Issues in Adventure Education: The Economic Power of Outdoor Recreation

The Economic Power of Outdoor Recreation | The White House
Although the above article is not a philosophy/theory specific article, I do wonder what issues occur in the adventure education field when people are creating a emphasis on economic growth in the field. The PR/Press is great, yet we should ask, where are the jobs? While there may be plenty of people who will be willing to take you fishing or backpacking, one must wonder where the long term sustainability for these jobs will come from, besides the fact that many of them pay little over $20,000 a year, if that much. One phrase I’ve kept with me throughout my journey through this field is “There will always be a younger stronger guy willing to carry a heavier pack.” Now what does this say about all these jobs or all these candidates? The creation of adventure education programs in four year institutions is a fairly new development, and in some ways it still seems to be finding its place. Now don’t get me wrong, in comparison to other degrees if feel I have an extensive understanding of my field through these programs. With that being said with many programs you have to wonder if these programs are flooding the field. There are only a handful of positions making more than $60,000 per year in the entire United States. For instance, I believe its fair to say that 90% of those people have at least a master’s degree. To see this in action, attend the AORE conference, which includes most of the best paid college and skills-based adventure program directors - there are only a few hundred of them! So if you are not going to get one of those handful of jobs, is this a career worth going to college for?While there are plenty of other personal reasons to go to college, I guess the final point I want to touch on is that the advertising of this career field is over flooding an already over flooded market limiting the futures of those with desires to pursue such a lifestyle.

What do you think? Is it worth it? Are there enough jobs to go around? Would your time be better spent by getting field work BEFORE getting a degree?