Module DXX-3705:
The Forestry Profession

Module Facts

Run by School of Natural Sciences

10 Credits or 5 ECTS Credits

Semester 2

Organiser: Dr James Walmsley

Overall aims and purpose

It is vital for forestry graduates to be equipped with the necessary skills and experience to enable them to present themselves as professionals upon graduating, in order for them to be able to secure further employment / study positions, and to continue to enhance the profile of forestry as a highly skilled profession.
Understanding the work of a wide range of professional (e.g. Institute of Chartered Foresters), industry (e.g. ConFor), charitable (e.g. Royal Forestry Society, Woodland Trust, Woodland Heritage, Small Woods Association) and statutory organisations (e.g. Natural Resources Wales, Forest Research, Welsh Government, Defra) is also a vital pre-requisite for a career in forestry. This module is designed to introduce students to these various organisations, their respective roles and their approaches to forestry and to encourage students to take a professional approach to their future career in forestry. This module has been designed to enable Level 6 students to engage with these organisations on a professional basis through attendance at events that represent the latest developments in forestry in the UK. It is also designed to enable students to practice their job application and interview skills.

Course content

Seminars.
Searching and applying for jobs. Job interviews. Job application and interview de-brief. Attendance at a minimum of two highly relevant continuing professional development (CPD) events which may feature any two of the following aspects of forestry: pests and diseases, economics, recreation, landscape design, harvesting and extraction, planning, timber processing, measurement, research, climate change, silviculture, soils, water, biodiversity, community and society. High quality write-ups of two professional forestry 'CPD' (Continuing Professional Development) events.

Assessment Criteria

threshold

Limited demonstration of engagement with professional event. Weak understanding of the organisation hosting the event, its role and structure. Incomplete or partial coverage of the key topics covered. Lack of evidence of any professional networking. Little reflection on event facilitation and organisation. Little evidence of effort in identifying suitable job opportunity(s). Poor quality job application. Poor interview technique.

good

Clear demonstration of engagement with professional event. Good understanding of the organisation hosting the event, its role and structure. Clear grasp of the key topics covered. Evidence of professional networking. Thoughtful reflection on event facilitation and organisation. Evidence of identification of suitable job opportunity. Adequate job application and competent performance at interview.

excellent

Clear demonstration of leadership in organising professional event. Full understanding of the organisation hosting the event, its role and structure. Expert grasp of the key topics covered. Clear evidence of substantial professional networking. Thorough reflection on event facilitation and organisation. Evidence of identification of highly suitable job opportunity. High quality job application; accomplished and confident performance at interview.

Learning outcomes

  1. Be able to search for and identify suitable job opportunities,

  2. Understand what constitutes a high quality job application.

  3. Understand what is required to perform at a high standard at job interview.

  4. Have an in-depth understanding of a range of forestry organisations, their role(s) in the forestry sector and society at large, how they operate and how they are structured.

  5. Have an increased awareness of the opportunities for continuing professional development in the forestry sector.

  6. Develop an understanding of the value of creating and nurturing professional networks, and maintaining professional standards.

  7. Identify good practice in the facilitation and organisation of professional training events.

Assessment Methods

Type Name Description Weight
REPORT Field Visit / CPD event write up #1 25
ORAL Job application and interview 50
REPORT Field Visit / CPD event write up #2 25

Teaching and Learning Strategy

Hours
Seminar

1 x 2 hour seminar to introduce the module, introduce the concept of a 'profession' and 'professionalism', convene student-led discussion and debate.

1 x 1 hour seminar to:

  1. Monitor the progress of students in identification of suitable job opportunities, progress with attendance at CPD events and identification of suitable future CPD events.
  2. Provoke discussion and debate concerning jobs identified and provoke critical reflection about CPD events attended.
 5
Private study

Students are required to spend the majority of hours for this module undertaking the following:

  • Learning about the forestry profession through the material on the reading list.
  • Searching for job opportunities
  • Identifying forestry organisations
  • Identifying sources of funding for forestry students to attend CPD events
  • Posting useful information regarding the above on the blackboard discussion forums to share with other students
  • Compiling a high quality job application
  • Researching best practice in job application and job interview techniques
  • Producing high quality write-ups of CPD events
  • Developing their professional networks
 61
External visit

Attendance at up to four external CPD events, equivalent to 4 (four) full days. Organisation of student attendance at some events will be organised by the module organiser but students are also expected to initiate and organise their attendance at events that specifically interest them.

 32
 

Mock job interview and job application and job interview feedback / debrief.

 2

Transferable skills

  • Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
  • Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
  • Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
  • Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others
  • Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
  • Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
  • Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting
  • Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others

Resources

Resource implications for students

CPD events may incur travel and subsistence costs - it is up to the students to decide which CPD events they wish to attend and consider the cost implications of attendance. There are plenty of local events that do not incur any costs; likewise there are online events that are free to attend.

Talis Reading list

http://readinglists.bangor.ac.uk/modules/dxx-3705.html

Courses including this module