Untitled Page

EXPLORE A CAREER

Home > Career Services > Explore A Career

Forestry - Explore A Career
Skills Needed Career Advice Jobs Sites Position types Where do alumni go after Unity? Gift Ideas Graduate School Sites Professional Associations
Skills needed to succeed in the Forestry field
This is a listing of skills that will supplement your college education. Develop them early! Skills needed
Compass and orienteering operation Computer mapping/spreadsheets/PowerPoint Chainsaw operation and maintenance Plant Identification Written and oral communication
Operate vehicles
Obtain a drivers license and try to get experience with farm and construction and harvesting equipment
Take up other outdoor activities
Nature photography, bird watching, plant collecting, hunting, fishing, hiking These activities will increase your awareness and enjoyment of the outdoors and might make you more competitive for employment opportunities
Your working conditions might be
Outdoors in all weather Physically demanding Operating equipment Longer than the typical 8 hour day
Top
Career Advice
ATTEND the Unity Career Fair - talk with the professionals in your field, conduct informational interviews TALK with upperclassman - where did they volunteer, intern, and find employment? ASK faculty, and CRC about Unity alumni who are employed in the forestry field. Call alumni who are working in an area you want to work; introduce yourself, let them know you are looking for advice, internship, job JOIN Society of American Foresters and/or the Forest Stewards Guild ATTEND area, state, regional, national wildlife conferences READ Journal of Forestry, Northern Journal of applied Forestry, American Forest, Tree Farm magazine, any and all environmental/recreation publications; Sand County Almanac, Burning of an Empire. CHECK the CRC Employment web site regularly Click Here Top
Jobs for Forestry Students
Avue Central Avue Central is a federal employment service provided absolutely free to the public. This site has been highly recommended by students as easier to use than the USAJOBS site. We gave it a try and it seemed pretty good. Forest Stewards Guild - Employment Page lists forestry positions with a variety non profit organizations and private businesses ForestryUSA.Com Current job openings in every branch of North America's forest sector - in woodlands, in manufacturing, in sales, in research and education. InterTribal Timber Council Jobs relating to Native Americans' and natural resources. Maine Forest Service - State of Maine Forest Service Employment Research Experiences for Undergraduates Use their on-line searchable database to find paid research opportunities. The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects designed especially for the purpose. Society of American Foresters - Career Center select "Classified Ads" to see listing for employment and internship with various private and governmental USDA Forest Service - Employment with US Forest Service Career Resource Center's Job Webpage-Tons of other web links to jobs. Top
What types of positions can I work in?
Positions to look for during college to gain experience and skills: State and local parks volunteer to do anything to get your foot in the door: answer phones, file, data entry, bulk mailings, organize events, fund raise, etc. State and federal agencies that manage timber operations look for volunteer opportunities, or if you have a college work-study allocation look into having it assigned to an off campus agency Student Conservation Association (SCA) They match applicants with federal and state agencies across the country Volunteering even half a day a week for the summer will provide you with valuable experience. You may need to ask repeatedly before being taken on as a volunteer. When you have some experience and are looking for an internship of summer position: Season, part-time and temporary positions Apply at the places suggested as volunteer options; if you volunteered for the organization the previous summer or school break your chances of employment are greatly increased Wood production industry - Pulp and paper mills, sawmills, wood product-manufacturing plants and log yards Consulting and timber management individual or firms Related industry Surveying , environmental protection, fire control, parks, etc. Become knowledgeable about your field CONDUCT "informational interviews"; build contacts, network. Remember it's all about NETWORKING. If you don't network how is anybody to know who you are and what you have to offer? Volunteering is where you are given the chance to schmooze with the professionals, use it wisely. This is where a lot of people get their first jobs. Definition of "NETWORKING"- Introducing yourself to, and getting to know, people who might be able to tell you about a job. "An estimated 80% of all jobs are filled by word of mouth even though they may be advertised." The Career Search Handbook Top
After Unity, what do alumni do?
Title and Organization Consulting Forester, Southern Maine Forestry Services Area Forester, Wagner Forest Management Logging Buyer, E.D. Bessey & Son Forest Management, Self-Employed Operations Forester, International Paper Co. Sawmill Manager, Robbins Lumber Manager of Land Use, Great Northern Paper Company Forest Technician, State Department of Environmental Protection Log Buyer, Walter H. Weaber Sons Inc. Forest & Parks 'Seasonal' Supervisor, Bureau of Forest Fire Control Self Employed Arborist Consulting Forester, Happy Valley Forestry Services Forester, Agency of Natural Resources, Dept of Forests, Parks & Recreation Lead Forest Tech., US Forest Service Degree, Major and School Masters Forestry, University of Maine in Orono Masters Natural Resource Management, North Carolina State University Masters Forest Management, University of Maine Visit the CRC and get contact information for alums so you can get advice from former Unity students. Top
Develop a gift wish list
If anyone asks what you would like for your birthday, Christmas, Chanukah, graduation etc. suggest the following
Rain Gear Steel Toe Boots Hard Hat Compass Forest Society Membership Forest Guild Membership
Need some equipment in the meantime? Stop by the equipment room in the OAC. With a $20.00 refundable deposit you can take out equipment including canoes, backpacks, snowshoes, skis, wet suits and much more! Top
Grad School Links
Grad School Forestry Page -This website has graduate schools for forestry in the US Unity CRC Graduate School info Page CRC webpage dedicated to graduate studies Top
Professional Association Links
American Forest Foundation Here you can browse through the latest news about AFF and the American Tree Farm System Forest Stewards Guild Promotes ecologically and economically responsible resource management that sustains the entire forest across the landscape. The Guild provides a forum and support system for practicing foresters and other resource management professionals working to advance this vision. National Association of State Foresters Has job information at the state level and with the public and private sectors as well as some interesting information on forests and forestry. Society of American Foresters A good place to job search and checkout information about the forestry profession.
For more information about the Forestry degree at Unity College click here Top