26 The Mainline Continued → › The first IRC students will graduate in 2026, and AOL members will have first access to these job-ready recruits. How AOL Members Can Get Involved These programs only work if the industry engages with them. Here’s how your company can benefit and support these efforts: • Hire from these programs—Whether it’s an OSU simulator-trained operator or an FNRL-certified high school grad, you’ll be getting better-prepared employees from day one. • Provide input—As these programs grow, they need industry leaders to help shape their direction. That means judging competitions, advising on curriculum, and ensuring the training remains relevant to real-world needs. • Promote these programs—The more awareness we build, the stronger the workforce pipeline becomes. Encourage schools, workforce boards, and rural communities to get students engaged early. Final Takeaway: This Is a Recruitment Advantage You Can’t Ignore At the end of the day, these programs would give AOL members the ability to find and train better employees with less risk and less wasted time. • OSU’s simulator training creates job-ready operators. • IRC program helps identify pre-tested young recruits. • AOL’s role in workforce funding ensures we keep the pipeline strong. If you’re looking for a better way to find, train, and retain workers, these programs should become huge wins for Oregon’s logging industry. To learn more or get involved, reach out to AOL today—and let’s keep building a workforce that’s ready for the future. t Workforce, Human Resources, Labor
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