Forest Service Recruitment at the Annual Society of American Foresters (SAF) Convention

Student Recruitment Event at the 2012 SAF Convention

Over 500 students attended the Society of American Foresters (SAF) Convention in Spokane, Washington, on October 24-26, 2012. The Forest Service helped sponsor 23 diversity scholars providing them scholarships to attend the convention. Additionally, we outreached and advertised eleven positions nationally and received over 900 applications. Four interview teams conducted approximately 70 interviews in-person, over-the-phone, and using Skype video technology. We made eleven job offers.

Diversity Scholars with Chief Tom Tidwell and Associate Deputy Chief Calvin Joyner at Breakfast with the Chief. Photo by Andrea Payne, Forest Service.

Chief Tom Tidwell with New Hires: Kelly Nywening, Hanna Mershman, and Kayanna Warren. Photo by Andrea Payne, Forest Service.

Previous SAF Conventions

2011 SAF Convention

Over 235 students attended the SAF convention in Honolulu, Hawaii, November 2-6, 2011. Using On-the-Spot Hiring, the Forest Service interviewed over 60 candidates and offered jobs to 17 outstanding students. Chief Tidwell introduced the 17 new employees at the end of the convention during “Breakfast with the Chief” on November 5, 2011.

New Forest Service hires at the 2011 SAF Convention “Breakfast with the Chief”. Standing: Kyla Berendzen, Travis Sowards, David Gouveia, Sadira Dunn, Emily Overton, Raechel Owens, Sally Murray, Thomas Roland, Michael Shettles. Sitting: Camaura Scott, Marissa "Jo" Daniels, Christine Droske, Sylvia Staples, Chief Tom Tidwell, David Perez, Emily Rowland, Kainana Francisco

2010 SAF Convention

Over 400 students attended the SAF convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico October 27 to October 31, 2010. Using On-the-Spot Hiring, the Forest Service interviewed over 120 candidates and offered jobs to 17 outstanding candidates. Chief Tidwell introduced 9 of the 17 new employees at the end of the convention during "Breakfast with the Chief" on October 30, 2010.

New hires introduced during Breakfast with the Chief. Left to right: Beth Harris, Stephanie Rayburn, Joshua LeDuc, George Smithson, Chief Tom Tidwell, Alfred Garcia, Francisca Turk, Bradley Cooper, Francisco Salazar, and Tiffani Alexander. Photo by Carol Boyd.

Ted Willis recruiting a candidate at the Career Fair. Photo by Deidre Smith.

First night at the SAF Convention Student Orientation and Reception. Left to right: Cameron Dixon, SAF Diversity Ambassador; Lorenzo Walton, Forest Service SCEP; Dr. Kozma Naka, Asst. Professor at Alabama A&M; Beth Harris, selected for Black Hills National Forest Forestry SCEP; Deidre Smith, Forest Service Liaison Officer Tuskegee University; Chanz Birch, Forest Service SCEP; Tiffani Alexander, selected for Superior National Forest Forestry SCEP; and, Brittany Ragland, MWSI student at Tuskegee University. Photo by Berlinda Baca-Sanchez.

Stephanie Rayburn and Chief Tidwell on October 30th at SAF Convention. Stephanie was selected for a forestry position on the Coronado National Forest. Photo by Carol Boyd.

2009 SAF Convention

Over 340 students attended the SAF convention in Orlando, Florida, September 30 to October 4, 2009, many visiting the Forest Service recruitment booth, job fair table, and interviewing for our on-the-spot jobs. The Forest Service interviewed over 120 applicants; by the end of the convention, 19 students had been offered jobs. The Chief of the Forest Service introduced the new hires during his program, “Breakfast with the Chief” on Saturday morning, October 3rd.

New hires introduced during Breakfast with the Chief (From left to right: Chief Tom Tidwell, Josh Exton, Leland Taylor, Chris Sorenson, Josh Bahling, Mary Mayeda, and Alex Schwartz). Photo by Deidre Smith.

Ted Willis promotes opportunities of becoming a Forest Service employee. Ted also took charge of overall logistics at the convention. Photo by Deidre Smith.

An extraordinary team of Forest Service managers, recruiters, and Human Resources staff volunteered a major portion of their time at the SAF convention to interview and recruit students. Tim Dabney, Stewardship Contracting Coordinator in the Washington Office, shared the following about his experience.

"I started my career with the Forest Service 31 years ago when I was hired as a co-op student, which is the same as being hired as an SCEP student today. I am a strong advocate of the student hiring programs and am even more so after my experience with on-the-spot hiring at the recent SAF convention. I had the opportunity to interview many high caliber students from across the country and was able to fill four jobs. I only wish that we had more jobs to offer at the convention since there were still many highly qualified candidates remaining."

The USDA is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202)720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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Location: http://www.fs.fed.us/forestmanagement/recruitment_saf/index.shtml
Last modified: Monday, 05-Nov-2012 17:44:21 EST