Green jobs represent one of the fastest growing and changing segments of the global economy. At the same time, today’s youth are seeking rewarding careers that help us move toward more sustainable lifestyles and greener economies.

Some of the most exciting—and perhaps greenest jobs—involve forests.

Help inspire the next generation of environmental and conservation leaders with the following PLT Green Jobs: Exploring Forest Careers resources. Use with youth ages 12–25 in settings ranging from community youth programs and school classrooms, to college and career prep, to field trips and forest tours.

1. Green Jobs: Exploring Forest Careers guide includes four hands-on instructional activities that help youth research different forest sector careers to learn what it takes to perform these jobs, and practice managing and monitoring forest resources. Designed to be flexible, the activities can be used as individual, stand-alone lessons, or all together as a cohesive unit of instruction.

• Who Works in This Forest? As an introduction to some of the people who work in and on behalf of forests, learners research different forest sector careers to learn what it takes to perform these jobs.

• If You Were the Boss Acting as foresters, learners grapple with decisions about how to manage a forest sustainably while serving different needs.

• Monitoring Forest Health Through a variety of health indicators, learners assess the health of a forest area and see how soil scientists, wildlife biologists, arborists, and other forest professionals monitor forests.

• Seeking Sustainability Learners explore the concept of sustainability by examining the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, while also taking a look at some jobs involved in ensuring forest sustainability.

For information about How to Use this Resource, select Preview above.

Learn more about this 80-page guide, available as a printed guide or E-Book (PDF Download).

Green Jobs: Exploring Forest Careers Wins IPPY Award

We’re also thrilled that Green Jobs: Exploring Forest Careers has won a bronze medal in the 2021 Independent Publisher Book Awards contest. The IPPY Awards recognize excellence in independent publishing. Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded to winners in national subject categories, regional categories, and e-book categories. PLT’s Green Jobs guide received an award in the category Education: Workbook/Resources.

2. Online Professional Development Course. The Green Jobs Online Professional Development Course is a supplement to the Green Jobs: Exploring Forest Careers guide and supports formal and nonformal educators in effectively leading activities with youth. This self-paced, interactive course provides curated videos to expand and deepen your knowledge of forest and conservation jobs, as well as teaching tips, and resources to help you modify and supplement the activities to meet the needs of the youth you work with and your setting.

What’s included?

• 10 interactive modules (each, 5–15-minutes) with options to select modules for just-in-time learning. Or you can complete the entire course and receive a certificate of completion with eligibility for continuing education* or certified forester education credits.
• Adaptations for Remote Teaching: step-by-step guidance to lead selected activities in a virtual setting.
• Connections to Academic Standards: a toolkit explains the use of each activity to support three-dimensional science instruction and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
• Action Plans: worksheets to help you plan and modify activities.
• Activity-At-A-Glance: handouts for quick reference for leading the activities.

The online course can be completed in your own time, wherever you are, as long as you have internet access. The complete course is approximately 1.5 hours.

Preview this course Welcome for more information.

The Green Jobs Online Professional Development Course includes either a Printed Guide or E-Book.

This course qualifies for 1.50 Cat 1 CFEs (Continuing Forestry Education credits) from the Society of American Foresters. In addition, continuing education credits and state-specific supplemental resources are offered in some states. For more information, contact your state PLT coordinator. 

3. Find Your Green Job Personality Quiz is a digital adaptation of the “Your Personality and Green Jobs” Worksheet from Activity #1 in PLT’s Green Jobs: Exploring Forest Careers guide. By answering a few simple questions online, youth get recommendations for green careers that might suit their personality. At the end of the quiz, students can learn about their personality type, related jobs, STEM Skills, and more. Educators also have access to download students’ results and save for later.

What’s included?

30 student quiz access codes

Learn more about this online youth personality quiz and preview a no-cost version.

Note: All prices include shipping & handling.

If you are a teacher, librarian, or administrator looking to place an order with a purchase order, please contact PLT's Sales & Marketing Coordinator at PLT@forests.org.