Registration is now open for the 4th annual Green Careers Expo!
As a collaboration between the Arkansas Forestry Association Education Foundation, the Arkansas Environmental Education Association, and South Arkansas College, we would like to invite students in grades 8-12 to attend this free educational event focusing on Green Careers.
Mark your calendars and make plans for your 8-12th grade students to join us for the 4th annual Green Careers expo in El Dorado on October 29th. Students and teachers will have the opportunity to interact with exhibitors from local, state, and federal agencies, businesses, industries, and organizations to learn about professions that exist within the environmental, natural resources, and conservation fields.
Exhibitors for this year’s event are not yet finalized, but could include those in
- natural resource management
- outdoor recreation
- renewable energy
- environmental science
- green building
- wildlife conservation
- energy efficiency
- water and air quality
- sustainable transportation
- clean manufacturing
- and more
“I had this idea back in 2022 to get natural resource professionals, industry folks, and conservation staff together with students to share their stories of why they do what they do and what drove them to their chosen professions,” stated Rob Beadel, Director of Forestry Education with the Arkansas Forestry Association and Arkansas Project Learning Tree Coordinator. “What better way for students to get inspired about careers than hearing from those professionals actually doing the work.”
Students learn about wildlife habitat needs from Little Rock Zoo staff.
This free event is designed to be a mobile program that could be moved to different venues across the state, potentially reaching more students and schools. Moving around the state also provides different organizations, businesses, and agencies
working in those regions to join in as exhibitors.
Over the past three years, over 750 students from grades 8-12 representing 35 schools have interacted with natural resource
professionals from over 30 local/state/federal agencies, academia, businesses/industries, and conservation organizations in this one-day educational event promoting Green Careers.
“This is one of my favorite events of the year,” said Ericka Hincke with the USDA Forest Service. “It’s a great time to connect
with students who are in that stage of thinking about potential careers. It is a special thing to see the wheels turning in
their mind and watch their eyes light up when they see all the different opportunities that are out there.”
You can read more about last year’s event, including a short video, register as an exhibitor, or register your school to attend on the Arkansas Forestry Association website.
This year’s event will be held at the El Dorado Conference Center in El Dorado, Arkansas on October 29, 2025.
Contact Rob Beadel at rbeadel@arkforests.org with any questions.