Last June was one for the record books as Matthew Martin achieved his long-term goal of becoming a permanent employee with the U.S. Forest Service, an achievement made possible via a new hiring authority being used by the federal land management agency.
A second generation Forest Service employee, one could say that forestry was in Matthew’s DNA, which is certainly reflected in the hard work he did leading up to his permanent hire as a Forestry Technician on the Wayne National Forest.
Matthew’s permanent hiring was thanks to the new Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act that allows former and current long-term temporary employees to compete for jobs alongside other current land management agency employees.
The Workforce Act is a win/win for the Forest Service and temporary employees who are passionate about working for the agency but often find it hard to secure permanent employment.
Matthew’s new district ranger, Jason Reed, reflected on the mutual benefits, stating, “We are fortunate to have Matt. He has several seasons of experience and comes with good qualifications, which means a short transition from orientation to work on the unit. It’s a very good thing when we are able to get a return on the investment we make in our seasonal employees.”
During his temporary employment with the Forest Service, Matthew served in several positions including as a forestry aid with the recreation program, and a forestry technician with the fire program. In addition, Matthew completed a number of fire assignments with the agency and assisted with Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts.
Now Matthew is ready to reengage with the Forest Service as part of a four-person crew on the Athens Ranger District that will provide support to multiple programs including timber, botany, recreation, wildlife and fire.
“I’ve wanted a career with the Forest Service for years. I’m excited and feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to work on the Wayne National Forest”, stated Matthew.
And, he’s hoping that other temporary and seasonal employees will realize their own Forest Service career goals, stating, “I hope the other great seasonal employees I’ve worked with can also benefit from this authority. It’s a good way to bring in people who love working in the field of natural resource management.”
