how to become a park ranger?

Question

can anyone give me info on how to become a park ranger i know that some rangers take college coarses and others take training programs i just want to know the best way to go about doing it

Answer 1

My partner became a park ranger after getting a degree in parks and recreation(they had also worked as the director of an aquatic center at a Y before that). They first worked part-time at a county park doing odd jobs, then got a job as a state park ranger and lived in the park. They had been in the military (reserves) and that helped them get their job, since law enforcement is part of the job in many parks ( even remote parks are having problems with criminal activity). Other people got a park ranger job with a degree in outdoor recreation, parks management, natural history, or forestry.

Check into your local city parks, county parks, and state parks to see if they have a training program, or require a college degree, or require seasonal work first as a ranger or ranger assistant. You can also check out the Nat'l Parks web site, but it's tough to get a job with them (I had a good friend who was a seasonal park ranger and that was hard enough to get into):
http://www.nps.gov/personnel/rangers.htm

Good luck!

Answer 2

Requirements to become a park ranger vary, and how you become a park ranger varies depending on the agency. Getting park ranger jobs and other law enforcement officer jobs can be very competitive. Some states have what is referred to as POST basic training. This is the law enforcement training required to become a peace officer or law enforcement officer in the particular state. Some law enforcement training academies allow you to register to attend. If you meet the requirements, you can attend the training at your own expense in hopes of getting a law enforcement officer job after you complete the training. Many academies are run by or through colleges or universities, and you can sometimes get college credits from completing the training.

Consider local, state, and federal law enforcement officer jobs. In addition to park ranger jobs, you might also want to consider game warden or conservation officer jobs, and other federal law enforcement officer jobs such as Uniformed Law Enforcement officer for the United States Forrest Service or Special Agent or Wildlife Inspector for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Do whatever you can to make yourself the best candidate that you can. For example, don't do anything illegal, maintain a good reputation, keep a good driver's license, don't get bad credit, improve all of your communication skills as much as possible, and become as physically fit as you can. If you don't have a college degree, consider getting one if you can.

Answer 3

If you want to make any money at it, you should get a degree in forestry or a specialized area.

Answer 4

major in forestry and see if you can get an internship with the park service

Answer 5

Although check into it. I think its hard to find a job in that area.