Continued Education

[Samuel]

Given the current state of the global economy and forestry in general,  what considerations have people given into continuing educational opportunities/designations.

Personally I have shifted my focus from Forestry (somewhat) and obtained a two auditing designations.

1. EMS (LA)- Environmental Management System (ISO 14001)
2. COR Auditor- Certificate of Recognition (Health and Safety) for the Alberta Forest Products Association

I am currently enrolled (Distance Education) at UNB in Fredericton in the Health, Safety and Environmental Process program that will enable me to write the CRSP designation (Canadian Registered Safety Professional).

Given that Forestry and Oil and Gas industry compliment each other with environmental and Health and Safety professionals, I thought that I would ensure I have everything covered.

[Riles]

I have noticed multitudes more job openings for GIS professionals than for foresters. The entry level classes in the undergraduate forestry programs are door openers, but I think more depth is required.

[Dodgy Loner]

Since I work for the government (as a county extension agent) rather than the private sector, I'm not too worried about state of the economy.  I am taking the certified arborist's exam in June, though.  If there's anything this job has taught me, it's that there will never be a shortage of rich folks who'll do anything it takes to save their yard trees!

[BrandonTN]

There's always forest fire-fighting. The fires out West don't give a hoot about the economy. 


Learning GIS more in depth could be a good thing. I took that entry level course you speak of this past Spring, Riles. Let's just say it wasn't my favorite class.  :

[SwampDonkey]

I don't see any GIS jobs here in the Maritimes. The few I know of that do it are long time employees that picked it up over the years. I don't see any demand for fresh blood. I see some jobs in GIS in Alberta by a couple of consultants near Edmonton, but they seem to be short term because every spring I see the same positions being offered. I am quite comfortable with GIS myself, although scripting I don't have a handle on because I never had a need for it. But, I do know database programming in Access but not the Visual Basic side of it. Most don't even use Microsoft Access, some have a database package unrelated to Access. When your working for yourself the money is a lot tighter than being paid by a corporation or government to sit in a class to keep your training up.  Then you have to ask yourself, is there demand enough to justify it. From where I sit there isn't enough business in that area (GIS) to put food on the table in the private sector and too many competing for that one government position that is short term focused. I live within 25 minutes of a community college, but no forestry courses offered. You have to travel 1.5-3 hours away because most of my area is not crown or freehold lands held by corporations and government. Feels like class segregation at times. :-\