John Wiege has spent most of his working life in the forest industry in Williams Lake.
He has worked for over 40 years at West Fraser.
His journey from labourer to Safety Resource highlights the benefits of lifelong learning and looking beyond a current role for how you can contribute and grow.
Born in Burns Lake in 1961, where he lived for 10 years, he grew up with three older sisters.
“Can you say spoiled?” he said of the fact he was the only boy and the youngest.
When he was 10-years-old, his father was hired to manage the government liquor store in Bella Coola and the family relocated there.
In January 1981, John left Bella Coola for “better opportunities” and moved to Williams Lake.
His first job in the lakecity was with a contracting company, pouring the concrete foundation for the Paradise Twin Theatres.
“I did that for about a month and a half and then I moved on and applied for a job at the sawmill planer mill.”
After doing various jobs at the sawmill, he advanced up the ladder to be a relief shift supervisor in 1991, which he did for several years until 1994 when the sawmill planer shut down.
“There was an option to go to Hinton, Alberta to the new sawmill or take a transfer to plywood. I decided to stay local and took the transfer to the plywood plant.”
As a result, he was back to being a labourer on the floor, but within a year and a half was promoted to the role of shift relief supervisor. In 1997 Wiege became a staff supervisor and then the Safety Resource in 2018.
His has stayed working at West Fraser because of the people, he said.
“There are good and nice people working here, feels like home,” said Wiege.
“I have appreciated the opportunities I have received for my personal career growth. West Fraser promotes from within so the opportunities for career growth are endless.”
When he is not working his Monday to Friday shift at the plant, Wiege enjoys time with his wife Sally, who he met in Williams Lake.
She works at Marie Sharpe Elementary School as a lunch time supervisor.
The Wieges have three sons and two grandsons.
Access to outdoor activities and the “small town feel” are things Wiege loves about living in Williams Lake.
He enjoys camping and fishing, although he is often busy because about six years ago he took up wood turning as a hobby.
“I like to work with wood,” he said. “My career has been in producing wood products (logging, lumber, Plywood) and my hobby is producing artistic creations using recycled wood as much as possible.”
READ MORE: PHOTO GALLERY: Order of the Eastern Star members welcome one and all
He also spent eight years doing martial arts - the Yoshinkan style aikido.
John mentioned, “Do you ever watch Steven Seagal movies? That’s the type he practices.”
After he posed for a photograph beside the West Fraser Williams Lake Plywood sign off Mackenzie Avenue, Wiege said working there has been a good way to provide for his family while meeting some great people over the years.
news@wltribune.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter