The U. S. Forest Service is in search of new hires across the nation, with an special attention being paid to filling positions in Alaska. But , the recruiters claim that economic challenges are making it difficult for them to find and keep employees from outside of the state. In the meantime, the agency is shifting its focus towards the local workforce.
America is suffering from the effects of a huge labor shortage. According to the most recent information of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, there are more than 10 million job openings across the U.S. — but there are only 5.7 million people who are unemployed. In the U.S. Forest Service has not been exempt from the job shortage. Recruitment experts say it’s difficult to get people into Alaska.
Toby Bakos is a wildlife biologist at the Petersburg Forest Service District. He was instrumental in preparing for an event for local hiring on the 2nd of March. He told me it’s part the largest recruitment rush that he’s witnessed in his long experience working for the Forest Service.
“This is extremely rare,” said Bakos. “I haven’t thought of a single occasion when we’ve hired several permanent jobs at the same time within the timeframe.”
The Petersburg District is advertising twenty temporary jobs as in addition to six permanent positions. The openings for 15 positions will occur in the next two weeks.
Petersburg District Ranger Ray Born said he hopes that the new initiative to hire will assist his team in making the upskilling needed to make up for years of loss. The district saw a flurry of retirees in the wake of the epidemic. Born said that the Petersburg Forest Service District is also in the midst of funding new projects within the Tongass National Forest. However, those projects need additional staff.
“A number of laws were passed over the past few years, we have received more funding for projects,” stated Born. “So we need more people.”
Tiffany Christiansen is an administrative support assistant at the Forest Service. She explained that the agency isn’t looking for anyone They’re seeking those who are connected to the region. Christiansen explained that hands-on experiences of working and living on Tongass National Forest is essential. Tongass National Forest is valuable for the agency, as valuable as certain academic qualifications.
“Someone who is knowledgeable about the local area is a step ahead of those who haven’t been to Alaska,” said Christiansen. “In other words , perhaps they’ve not study these particular fields in the south of a college however, they’ve lived within and have grown up in the region for some time.”
Jason Steele is a Forest Service recruiter. He’s not from Alaska however, he is aware of that it is important to hire individuals who know the area well.
“I would not have been able to go into Alaska and struck the ground running in these positions because I’m not aware of these issues,” said Steele. “In the community, people are aware of everything about bear habitats and how to safely operate in bear-populated areas in Southeast Alaska.”
However, there are practical reasons the reason that this Forest Service is trying to find people from the local area. Born says that locals are more prepared to stayparticularly given the current state of economic crisis.
“We take people in and they’re like, “You say I’m not able to drive into my town What’s the deal?” stated Born. “Some people aren’t prepared for the Alaska trip.”
Born that Alaska’s remoteness discourages potential employees from making the plunge. Particularly in the Southeast where residents have to take boats and planes to get access to the world.
But, Born said one of the biggest obstacles in hiring workers from Outside is the housing market in Petersburg. Petersburg has been struggling with the lack of housing for a long time. This housing shortage has already made an impossible task for the city’s local agencies like that of the Petersburg school district to recruit workers from other cities.
Born stated that The Petersburg Ranger District expects up to 40 new employees this year. However, they have only the capacity of 36 bunk beds. In addition, there’s no space available in the bunkhouse for the families that they may bring along. The realtors are working with locals to help lessen the burden however that it’s logical to employ those who have already established in the region.
