This piece is an extract from this week's Forestry Latest News newsletter, which is emailed out at 4PM every Friday with a round-up of the week's top stories. 

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In its second year, Confor's Forest Machinery Taster event gave would-be operators a chance to drive a real machine. Forestry Journal was invited along to meet some of the participants. 

"I can't stop smiling," said Janis Saldaks, a hand cutter turned would-be machinery operator, speaking shortly after spending his first hours behind the controls of a forwarder. "I'm like a kid in a candy shop!" 

It was a wet, cold Thursday in mid-March (isn't it always?) and Forestry Journal found itself in the middle of a mature pine woodland near Biggar in South Lanarkshire, watching two rookies handle a John Deere 1510G like they had been doing it all their lives. The duo – also including Shaun Love – were the participants on day nine of Confor's latest Forest Machinery Taster event and it's hoped that first experience won't be their last. 

READ MORE: 'I could be happy in forestry': Meet the rookies given a taste of forwarder life

Now in its second year, the scheme – run alongside partners including the aforementioned manufacturer and Scottish Forestry – has one key purpose; to get bums on seats and make them stay there. Whittled down from a much larger initial intake, around 20 entrants were given the chance to test out their forwarding skills across a fortnight block that ran until Friday, with John Williamson, an experienced head with H&W Training, there to guide them. 

"We took those people who showed a real interest in the industry and brought them out into a real machine in the woods," said Richard Hunter, Confor's teaching and industry support manager and the leader of the project. "An often talked about problem is the lack of new entrants coming into the industry, and certainly those wanting to use a machine. Hence why we have stepped in with support of partners like Scottish Forestry.

Forestry Journal: John Williamson, of H&W Training, was on hand to guide the rookies John Williamson, of H&W Training, was on hand to guide the rookies (Image: FJ)

"The delegates have loved it and we've had nothing but positive feedback." 

Janis and Shaun – a construction operator by trade – certainly agreed and seeing the enthusiasm with which they threw themselves into the opportunity was encouraging; both for their own chances and for forestry as a whole. 

Forestry Journal will have comprehensive coverage of the taster events – including in-depth chats with participants like Janis – across our channels in the coming weeks.