Document Type

Report

Publication Date

9-1-1994

Keywords

Port Angeles, Local, Area, Employer, Survey, Demand, need, want, training, teaching, Environment, environmental resource, management

Abstract

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Telephone interviews were completed with 42 Olympic Peninsula employers doing at least some work in the "environmental and resource management" area, along with much briefer contact with 42 other employers, establishing that they did not have employees in that area. Extrapolating results from our sample to all Olympic Peninsula employers involves a substantial margin of possible error. Even so, the report includes our best estimates of demand for personnel and training in Environmental Studies. We estimate the number of full-time Olympic Peninsula employees in environmental and resource management at 1,256. Another 882 work partially in the area. The majority of these employers are in the public sector, although growth is somewhat greater for tribal organizations and in the private sector. Over the next five years, there should be approximately 63 new hires per year working full-time in environmental and resource management, along with about 18 new hires working partially in the area. About 90% of these positions will require the Bachelors degree or higher, and about three-fourths of those will require that the degree be in Environmental Studies or will be open to that degree as one option. The annual demand for new hires with Bachelors degrees in Environmental Studies will therefore be in the 60-65 range, according to our estimates. Demand is quite high for coursework in environmental studies to upgrade current employee skills. Two-thirds of employers say they would send at least one employee for courses each year if a full program in Environmental Studies is developed at Peninsula College. We estimate conservatively that a total of about 100 employees per year would be sent to take courses. Employers in the environmental and resource management area indicate that their employees need a wide range of specific skills listed in the full report. They also emphasize management and planning ability, general educational skills, and communication skills. Most employers (71%) in our sample say they expect their employees to reflect a particular philosophy concerning environmental issues. The great majority of these emphasize protecting the environment. Smaller groups emphasize legal compliance and balancing environmental protection with economic needs. Most (71%) also say they see the Olympic Peninsula changing in ways that demand new skills of their employees. The primary skills they emphasize are ability to respond to and plan for rapid change, grasp of legal-bureaucratic issues, and grounding in basic principles of environmental science.

Identifier

338

Publisher

Digital object produced by Office of Survey Research, Western Washington University, and made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.

Subjects - Topical (LCSH)

Environmental management--Employees--Training of--Washington (State)--Olympic Peninsula--Statistics; Environmental management--Employees--Supply and demand--Washington (State)--Olympic Peninsula--Statistics; Natural resources--Management--Employees--Training of--Washington (State)--Olympic Peninsula--Statistics; Natural resources--Management--Employees--Supply and demand--Washington (State)--Olympic Peninsula--Statistics

Title of Series

Technical and research reports (Western Washington University. Office of Institutional Assessment and Testing) ; 1994-06

Genre/Form

Reports

Type

Text

Rights

This resource is provided for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries.

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

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