International staff exchanges assist park agencies to develop organisational capacity and capability. Exchanges may vary in duration from 3, 6, or 12+ months, and may include:

Study Tours

Individuals, agency or board staff visiting another agency and viewing their work, for example Cornwall Park Board members in NZ visited Centennial (Olympic Park) in Sydney. DOC, New Zealand staff visited the US and Canada to learn from their management of concession activities in protected areas.

Job shadowing

This entails working with someone for one to two weeks to see how they carry out their position.

Back filling staff positions (in emergency situations)

This is to assist an agency working in a crisis, for example most major fires in Canada, New Zealand, the US and Australia result in fire staff being sent from one country to another. 

Accelerated learning exchanges

For example sending a fire team to work with a more specialised professional team in another country.

Seasonal exchanges

These involve exchanges of rangers between agencies to boost capacity or ensure year round employment, for example Parks Victoria staff exchange with Parks Canada staff in peak seasons.

Management Exchanges

Exchanges between senior managers.

Project based exchanges

This is an arrangement between agencies to boost capacity and development for specific projects.