What a year this has been so far! Throughout my internship, I have been exposed to so many new learning opportunities. My position had a slow start, but as my qualifications began stacking up, so did the availability of work I was able to do. A large majority of what I have done was regular upkeep of recreation sites and trailheads; this included a lot of mowing, weed eating, and cleaning, but I was also able to get a lot of trail time. At the Redbird district, my position has been somewhat of a jack of all trades. Among my regular duties, I have had the ability to work with felling and bucking up trees, fixing roads, working with timber sales, working with various types of heavy-duty equipment, and even gaining some experience as a repairman. Throughout my internship, I was able to gather a wealth of knowledge and experience to put toward a career. The experience I have gotten here isn’t just career experience though – there is an abundance of life experience that comes with it.

Vetswork has allowed me to gather an arsenal of qualifications, which make me a more qualified candidate for a career in this field of work. I have been able to work in timber, recreation/RHELM, wildlife, fire, and even a little bit of engineering. With the spread of work I have done, I’ve managed to meet quite a few great people. The networking I have experienced has led to many opportunities sent my way. Aside from being able to find the opportunities, the program has elements built into it that sets you up for success. The workshop on federal resumes and navigating USAjobs was by far one of the best things to help me on the right path. There are also resources available to you within the Forest Service that will put your resume out there for you and assist you in finding placement.

After my internship I am hoping to land a job with the district I am currently at. The position that just became available is an Integrated Resource Technician. This position would open a few new paths to me, mostly on the timber side, but I’d mostly be in the same type of role I have been in throughout this internship. However, if I don’t land a full-time job it sounds like there will be some seasonal jobs I can step into. This will allow me to hopefully get more qualifications and make my resume all the more appealing still.