Student and professional perspectives on park and protected area careers

Browning, Matthew; Thomsen, Jennifer; Choi, Wonjun

Young adults interested in park and protected area careers may feel discouraged because of the perceived difficulty in entering these careers. Simultaneously, park and protected area professionals may experience increased pressure and urgency to recruit qualified young adults because of the high number of baby-boomer retirements. Although both groups may believe they know some strategies for young adults to transition into these careers, they may not know the broad range of perspectives and ideas held by young adults and professionals at large. One such possible strategy is for organizations working with park and protected area professionals to facilitate the development and recruitment of young adults and, in particular, undergraduate and graduate students, who may be particularly competitive for job openings. Our study attempts to document the perceptions and current constraints facing students when entering park and protected area careers as well as how professional organizations might help them overcome these constraints. Using data collected from a career workshop at the 2015 George Wright Society conference, we present five factors that can influence students’ success in the job market, five constraints that might prevent students from being successful, and two categories of opportunities for professional organizations to help students effectively pursue these careers. We believe our findings support students, recruiters, and hiring organizations through strengthening connections and outlining strategies to address some of the key issues facing park and protected area professionals in the 21st century.

Student and professional perspectives on park and protected area careers

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