Oregon State University’s Center for the Outdoor Recreation Economy (CORE) has joined the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable (ORR) as its first higher education member.
CORE will bring its bandwidth and expertise of a top-tier public university to the $788 billion outdoor recreation industry, supporting the sector’s research and workforce development needs through the development of industry-informed and relevant trainings and certifications. Jessica Turner, ORR president, said CORE’s joint ventures with ORR present a tremendous opportunity for growth and resources.
“OSU’s CORE will be able to build on its already impressive portfolio of insightful research,” Turner said, “and education with us to provide training and certification programs needed to move the outdoor industry forward.”
ORR and CORE already collaborated on a few projects. Earlier this year, CORE helped develop the ORR Rural Economic Development Toolkit to support rural communities in building their outdoor recreation economies. Together, the organizations led information sessions for government agencies and industry leaders about the importance of economic and workforce development for the outdoor recreation economy. CORE consistently brought survey development expertise to the table with ORR members, ORR stated. Work included supporting numerous studies related to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, project eligibility through the $900 million Land and Water Conservation Fund and insights into current workforce trends.
Lee Davis, CORE executive director, said the outdoor recreation industry has the potential to be an economic opportunity driver.
“Right now, the industry is being held back by a growing skills gap and an ad hoc training structure,” Davis said. “By joining ORR and working with industry associations, CORE will serve as an inclusive and rallying force for the outdoor recreation industry, for those seeking career opportunities in it, and for everyone who will benefit from more time outside.”
Oregon State’s work in the outdoor recreation industry through CORE focuses on the following four efforts: Education and training; research; industry engagement; and higher education collaborations.
In 2022 the ORR and OSU collaboration will focus on:
- Using research capacity to conduct a comprehensive analysis of wage and career path data across the recreation economy.
- Building on the rural development toolkit platform and continuing to expand resources for economies across the country looking to transition to recreation-based economies.
- Working with the U.S. Economic Development Administration to promote understanding of the comprehensive benefits of outdoor recreation economies’ rollout of $750 million in funding for travel, tourism and outdoor recreation to the communities.
