New Career Development Guide provides support for timber employees in first three years
WASHINGTON, DC—A new Employee Development Guide is tailored specifically to support skills building and career development of timber preparation employees in their first three years with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. The guide was designed to help plan and track specific tasks, training and competencies that will help timber sale preparation employees set and achieve goals.
The guide covers training courses, on the job training competencies and professional development opportunities.
Topics include:
- Foundational skills
- Field safety
- Marking methods
- Timber cruising methods
- Logging systems, timber sale layout and unit delineation
- Planning and NEPA
- Feasibility/timber sale appraisal/timber trespass
- Fire and fuels qualifications
- Training considerations for each year
“The Early Employee Development Guide is intended to be utilized as a roadmap by both professional foresters (0460) and forestry technicians (0462) when talking about career development and drafting individual development career plans,” said Sales Prep Forester Matthew McGiffin.
“The activities and tasks in the guide are curated to be of benefit by providing a breadth of resource exposure along with specific knowledge and experiences to prepare individuals for a variety of forestry and vegetation management positions.”
The National Sale Preparation Cadre is interested in knowing how useful the guide has been for employees and supervisors. This information will be used to annually refine and update the guide.
The team that produced the guide is also planning to create a guide to support development and career path for employees with 3+ years. They are considering feasibility and business requirements of trainings that would increase options and availability to support the continued development of employees in timber sale preparation.
“The Early Employee Development Guide is one step in a longer process of creating development tools and supporting timber employees,” McGiffin said. “We are looking forward to continuing to develop future resources to support timber preparation supervisors and employees.”
WEBINAR OVERVIEWS
There will be two webinars about the Early Employee Development Guide and how it can be used for career development and skills building.
Webinar #1: For supervisors of new timber sale preparation employees
Wednesday, Oct. 19, 1 p.m. Eastern
Webinar #2: For timber sale preparation employees in their first three years with the USDA Forest Service
Wednesday, Oct. 26, 1 p.m. Eastern
AGENDA
1:00 to 1:10 p.m.—Welcome and message of intent
1:10 to 1:30 p.m.—Technical overview of the guide
1:30 to 2:00 p.m.—Q&A