What is a Career Pathway?

Find out the key to building onramps into urban forestry careers.

Career Pathways Action Guide Phase:
A career pathway combines education, training, and support services to prepare an individual to enter a particular occupation. Usually industry-led, it aligns program offerings with in-demand skillsets that support the local economy.

Key elements of a career pathway include:

  • Well connected and transparent education, training, credentials, and support services
  • Multiple entry points for well-prepared students and targeted populations
  • Multiple exit points into different careers

One person’s path into urban forestry may look like earning a post-secondary four-year degree in urban forestry, accompanied by one year of on-the job experience while in school or after graduating. That person could then test for and earn a Certified Arborist credential from the International Society of Arboriculture, and exit into a career as a community arborist working with a local tree nonprofit group.

In order to help more people than ever get into the field, this guide focuses on showing you how to design successful career pathways programs for those with little to no education and experience in urban forestry.

Whether it takes the form of a corps, crew, pre-apprenticeship, or other job training program, this guide is here to help you inclusively address the workforce shortage in urban forestry where you live.

 

 

Career Pathways Action Guide