Comparison of duties and tasks confirmed by forestry employers and taught by two-year vocational-technical forestry programs in the United States

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine the key duties and tasks that forestry companies and agencies in northern California desire in their entry-level forest technician employees and confirm these duties and tasks among forestry employers throughout California, Oregon, and Washington. The study then determined to what extent both SAF-accredited and nonaccredited two-year vocational-technical forestry programs throughout the United States are teaching the confirmed list of duties and tasks and the type of delivery systems being used to present the curricula.; Methodology. This descriptive study developed a DACUM chart for forest technicians in northern California. To confirm the duties and tasks, an email survey was sent to forty forestry employers in California, Oregon, and Washington. Another email survey was then sent to all fifty two-year vocational-technical forestry programs in the United States.; Findings. A DACUM chart for forest technicians was developed in northern California with thirteen duties and ninety-three tasks. The majority of surveyed forestry employers confirmed six duties and twenty-four tasks as being very relevant. All six of the confirmed duties and twenty-three of the twenty-four confirmed tasks were being taught at the competency level by a majority of the programs. SAF-accredited programs were teaching more of the confirmed duties and tasks at the competency level than the non-accredited programs. All of the SAF-accredited programs used six of the seven delivery systems at least sometimes in some courses. All of the non-accredited programs used five of the seven delivery systems at least sometimes in some courses. Field exercises and lectures were the predominant delivery systems and distance learning was the only delivery system not used at all by a majority of programs.; Conclusions and recommendations. Overall, the programs across the country are delivering most of the confirmed duties and tasks at the competency level. Programs could be strengthened by developing a list of duties and tasks through a DACUM process in their region and then ensuring they are taught at the competency level. Programs should continue using multiple delivery systems in their curriculum but most could do a better job of incorporating more diverse delivery systems throughout their curriculum. Programs should move in the direction of developing a more competency or outcome-based curriculum along with using distance learning delivery as appropriate.