CALIFORNIA–(ENEWSPF)–August 17, 2015. According to a just released study, America’s returning veterans show a significant interest in pursuing careers in the outdoors industry. Outdoors careers — including guiding whitewater raft excursions, training rock climbers, and leading outings — take advantage of the skills veterans learned while in military service, and provide a meaningful connection to the country they fought to protect. The study, “What is Veterans’ interest in outdoor careers?” was conducted for the Sierra Club by Clare Consulting, and funded by the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Bradley Noone, an Army veteran who served in Iraq, and is now a raft guide for Dvorak Expeditions in Salida, CO was not surprised at the results of the survey, said: “Being a raft guide is a perfect for veterans like me. There’s a great sense of mission, service, and you get to work with a lot of great people. I hope more veterans find their way into the outdoors and this survey shows what we all know—it’s good to get outside and better if you can get paid to do it.”
The study was conducted with face to face conversations in Chicago, accompanied by an online survey. The study showed that veterans desire meaningful work, and have an explicit interest in outdoor professions – even if they were not fully aware of the range of outdoor employment opportunities. Veterans identified working with an outdoor gear company, working in a state or federal land agency, working in professions like rafting or tourism, or at a ski resort as particularly satisfying, and thought the jobs would help overcome some of the existing barriers to a satisfying re-entry into the civilian world after military service.
Based on the information in the study, the Sierra Club — in partnership with other organizations — will create extended programs to connect veterans to outdoor careers. The Sierra Club’s Military Outdoors initiative has provides opportunities through time spent outdoors for leadership development, personal growth, and skills development. The program is unique in that it offers participants an opportunity to continue serving as environmental stewards and trip leaders, long after the outing is completed.
About the Robert R. McCormick Foundation
The Robert R. McCormick Foundation is committed to fostering communities of educated, informed, and engaged citizens. Through philanthropic grant-making, Cantigny Park, Museums, and Cantigny Golf, the Foundation works to make life better in our communities. The Foundation was established in 1955 upon the death of Colonel Robert R. McCormick, the longtime editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune. The McCormick Foundation is one of the nation’s largest foundations, with more than $1.5 billion in assets. Find out more at www.mccormickfoundation.org, follow us on Twitter (@McCormick_Fdn) and like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/mccormickfoundation).
Source: www.sierraclub.org
