Outdoor Industry

Your outdoor office awaits.

The Roanoke Region’s picturesque setting and unique outdoor offerings have established the area as one of the nation’s best regions to live and play. Companies that thrive outdoors are searching for employees who love getting outside to fuel business.

From guides and gear designers, to adventure marketing and forestry experts, exciting outdoor careers are here for the taking. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly half of all jobs required outdoor work in 2016 and the leisure and hospitality sector—which includes golf courses, nature parks, and recreational camps—is projected to add the most new jobs over the 2014–24 decade.

The Roanoke Region is regularly celebrated for its outdoor culture and we have the accolades to prove it.

• Named a top outdoor location by Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine
• Home to the Blue Ridge Marathon, named the 15^th toughest marathon by The Weather Channel
• Named one of the 20 best mountain towns in America by Men’s Journal
• 36th best metro for a growing workforce, Area Development Magazine

Outdoor Amenities

• International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) Silver-Level Ride Center
• More than 21 percent of all land designated for public recreation
• Most visited national park property in the U.S. – Blue Ridge Parkway
• Longest continuously marked footpath in the world – Appalachian Trail
• Second largest municipal park in the U.S. – Carvins Cove Nature Preserve
• Virginia’s largest lake – Smith Mountain Lake
• More than 1,000 miles of trail within an hour’s drive
• Five state parks

Skills Needed

• Communication
• Leadership
• Self-motivating
• Marketing and branding

Search These Industry Sectors

• Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting
• Construction
• Leisure and hospitality
• Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
• Transportation and warehousing
• Utilities