Drew Pollak-Bruce (SE Group) – Value of a Professional Dirtbag Presentation Part 2

Drew Pollak-Bruce (SE Group) – Value of a Professional Dirtbag Presentation Part 2 - International Trails Summit 2023 #130

Anyone can plan, design, and build a trail, right? As we all know the answer is no, and it takes not only technical skills but also the right combination of grit, humility, and endurance to be a professional "dirt bag". This session will explore the culture, training, and professional development needed to have a career that your mom and dad approve of and why it's important to have professional trail jobs. Learning objectives: Understanding the importance of "Starting with Why" from Simon Sinek's work is the foundation for being a trail professional Understand why organizational culture is critical to employee success Identify critical success factors for building a culture-based organization or company Identify ways to professionalize trails work (built upon trailskills.org work)

Topics:

Drew’s back story and how he got into working for the SE Group
What the SE Group is (Formerly Snow Engineering)
The Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals
- Drew is the current President of SORP
Outdoor Recreation as a profession
How Big is Outdoor Recreation in terms of GDP
Moving to communities because of a lifestyle more than a career and that shift
Career Paths, and the ability to earn a solid wage in the Outdoor Recreation Industry
The Great Shuffle and people changing careers
Transitioning from a traditional professional career to a similar role in Outdoor Recreation
Other Highlights from the Value of a Professional Dirtbag Presentation
- What the Recreation Workforce Needs
- Identifying core skills to work in various roles in Outdoor Recreation
- Inclusive Workforce
Placing real value on Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure
Rib Mountain State Park (Granite Peak Ski Area) in Wausau WI and more on the backstory of this newly approved Master Plan
- How the Wausau Chamber of Commerce was the catalyst for this Master Plan
Drew’s thoughts on the 2023 International Trail Summit as a whole
2024 National Outdoor Recreation Conference in State Line, NV
2025 American Trails and PTBA International Trail Summit – to be held in Madison, WI
What does it take to become a member of the Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals
What does Drew look for in a Trails or Outdoor Community
Drew’s thoughts on Knoxville, TN – and the 2022 NORC
The need for more outdoor recreation professionals
- People are hiring!
Planning and Design helps to unlock funding
Closing Comments and Thank You’s

Links:

International Trail Summit: https://www.americantrails.org/symposium

SE Group: https://segroup.com/

Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals: https://www.recpro.org/

2024 National Outdoor Recreation Conference May 6-9, 2024 South Lake Tahoe, Stateline, NV https://www.recpro.org/norc-2024

Loam Coffee: https://www.loamcoffee.com/

Photo Credit: Sean Benesh of Trail Builder Mag: https://www.trailbuildermag.com/

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Contact Josh at evolutiontrails@gmail.com

This Podcast has been edited and produced by Evolution Trail Services