Lumber Grading Course Offered in Preston

The West Virginia Wood Technology Center, in partnership with Pierpont Community & Technical College of Fairmont State University, is presenting a 5-Day Beginning Lumber Grading Course on Monday through Friday, Nov. 6-10, in Preston County.

The course will take place from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day at Preston County High School in Kingwood, W.Va. The cost is $500, which includes registration, course materials and a Certificate of Completion. The five-day workshop will include a thorough study and explanation of the National Hardwood Lumber Association Rules Book, emphasizing the basics of hardwood lumber inspection.

The course is designed for anyone wanting to become familiar with the lumber grading rules and process. The workshop gives yardmen, sawyers, edgermen, sales and office staff and management-level personnel an introduction to lumber inspection. Jamie Barnett will teach the course. He is also the instructor for the 14-week NHLA Inspection Training Course offered at the WV Wood Technology Center in Elkins, W.Va.

In the past, domestic consumption and hardwood exports have been principally responsible for a growing demand for trained lumber inspectors, but today’s competitive global market, which is heavily dominated by specialty sorting, has placed an even greater strain on the pool of inspectors.

“Companies in West Virginia and throughout the Eastern United States indicate a need for persons who have this basic knowledge of the lumber trade,” said Paul Schreffler, Director of Economic Development and Workforce Education at Pierpont C&TC. “Job openings with a decent wage and the possibility for advancement currently exist in this industry. The forests of West Virginia are a renewable resource that supports this kind of job. This is an opportunity for a living wage in an industry that will continue to thrive in our state for the foreseeable future.”

The high value of hardwood lumber dictates that boards are graded each time they are bought or sold within the hardwood industry on their way from the sawmill to their final use. Hardwood lumber inspectors determine the species, grade and volume of each piece of lumber. Lumber inspectors are employed in West Virginia by sawmills, dry kiln operators, wholesale lumber distributors, manufacturing plants, exporters, importers, and other firms utilizing hardwood lumber.

For more information, call Jamie Barnett at (800) 637-7500 or e-mail him at Jamie@wvwoodtech.com. Those interested in attending this class can also register online.  Click here for the main site.