Pathways to Natural Resources Careers Summit

February 23, 2012

AgendaBrief Presentation

Perspectives from the Field Kyle Sullivan, Weld County Youth Conservation

Corps/BLMKim Burgess, DNR

BreakWorking Groups

Barriers and challengesSuccessful elements and systems

Discussion: Taking Action

Lunch/Networking/Tour

A Resolution!

The Criticality and Urgency of Creating Effective Pathways to Natural Resources Careers

Wendy NewmanFacilitator, Independent Contractor Wendy.Newman@yahoo.com

Purpose: Work collaboratively to create more pathways to enable ALL young adults to be educated, prepared, and qualified to enter and maintain professional, sustainable natural resources careers. Let’s empower them to be self-sufficient and capable public land stewards.

BackgroundColorado’s high school “on time” graduation

rate = 72% . Source: Colorado Dept. of Education, 2011

Young adult poverty is currently 45% (when family income is not included).

Youth young adult unemployment is 20% greater than twice that of adults, even higher for minority youth.

Where are all the young people?In the next five years, 50% of public land

mgmt. employees will retire.

Less than 10% of USFWS staff is under age 30.

Quiz TimeHow many Dept. of Interior employees retired in 2011?

Answer

Approximately 33,000 retired in 2011. Typically, 11,000 employees retire annually.

Source: NPS employee, 2012.

Who will fill these jobs?The mounting shortage of natural resource

professionals is compounded by the fact that undergraduate enrollment in the field plunged 40% nationwide between 1995 and 2005.

Higher Education FactorsThe cost of education is rising steadily.

Many young people take more than four years to complete their degree (adding to the cost) and most need to work while in school.

Work/learn combination options in natural resources are a necessity.

Source: Dr. Hausdoerffer, Western State College, 2012.

Possible Reasons for Declining Enrollments1. Weak & uncertain job market2. Lower salaries compared to other professions3. Increasing “disconnect” between natural resources & an

urbanizing society (especially among young adults)4. Tendency of minorities to avoid academic programs perceived

as tangential to important issues affecting their communities5. Negative public perceptions of forestry & related natural

resource professions6. Perception of curricula being too narrow & rigid7. Increased “science phobia” on the part of students8. Increasing number of similar degree programs outside colleges

of forestry & natural resources9. Relatively long period beyond a B.S. degree needed to obtain a

terminal professional degree10. Lack of intellectual leadership & charisma nationally in forestry

& related natural resources areas11. Limited public awareness regarding social benefits of forestry

& related natural resource professions12. Decreasing enrollments in colleges & universities overall

(Sharik et al. 2004, Sharik 2005)

SOURCE: Sharik and Layton, Intl. Symposium on Forestry Ed., 2010.

What skills do students need to develop in a graduate program?Organizational developmentHuman resource abilitiesFinancial managementCritical thinkingTechnology

Subject area expertise is frequently being contracted out to consulting firms but how do you outsource forest management?

-- Dr. Hausdoerffer, Western State College

Wells, Nature and the Life Course, 2006.

Playing Outside as a Child is Associated With…

Working in natural resources fields

Volunteering Recycling Voting for

conservation initiatives Recreating outdoors

as an adult

BackgroundIn the last 20 years time

spent playing outside has been cut in half while childhood obesity has doubled and adolescent obesity has tripled.

Source: H. White, No Child Left Inside, Reversing NDD, NWF, 2008.

BackgroundThe current generation’s life expectancy will

be 3 – 5 years less than their parents.Source: CO Child Health Survey, CDPHE, 2007.

Who will steward our resources if youth are growing up indoors, disconnected, and unable to access natural resources

jobs?

“Interdependent people combine their own efforts with the efforts of others to achieve their greatest success.”~ Stephen Covey

Pathways to Natural Resources Careers Summit

February 23, 2012