Casey Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 I am going head back to college soon, probably in a year or so. I have been up and down with what I'd like to go back and accomplish. Well I was talking to someone who told me since I love the outdoors, I should look into Outdoor Management or what others call it, Recreation Management. Managing Parks and camps. Anything to get me outside and work outside is a big plus. Going to do a little homework on it, to see what it all involves, but I'm strongly looking into this area. Thanks for listening! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92xj Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Goodluck, Hope you succeed with what you decide and with the drive to go back to school. Thinking about it and doing the homework to see what is offered where you want to go to school is the first step. I will pray that you stick with your plan and get into the program you decide on. Doing something that you will enjoy is a great gift. I am very fortunate to have found an awesome job that I love doing and hope that I will continue to do it for a long time. Thoughts and prayers will be with you as you make the first steps in the journey and I hope that you will stick it out and get back to school to learn the things you need to land that job of a lifetime. Goodluck my friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowtech_archer07 Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Good luck Casey with whatever you decide. I'm sure that you will succeed and be sure to keep us all updated buddy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkneck Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Good luck with that Casey. My only advice is to take a good luck at the job outlook for that field and think about your prospects after school. I know folks that followed thier hearts in college, but when they got out, they just couldnt make a living at it, so they ended up in a completely different field. Hope things work out for you. I know most of us would like a job that brought us closer to the outdoors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 My buddy (actually, my boss too) at my junior college had his degree in recreation and fitness, and his masters was in recreation management I think. He is now the recreation director at Slippery Rock University in PA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 I really wish I had taken that route years ago. There's certainly nothing wrong with having a job you like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layin on the smackdown Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Acorn, LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY!!! I have my B.S in recreation and let me tell you, i couldn't be more unhappy with that choice. You want to focus in the field of resource management...The degree I have pretty much puts you behind a desk dealing with stupid people, kissing butt and pushing papers all day...Like Chris said, he has a friend who is the Director of a park district of some sort. Not a bad job, but if you are anything like me, and love working outside, stay away from parks and recreation. The whole reason i went into that field (after i bailed out of environmental biology-stoichiometry is impossible) is because i worked for the maintenance department at a park district and loved it - then interned with the colorado division of wildlife - loved that too...but the reality is, there are not many opportunities to utilize that degree in an area where you can be where you desire to be - outside. And by the time you have the credentials to get into one of those rare positions, you will be totally burned out from all the B.S. you had to go through to get there...its a long journey - 5-10 years... This is the exact reason why i am getting out of this field and am going to try to get into a union...There is so much crap to deal with, its not worth it. Hope this helps. If you have any questions, or want to talk more about it and my experience, give me a call, you have my #. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhine16 Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 Thought about wildlife biology??? Just an idea, Good luck with whatever you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coles Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 i was goin to go into wildlife biology but i just didnt wanna get stuck countin lizards in a desert until an ideal job came up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mach1 Posted September 5, 2009 Report Share Posted September 5, 2009 This is the exact reason why i am getting out of this field and am going to try to get into a union...There is so much crap to deal with, its not worth it. Not trying to steer you away from getting in a union, but those I know who are in unions, say dealing with the crap in the union is not any better than non-union and many times it's worse. I had a job a couple years back in which some of us went back and forth between non-union and union jobs (our company had two different sections). The union money was nice, but dealing with the other stuff like paying dues and other job related specifics were almost not worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkeygirl Posted September 5, 2009 Report Share Posted September 5, 2009 I have a B.S. degree in Recreation & Leisure: Outdoor Ed & Camps Admin. focus. Now I loved the program and went this route because I love the outdoors. Also because my first choice, Athletic Training, the college threw out the major so left me hanging. Anyway great degree but, where I live...there is just seasonal employment. Unless you live out west or California or something. Also recreation type jobs has the highest burn out rate. But, since I also like medicine, I went into nursing. So compared to outdoor red., shouldn't have a problem finding a nursing job! But I worked as a counselor for 2 summers at camp so my degree prepared me well, then worked this year, same camp, as the nurse. Good luck with your schooling and career! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layin on the smackdown Posted September 5, 2009 Report Share Posted September 5, 2009 Not trying to steer you away from getting in a union, but those I know who are in unions, say dealing with the crap in the union is not any better than non-union and many times it's worse. I had a job a couple years back in which some of us went back and forth between non-union and union jobs (our company had two different sections). The union money was nice, but dealing with the other stuff like paying dues and other job related specifics were almost not worth it. I would guess that it depends on which union or where etc. the bottom line here is that there is a never ending line of BS when dealing with the administrative side of parks and recreation...Trust me, i am there right now. It probably depends on who you are, but i would kill just to be able to work outside on a day to day basis...Don't get me wrong, there is always going to be BS to deal with where ever you work, but 14 meetings a month, dealing with PDRMA, board meetings, dept head meetings, traveling to conferences, intergovernmental policies, and mostly dealing with the genetic decay of our rediculously unintelligent, arrogant, people of the public...:bang::chair::chair::death: And not to mention, Ruth is right on about the "Burn out" factor involved in this field...reasons stated above. Thanks for the heads up though Mach1, but at this point, i feel that the union BS is minute to the BS i deal with on a day to day basis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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