Civil engineers are in great demand at Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS); the national forestry body has vacancies for engineers to work in locations around Scotland.

Last month a team from FLS visited the University of Strathclyde to talk to engineering students and to give them an insight into a day on the job at FLS. Students were briefed on a real-life engineering problem scenario in South Rannoch forest that they might encounter during project work.

Senior Teaching Fellow from the University of Strathclyde’s Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Dr Mike Murray, believes the FLS workshop exposed his students to a sector of civil engineering that is largely unknown to students when deciding on graduate careers.

“The resounding feedback from my students was that they would now consider a career with a forestry employer, having found the construction of roads, bridges, paths and car parks in a forestry environment really interesting as a possible civil engineering pathway.”

FLS civil engineer and the University of Strathclyde alumni, Rhona Munro, who helped to deliver the workshop, said: “A career in forestry was not on my radar as an option when I was at university, but I’ve been with FLS for almost three years now and really enjoy my work.

“I love that this job gives me the opportunity to go outdoors and into forests – something that isn’t possible in a lot of civil engineering roles, which are often more urban-based.”

FLS also recently visited Boroughmuir High School in Edinburgh to demonstrate the array of departments – including some unexpected ones – within the government organisation.

FLS’s Civil Engineering department spans all five regions across Scotland and offers graduate positions, with the North Region to host a university student during the summer break this year.

FLS offer 12-month civil engineering student placements and employs a number of apprentices and graduates in various areas of the business, including Forest Management, Mechanical Engineering, Trees & Timber, Data Science, Procurement and Finance.