Challenge #1: Think about how you discovered your recreation and park career.
Promoting careers in parks and recreation presents many challenges. While we understand its impact on communities and the incredible opportunities it offers, young people and career changers are often unaware of this amazing profession.
In February 2025, the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), and the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society (PRPS) launched a national video called, “A Choice Career: Parks and Recreation,” which highlights the opportunities of pursuing a career in parks and recreation. To continue growing the field of parks and recreation, we must bring awareness to the profession and the diverse career paths available to inspire the next generation to explore this rewarding and expansive field of work.
Challenge #2: Share your passion for recreation and park careers.
Please share the video, “A Choice Career: Parks and Recreation,” and use the accompanying toolkit. The toolkit makes it easy to share messages across your organization’s communication channels: Use one of its sample social media posts and shareable graphics, add the QR code to any printed materials, and use the email template for distribution to educators, students, and community leaders. You can customize the messages in the toolkit to include your own experiences, career highlights, open positions at your organization and more. Share your passion.
Challenge #3: Do it and do it now.
The AAPRA Career Development Task Force members challenge you to share the video at:
- Seasonal staff training sessions
- High school and college career days or fairs
- Public gatherings or events (before movies in the park, or before sporting and special events)
- Recreation centers during teen programming
- Presentations to local service groups and corporations for grant funding
- New full-time employee onboardings
- Youth group gatherings
In addition, we challenge you to share the video and the toolkit with:
- State associations’ leadership and members
- Partnering organizations (i.e., United States Tennis Association)
- High school guidance counselors
- College advisors
- Youth-serving organizations (Boys and Girls Scouts, YMCAs)
As part of this national campaign, some state recreation and park associations are promoting the video, “A Choice Career: Parks and Recreation,” on their websites and to their members. At this time, the video has been shared with approximately 85,000 people. With your outreach to others and related organizations, we can expand both the effort and the audience to help build our future workforce. By accepting the challenges, you can make parks and recreation a choice career and change the future of the profession. Please use the toolkit and video resources. With your help, we will be at 200,000 people by the next update.
Resources:
The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration Career Development Task Force is made up of members of the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society and the National Recreation and Park Association.
"A Choice Career: Parks and Recreation" is sponsored in part by Landscape Structures Inc. and the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society.