THE PARK PEOPLE IS A NON-PROFIT WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES TO PLANT TREES AND IMPROVE PARKS FOR A HEALTHY, RESILIENT FUTURE.
Trees are essential for the health and resilience of our cities. Their health depends on a well-staffed, robust tree care sector...and there is room for growth in this industry! We are facing a shortage of workers needed to grow, plant, and care for our urban forest. The field is as diverse as our forests - with careers ranging from tree climbing to plant healthcare, inventory management and more. Careers in tree care provide opportunities for career mobility, and are meaningful and fulfilling.
TreeForce is a pre-apprenticeship program designed to introduce individuals to careers in urban forestry. Join The Park People and industry professionals for [duration of cohort] weeks of hands-on learning sessions in topics such as Trees 101, Tree Biology, Tree Identification, Plant Healthcare, Planting, Pruning, Rigging, and Climbing. All participants will also receive OSHA-10, Industrial Athlete, and CPR certification.
Logistics:
The [cohort, year] cohort will run from
[dates]
(Additional contract work may be available after graduation)
Daily Schedule:
Monday-Thursday, 7:30am-2:00pm-classroom, field work, and hands-on learning sessions
Friday-no programming [unless graduation is on Friday]
Location:
Start and end each day at The Park People's office:
450 Decatur St. Denver, CO 80204
*We will travel together to additional locations in and around the Denver metro area. Any transportation from 450 Decatur Street to field work or training sites will be provided by The Park People.
Participants are provided a $20 an hour participatory stipend (increased to $21 an hour midway through the program) for 28 hours a week.
TreeForce Eligibility Requirements
We will prioritize individuals who:
• are 18+ years of age• are considered historically underserved (for example, justice involved/impacted, opportunity youth, low income, BIPOC, those identifying as women and/or non-binary; and/or NEST neighborhood residents) • express a desire to pursue a career in urban forestry and/or the tree care industry
• communicate a positive attitude and willingness to work on a team• are committed to participating and learning new things• express an openness to feedback and direction• possess a Valid driver's license or are on track to have one by the mid-point of the program• have reliable, stable transportation and stable housing• express an inclination towards field work and/or working outside, and the ability to lift 50 lbs.• have the ability to pass a fair chance employer background check (Please note that some offenses will disqualify from eligibility and will be reviewed on a case by case basis. For example, The Park People does not accept any sex offenses at this time) • have the ability to pass periodic drug screening
While we would love to be able to accept everyone interested in joining TreeForce, a limited number of spots are available for each cohort. Please note that individuals who apply for TreeForce must also meet our eligibility requirements and go through our interview and acceptance process before officially starting the program. Those individuals most qualified will be prioritized during this process. We encourage individuals who are not accepted this time to apply again in the future.
We will contact you via the email address you provided to schedule an interview if you meet our eligibility requirements. We are accepting applications until [date] or until the interview slots are full, whichever comes first.
