New campaign launches to promote careers in timber engineering

15 April 2021


A new campaign to support the recruitment of new talent into the timber engineering industry has been launched by the Trussed Rafter Association (TRA).

The Careers in Timber Engineering campaign promotes key roles in design and estimating, manufacturing, sales and management within businesses involved in trussed rafter roofs, metal web joists and related products.

The TRA has created a campaign marketing toolkit for its members, helping them to deliver presentations to schools and colleges and equipping them with videos, leaflets and social media graphics to help with their own recruitment activities.

The campaign received strong encouragement from TRA members last autumn, but has just been launched now to support TRA members as the country starts to come out of lockdown restrictions and it is easier to provide safe work experience opportunities and outreach to schools and colleges.

“There are many very rewarding career opportunities in timber engineering, and our members have an urgent need to get that message out to potential new recruits,” said Nick Boulton, chief executive of the TRA.

“We are communicating the breadth of career options, the opportunities to work up from the factory floor right to the top of management, and the vital role that technology plays in this industry. We are also telling potential recruits that this is an industry with a strong sense of purpose, focused on using structural wood products to help tackle the climate emergency, and playing its part in the design and construction of safe, high quality homes.”

The campaign has been led by the TRA’s training group, involving input from MiTek, ITW Construction Products, Wolf Systems, ETS Trusses, Armstrong Timber Engineering, Donaldson Timber, DWB Timber Engineering, Crendon and Sodra.