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Career change questions

Started by Parafiddle, September 04, 2013, 03:14:08 PM

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Parafiddle

New to the forum and looking for advice.  I have been working as a GIS Analyst for about 15 years and have a B.A. in Geography (Cartography) and an M.S. in Forest Sciences (GIS/Remote Sensing).  I also have 20+ years in the Army, between active duty, Reserves and National Guard, most of it in Military Intelligence.  I am interested in changing careers to become a Forester.  Since my Bachelor's was not in Forestry and my Master's focused on GIS and remote sensing for natural resources, I'm assuming that I will need to go back to school and get a B.S. in Forestry in order to qualify for a job.  Is this a correct assumption?

Before you say "stay working in GIS", understand that GIS jobs are changing.  There was a time when only the GIS Analysts had GIS software on their computer.  These days everyone has it and the true GIS people are being relegated to writing custom GIS applications (programming) and/or doing database management work vs. doing actual GIS analysis.  I have no interest in writing computer code and having spent the majoring of my military career working on classified projects behind a bunch of cipher-locked doors, I'm ready to get back outdoors and work in the woods a little.  I wouldn't even mind doing GIS for forestry/natural resources work, as long as I could get out in the field once in a while to do data collection, etc.  My goal is to work in the Pacific Northwest (preferably western Montana, where I own a few acres of trees).  smiley happysmiley  In a perfect world, I could keep doing full-time GIS work while taking Forestry classes part-time and transition to a forestry job in a few years.  I have a family and a mortgage which complicates things also.

Any thoughts/insights/advice from people in the fields are greatly appreciated!  Thanks!!

beenthere

Welcome to the Forestry Forum
At first blush, I'd say get around the people who are in the area you are interested in, such as Forestry Schools and their professors, and joining the Soc. of American Foresters. Attend the SAF section meetings, talk to people there, and let all know what you are interested in doing for a new career. Don't leave out private consulting businesses that do similar work, or some of the bigger companies such as Weyerhaeuser, and Georgia Pacific, or others in the area you want to work. Fire is a big thing in Gov't forestry now, and may be looking for talent like yours. So good luck to you. Sounds like a very interesting career and profession. 
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

Parafiddle

Thanks!  Yes, I have considered getting into fire and I know they use GIS a lot.  I was thinking forest management would open up more job opportunities for me than fire as it would apply to everyone from small private land owners, to state/federal agencies, to large timber companies and everything in between.  Also, doing fire would mean you could never take a vacation in the summer because you'd be working in some fire camp.  I've never worked fire, but I have deployed 6 times, including 2 times as a GIS Analyst, and I enjoy the challenge of doing GIS and making maps in a fast-paced deployed environment, but it does wear a person down.

How critical do you think it is to graduate from an SAF-accredited degree program as well as becoming a SAF Certified Forester once you meet the qualifications?

beenthere

QuoteHow critical do you think it is to graduate from an SAF-accredited degree program as well as becoming a SAF Certified Forester once you meet the qualifications?

I wouldn't look at it as "critical", but wouldn't exclude non-accredited programs. Association with those in the profession who can get to know you as a good person on a mission will likely be the fastest way to accomplish your goal of getting a degree, landing a job (be it Fire or wherever in GIS) and then moving on to your goal where you want to be 'til retirement.
You will need to pick and choose within your limits of time and money in hopes to trip the right trigger, and on the way new doors will probably open for you to consider.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

thecfarm

Parafiddle,welcome to the forum. Thank you for serving our great country.  ;D
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

samandothers

Echo Cfarm on the thanks for your service!  Welcome

Parafiddle

Thank you both!  It has been my pleasure to serve.

ST Ranch

Parafiddle
I am a Registered Forester from British Columbia and have worked for over 30 yrs in the business. My 1st 10 yrs with Provincial Forest Service [office and field work-more office near end] and last 20 + doing consulting, logging and part time milling and ranching . I terms of wanting to work in forestry outdoors, I do not think you need a full Forestry BScF degree, but rather a few short tech courses and/or equivalent field experience in forest ecology, forest health and forest road and logging planning.  Today, many of the young foresters are urban raised and have no practical skills or any decision making experience. They can NOT function without an electronic GPS and cell phone.  They passed all the Bulls--t academic training, but CAN NOT even find there way out of town without an electronic crutch.  From the sounds of your background, getting some experience in the field doing GPS survey work or equivalent[it kind of links to your GIS knowlegde], and then build on that into other forestry, mining, environmental work etc. To me today, finding a mature person with a good decision making ability, ability to work on their own, and with a good skill set acquired from experience is far more important than a forestry degree. I can not speak for the USFS or State forest folks in Montana, but a person with a good work ethic and willingness to learn is important. [Also lots of private forest land owners in MT that might use your skills] Most of my forester friends I went to school with are now paper pushers and managers and never see the bush except on their mountain bike on weekends. Mature Foresters usually become managers and administrators, and rarely see the bush. Techs more often are the folks doing the ground work.
In short - I suggest a bit of formal training at the technical level and a good demonstration  of your experience acquired skill set should go along way.  Good luck and the Western Montana D-fir and larch forests would be a great place to work. Good Luck. Tom     
LT40G28 with mods,  Komatsu D37E crawler,
873 Bobcat with CWS log grapple,

Parafiddle

Tom,
Thanks very much for the insight!  I'm encouraged that I might have a future in the field in one form or another.  ;)  - Steve

Texas Ranger

Your education qualifies you for membership in the SAF, along with your experience.  You may want to join, get on the list, get the mag, and watch the classified job ads.

Welcome to the board, and good luck.  I have been a forester since 1962, worked outdoors (including a stint with Uncle Sam) ever since.  I enjoyed it, did not become rich from an economic stand point, but I would not trade the experiences for cash.
The Ranger, home of Texas Forestry

Rocky_Ranger

Parafiddle, you are the same age as I was when I left farming and went back into the Forest Service.  First of all, I too want to thank you for your service; and by serving, you qualify for a little known "Authority" of qualifying for the Veterans Reemployment Act into the Federal Government.  Get a'hold of the uSA Jobs website and start looking - we (USFS) need skills of your caliber.  You'd not be behind a locked door but in an office of some kind.  I am a forester, but do not have to be to do the work I do now.  Another little known fact is a district ranger does not require a degree of any kind (it is almost impossible to get there without one, but I have seen it done).  Military career, highly needed job skills, mechanism to reemploy - you are on the right track.  You can give me a call if you'd like to chat (send me a PM for my number).   It won't be easy - nothing I've found in life really is except gaining weight and turning hair gray... :D
RETIRED!

Parafiddle

Texas and Rocky,
Thank you both for the replies and information.  It is all useful to me.  ;)

Rocky - PM sent.

Rocky_Ranger

I used to be a district ranger - too Lazy for that I reckon  ;D (not really, it is the best job in the outfit), but now I am Forest Supervisor.  I supervise the district rangers and about 240 +/- folks of differing skill levels and professions here in Eastern Arizona.  Your qualities should make you highly desirable for hiring anywhere in the USFS system.  I look forward to hearing from you tomorrow.  Check out USA Jobs and get acquainted with that system of jobs on-line.
RETIRED!

Ron Scott

~Ron

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