workers are outside all day regardless of the weather.

Tree planting

This is a piece-work job that involves carrying trees on your hips and planting anywhere from 500 (steep, BC coastal ground) to 3500 (easy, flat interior ground) tree seedlings, everyday. 
Requirements: Valid Canadian SIN, good physical health

Cooking

Everyone of our temporary camps (bush, boat or other) supplies meals to the workers.  Crew sizes vary from 15-100, but what doesn’t change is the high quality, exceptional food we provide – and lots of it.  Cooking in a Silviculture camp is not easy – the days are long and conditions can be challenging.  This is a very rewarding job though and is critical to a camp’s success. 
Requirements: FoodSafe certification required. Professional Cooking Experience is essential. Previous experience planting, or cooking in bush camp, is an asset.

Quality checking

Most planting crews have at least one person on staff that is dedicated to setting up and recording plots of the work as it is completed.  Feedback is given to the crew for any adjustments required, and information is submitted to the client.
Requirements: Good Computer Skills, Silviculture experience, Survey certification is required in some regions.

Field management

Many opportunities exist for seasoned tree planters who wish to move into a different role.  Every year we hire crewbosses (forepersons), tree delivery staff and supervisors to run crews.  Contact one of our Regional Managers for more information.
Requirements: Experienced treeplanter, having worked in a variety of terrain and areas. Must have good communication & people skills. Have or be willing to obtain a class 4 drivers license and basic (level 1) first aid. Willing to partake in training and skills improvement.

Stand tending

Years after trees have been planted the plantation requires maintenance to ensure optimal growth. The stand tending projects we manage are brushing, spacing, pruning, girdling and browse protection.
Requirements: Experience in Stand Tending and/or Silviculture.

Conducting surveys

This type of work performs various types of plots, primarily on existing plantations and provides information accordingly.  Typically, there are small crews of 2-8 people.
Requirements: SurveyCertification is required in some locations.

First aid & safety

Every crew requires designated First Aid staff and at least one person to complete the administration of the Safety Program. This is typically done in addition to regular field work, planting or otherwise.
Requirements:First Aid certification is required, but varies depending on the jurisdiction.  Level 3 first aid required on most crews. Willingness to be trained in our Heath and Safety program a must.

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