TECHNICIANS IN NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, A RESEARCH STUDY TO DETERMINE THE NEED FOR EDUCATION OF TECHNICIANS IN THE NATURAL RESOURCE AREAS OF FORESTRY, RECREATION, AND WILDLIFE.

QUESTIONNAIRES WERE ADMINISTERED TO SELECTED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FORESTRY, RURAL RECREATION, AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTERPRISES IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TO DETERMINE THE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND TYPE OF TRAINING NEEDS REQUIRED FOR TECHNICAL, SKILLED, AND SEMISKILLED PERSONNEL. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY WAS TO DETERMINE THE ROLE OF THE JUNIOR COLLEGE IN PROVIDING THE NECESSARY TECHNICIAN LEVEL TRAINING IN THE NATURAL RESOURCE AREAS. THE ANTICIPATED NUMBER OF FULL-TIME PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR 1970 WAS (1) FORESTRY--64 PROFESSIONAL, 209 TO 219 TECHNICAL, AND 65 TO 90 SKILLED AND SEMISKILLED, (2) RURAL RECREATION--8 PROFESSIONAL, 72-82 TECHNICAL, AND 40 SKILLED AND SEMISKILLED, AND (3) WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT--30 PROFESSIONAL, 20 TECHNICAL, AND 31 SKILLED AND SEMISKILLED. GENERAL EDUCATION ABILITIES IN COMMUNICATION SKILLS, APPLIED MATHEMATICS, PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT, TECHNICAL DRAWING, SKETCHING, AND READING MAPS AND BLUEPRINTS, WERE GENERALLY RATED VERY IMPORTANT FOR TECHNICIANS IN THE THREE AREAS. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT (1) THERE IS A VERY DEFINITE NEED IN BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SECTORS FOR PEOPLE TRAINED AT THE TECHNICAL, SKILLED, AND SEMISKILLED LEVELS FOR THE FORESTRY, RURAL RECREATION, AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT FIELDS, ALTHOUGH THE GREATEST NEED IS AT THE TECHNICIAN LEVEL, AND (2) THE JUNIOR COLLEGES CAN OFFER NEEDED INSTRUCTION FOR TRAINING TECHNICIANS IN THESE AREAS. A SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRE AND COPIES OF CORRESPONDENCE ARE INCLUDED IN THE APPENDIXES. (WB)