Welcome to the Parks and Recreation Career Map

This career map highlights the progression of responsibilities across key competencies in our field. By exploring the map, you can identify where you are today, where you’d like to go, and the skills and experiences that will help you get there. Use this resource to plan your next step, prepare for advancement, and envision your future in the profession.

Using Scope of Responsibility as a way to envision the progression of a park and recreation professional's career, the result is a resource to assess competency and skill, empowering professionals to see where they are today and envision the possibilities ahead.

To download a spreadsheet with each competency located in a separate tab and organized by the scopes of responsibility, click here. 

SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY (click scope to go to page)

Recognition and basic understanding that the skill or topic exists
 Conceptual understanding of the skill; knows terminology, theory and frameworks
 Initial, guided, or observational practice of the skill
 Applied practice with increasing independence in familiar or low-stakes contexts Independent application across varied contexts with consistent performance
 Recognized authority with deep mastery; innovates, leads and teaches

 

COMPETENCY AREAS

Below are the 18 Competency Areas included in the Career Map. The Competency Areas are not listed in any order of importance or priority. Click here to read more about each competency area and why it matters.