NOLS Employee Lifestyle Survey for Field Staff

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22 questions, which typically take less than 15 minutes to complete.

The goal of this survey is to gather concrete data on the lifestyle, income, and career choices that NOLS employees make to support the school’s mission and to integrate their work into their lives. The NIA’s hope is that hard data, gathered from a large number of respondents over a long period of time, can positively drive strategic decisions about the reality of a NOLS career and about the best ways the school can maintain its community of engaged and committed faculty. This survey was first conducted in 2015 and 2020 and results will be collated and analyzed to assess for any changes and new trends. This survey is intended for all field instructors; Please fill out the form that describes you a majority of your time working for NOLS, there are also surveys for both In-town and Wilderness Medicine Staff, so return to the NIA website for the link to those surveys.

The survey includes questions about income, jobs, family, and living situations which some may consider sensitive. Your privacy is important to us, and there will be no way your responses can be matched to your email or name. Only data summarizing groups of participants will be reported, and you can leave any question unanswered if you want to. Keep in mind that these potentially sensitive data points are real facts that affect all of us and the school’s strategic future, and the NIA believes that bringing them into the open in a quantitative and anonymous manner will be better for all of us in the long run. The 2015 data was presented at the February Board of Trustees meeting and has been a talking point and referenced by the NIA, Board of Trustees, and NOLS President since, to aid strategic thinking.

Please answer questions to the best of your ability and feel free to estimate where necessary. Use last year's information if you are not certain about this year.

In what areas of the school do you work in 2020? Check any that apply.

Headquaters

Intern

Seasonal Campus Staff

Fellow

Year Round Campus Staff

Wilderness Medicine Classroom

Other Classroom Courses (Custom Education, Risk Services)

Field Staff

Other:

How many years have you worked as a field instructor for NOLS?

0-2

2-5

5-10

More than 10

Clear selection

How many weeks in the field have you accumulated?

0-15

15-30

30-60

60-100

100-150

150-200

More than 200

Clear selection

How many weeks in the field do you work in a year?

0-5

5-15

15-25

More than 25

Clear selection

Which of the following best describes your level of satisfaction with the amount of field work you currently get?

I work in the field less that I would like to.

I work in the field more than I would like to.

My current amount of field work is ideal.

Clear selection

How long do you hope to continue to work in the field for NOLS?

(At least one course per year.)

1-2 years

2-5 years

5-10 years

More than 10 years

The rest of my working life

Clear selection

What is your current role and work balance at NOLS?

More than 25 weeks per year, no other work

Less than 25 weeks per year, no other work

More than 25 weeks per year, plus another job

Less than 25 weeks per year, plus another job

Combination of NOLS field and in-town or WM work

Combination of NOLS field and in-town or WM work, plus another job

Full-time Salaried

Other:

Clear selection

What is your ideal role at NOLS in the next 1-2 years?

Full time NOLS field work (25 weeks/year or more)

A combination of fieldwork and in-town or WM classroom work

A combination of fieldwork and non-NOLS work

Retired from NOLS

Clear selection

Please describe how you think of your job and potential career as a NOLS field instructor:

My NOLS career has been going well and has good long-term prospects.

I want this job to be part of a long-term career, but I am struggling to make this happen.

This is a fun and engaging job for the present, but I do not expect it to be part of a long-term career.

I have no idea where my NOLS career is going.

Clear selection

What is your total annual income in US dollars?

Please combine NOLS field work, other jobs, and non-job income, including investments, rental income, reception of gifts, family support, owning and living in a fully paid-off home or living rent-free in someone else’s home (count this “savings in rent” as income), etc.?

Less than $10,000

$10,000 - $20,000

$20,000 - $30,000

$30,000 - $50,000

$50,000 - $100,000

$100,000 or more

Clear selection

What % of the above figure comes from working in the field for NOLS?

1-25%

25-50%

50-75%

75-99%

All of my income comes from NOLS field work

Clear selection

If you have any income from non-job sources (investments, reception of gifts, family support, rental income, owning and living in a fully paid-off home or living rent-free in someone else’s home [count this “savings in rent” as income], etc.) please estimate the yearly amount of this income in US dollars.

I do not have any income from non-job sources.

$1 - $1,000

$1,000 - $5,000

$5,000 - $15,000

$15,000 - $25,000

More than $25,000

Clear selection

Including NOLS field work as one job, how many jobs do you have?

If you work in-town, please count each in-town job separately. Count NOLS classroom instruction as a separate job. Count each job outside of NOLS separately.

One

Two

Three

More than three

Clear selection

When you prioritize these jobs for your time, availability, career goals, etc., where does NOLS field work fall?

NOLS field work is my top work priority

NOLS field work is my second work priority

NOLS field work is my third or lower work priority

Clear selection

Which of the following options best describes your living situation?

I own my own home and it is fully paid-off.

I own my own home and pay a mortgage.

I rent my home.

I stay with friends or family rent-free or for below-market rent, and treat this as my home.

I live at NOLS branches, travel, camp, sometimes stay with friends and family, but have no permanent home.

Clear selection

What is your country of citizenship?

U.S.A.

Canada

Mexico

Chile

Brazil

E.U. country

India

New Zealand

Australia

Kenya

Tanzania

Other:

Clear selection

Did you lose NOLS work due to Covid-19?

Yes

Not sure

Clear selection

What was the difference between your actual NOLS wages in 2020 and the amount you expected to earn at NOLS?

$15,000 - 25,000 Less then expected

$5,000 - $15,000 Less then expected

$1 - $5,000 Less then expected

No change

$1 - $5,000 More then expected

$5,000 - $15,000 More then expected

$15,000 - $25,000 More then expected

Clear selection

Did you receive unemployment benefits to replace lost wages?

I did not attempt to recieve any benefits for lost wages

Yes - I received benefits

No - I did not receive benefits or did not qualify

N/A I did not lose wages

Clear selection

Did you find other work to replace any lost NOLS wages?

Yes

N/A

Clear selection

What percentage of your lost NOLS wages were you able to replace through other jobs or unemployment benefits?

0 – 25%

25 – 50%

50 – 75%

75 – 100%

100 % or more

Clear selection

How much has Covid-19 changed your career trajectory at NOLS?

Not at all

Somewhat

Considerably

Dramatically

Clear selection

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