Is becoming a forester right for me?
The first step to choosing a career is to make sure you are actually willing to commit to pursuing the career. You don’t want to waste your time doing something you don’t want to do. If you’re new here, you should read about:
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How to become a Forester
For people looking forward to pursuing a career in forestry, a full time Bachelor's Degree in Forestry is a basic educational requirement.
Different universities in different countries might have their own curriculum structure and requirements. In the U.S. for example, almost fifty forestry programs are accredited by the Society of American Foresters (SAF), which is the U.S. governing authority for curriculum standards.
Only degrees from the SAF accredited educational institutions enjoy creditability and recognition in the industrial sectors. The SAF approved forestry curriculums lay special stress on communication skills, science, mathematics and computer, in addition to the technical forestry subjects.
Apart from the normal curriculum, students will also need to complete a field session in a co-operative study-work program with either a state or private agency or in a camp organized and operated by the college. Being purely an outdoor job, practical trainings are always counted to be an integral part of the studies. In fact, most of the colleges encourage students to try and take summer jobs in timber companies to gain a good working experience and knowledge in forestry and conservation work.