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2 M I C H A E L A Z I N T A N D M E G A N M. H A N S O N Job information is available, if you know where to look and how to find it. Enrollments in environmental science programs are on the rise. This growth signals an increasing interest in the environment and environmental careers, particularly among young adults. But how does one prepare for such a career or investigate and apply for specific positions? What resources are available? Although a wealth of information can be found by searching the Internet, library databases, and bookstore Web sites, knowing where and how to find this information is not an easy task, and even many environmental professionals are unfamiliar with what resources are available (1). There is no one-stop shopping site for environmental careers on the Internet, and relevant books tend to be buried in a myriad of general career resources at bookstores and libraries. This article guides individuals interested in pursuing environmental careers and those wanting to help others learn more about them. For those investigating the profession, resources ranging from those that provide occupational profiles to internship opportunities are identified. A list of relevant Web sites, including those identified in this article, can be found on the links page at Environmental careers cover communication, conservation, education, environmental regulation, land management, natural resources, pollution prevention, and remediation issues. They span academic, government, nonprofit, and private sectors, and, depending on the job, require education and experience ranging from a high school degree with appropriate training to graduate and professional degrees (2). Given the rapidly changing nature of the Internet, this article may not identify all available resources, but it does reveal the wealth, variety, and unique aspects of what information can be found. Career profiles This information typically describes job responsibilities, education needed, training requirements, and paths that environmental professionals have taken to obtain their current positions. Most Internet sites providing such information offer something unique. The Ubiquity Environmental Careers Page, for example, profiles more than 20 environmental careers and has an discussion group that networks individuals with professionals to learn more about their careers. The Tree Foundation of Kern in California provides profiles of 50 urban forestry-related careers that can also be accessed in Spanish. Books also provide career profiles and other relevant information (see box, Books on environmental careers (since 1995) p. 24A). The Complete Guide to Environmental Careers in the 21st Century produced by the Environmental Careers Organization, for example, is a comprehensive guide to career opportunities, trends, and resources within 11 environmental fields (3). Chapters contain case studies of professionals at work American Chemical Society JANUARY 1, 2002 / ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 23 A

3 Listservs Online discussions with professionals through listservs also can be a forum for exploring careers. Relevant listservs can be found via The Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies Career Development Office Web site (see box, University Web pages with information on environmental careers, p. 25A). The site links to general environmental listserv directories and search engines, as well as to listservs about conservation biology, energy, and those dealing with environmental advocacy, education, and policy. Relevant listservs can also be found by searching Professional associations Information about these organizations is available, and they can be contacted and researched to learn more about specific environmental fields. For example, chapter 2 of The Complete Guide to Environmental Careers in the 21st Century lists contact information and Web addresses for more than 50 environmental associations (3). The most comprehensive resource, Associations Unlimited, published by The Gale Group, contains a database of over 20,000 professional associations. Employment listings These listings are useful to anyone searching for an environmental position or those investigating environmental careers. The listings detail job responsibilities, salary ranges, needed skills, and required experience and can be found at Internet Web sites. Most sites listing employment information offer special features. For example, EnviroNetwork includes a résumé posting option. Natural Resources Jobs from Cyber-Sierra and the Ubiquity Environmental Career Page provide Internet searching tips that are useful for finding environmental positions, links to environmental organizations, and job education requirements. Books on environmental careers (since 1995) Cohn, S. Green at Work. Finding a Business Career That Works for the Environment; Island Press: Washington DC, Environmental opportunities in companies, career options, and career profiles are discussed. Directories list company contact information, an annotated book list, magazines, and organizations associated with environmental issues. Environmental Careers Organization. The Complete Guide to Environmental Careers in the 21st Century; Island Press: Washington DC, Environmental trends for the 21st century are discussed and profiled. Career fields are described, including their history, background, issues, trends, opportunities, salary, and educational needs. Each chapter has a resources section, including Internet sites. Everett, M. Making a Living While Making a Difference: The Expanded Guide to Creating Careers with a Conscience; New Society Publishers: Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, This book focuses on career opportunities in socially responsible, green companies and nonprofit organizations and includes a career development program. A resource section lists books, magazines, Web sites, and organizations concerned with career and sustainability issues. Fasulo, M.; Walker, P. Careers in the Environment; VGM Professional Career Series: Boulder, CO, Environmental careers are addressed, with highlights about the employment outlook; educational, certification, and licensing required; work setting; employment and salary statistics; and major employers. The Conservation Directory. National Wildlife Federation: Vienna, VA, This annual publication lists conservation organizations and agencies, including nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and federal, state, and provincial government agencies. The directory has keyword, staff name, organizational, and geographic indices. Quintana, D. 100 Jobs in the Environment; Macmillan: NY, Descriptions of environmental jobs are presented, and professionals from each field answer relevant questions. Stienstra, T. Sunshine Jobs. Career Opportunities Working Outdoors; Live Oak Publications: Boulder, CO, This book describes work, employment prospects, career pros and cons, educational and certification requirements, case studies of professionals, and notes further outdoor career information sources. The Big Green Internship Book-2000; Career Education Institutes: Winston-Salem NC, Information is given about internship opportunities within environmental organizations, conservation groups, wildlife sanctuaries, advocacy organizations, and environment-related government agencies. The Complete Guide to Seasonal State Park Employment-2000; Career Education Institutes: Winston-Salem, NC, This annually updated directory describes jobs in U.S. state parks, including facilities and application procedures. 24 A ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / JANUARY 1, 2002

4 Subscription services These services provide current job notices and other environmental career news for a fee. Information is usually sent via mail or online. Examples of these services include Environmental Career Opportunities (ECO) ( Job Seeker ( com/jobseeker), and National Environmental Employment Report ( University Web pages Universities that have natural resources and environmental sciences or studies programs post career information on their Web pages (see box, University Web pages with information on environmental careers at right). Duke s Nicholas School of the Environment career pages give descriptions of student internships, employment trends, and job listings. The University of Michigan s School of Natural Resources & Environment site provides weekly updates of employment and internship opportunities and links to associations and environmental organizations. TheYale School of Forestry and Environmental Sciences Web site lists information about potential employers, associations, listservs, and electronic journals. The Yale site also provides links to Web pages about job-searching techniques, a list of links to general career sites, and state and regional job banks. Hands-on experience The first career exploration step involves learning about options, professional pathways, and job responsibilities. However, for some individuals, gaining hands-on experience in an environmental profession may be the best way to determine if a certain occupation is the best match for their interests and skills. Internships are one way to obtain this experience. Two organizations lead in providing such opportunities. The Student Conservation Association (SCA) ( offers hands-on conservation service opportunities and career training. For high school students, SCA offers two programs. The Conservation Work Crew program provides 16- to 19-year-olds with 4- to 5-week-long natural resource management volunteer opportunities in locations throughout the United States. The High School Conservation Career Development Program (CCDP) increases cultural and gender diversity in the conservation profession by targeting urban high school students and consists of a year-round effort focused on career development, community service projects, and conservation education. For individuals over 18, SCA offers 12-week to yearlong conservation internship opportunities with resource agencies throughout the United States. A CCDP program for college students offers conservation leadership training and educational experience opportunities through paid seasonal internships. SCA also provides environmental career development resources, including advice on itsweb page and the book EarthWork, A Resource Guide to National Green Jobs (2). Another organization focused on promoting hands-on environmental career development is ECO, which matches college students and recent graduates with paid environmental internships. ECO also organizes an annual National Environmental Career University Web pages with information on environmental careers Colgate University html#anchor Resources are available for exploring environmental careers, and links are provided to Web site directories, news and policy, occupational descriptions, short-term employment and internships, job listings, organizations, employers, associations, and resources for professionals. Duke UniversityNicholasSchoolofthe Environm ent This site provides information about employment trends, career advice, student internship profiles, and graduate résumés; it links to government, international, and other organizational employment listings. State UniversityofNew York atbuffalo This site s focus is on environmental science and engineering. It links to employment trend statistics, job listings, and career information. UniversityofM ichigan SchoolofNaturalResources& Environm ent This site has an employment bulletin board, links to organizations and associations, as well as to internship, temporary employment, and other career information sites. School concentrations, skills, abilities developed, and curriculum requirements are described. Yale UniversitySchoolofForestryand Environm entalstudies This site has information about employers, associations, relatedinterest sites, listservs, electronic journals, and news services. Links to job searching strategies and techniques, career sites, and state and regional job banks are provided. Conference that offers panel discussions, lectures, workshops, and networking opportunities. Like SCA, ECO addresses the need to increase multicultural diversity and career opportunities for underrepresented groups within environmental professions. As part of its diversity initiative, ECO collaborates with colleges, government agencies, nonprofit, community, and environmental justice organizations to provide training, career development, and internship opportunities for individuals from under-represented populations. ECO also offers relevant books, including The Complete Guide to Environmental Careers in the 21st Century (3), Environmental Studies: 2000 (4), and Beyond the Green: Redefining and Diversifying the Environmental Movement (5). JANUARY 1, 2002 / ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 25 A

5 Internships-USA ( which has an environmental internship section, is another available learning resource. Finally, the National Wildlife Federation s Conservation Directory ( Books on environmental careers (since 1995) p. 24A) lists hundreds of conservation organizations, which individuals can contact concerning hands-on volunteer, intern, and paid positions. Most resources enable individuals to learn about regional and national experience opportunities. One should not overlook the environmental employment opportunities that are also available within communities in local government agencies, for profit and nonprofit organizations, and schools. General career advice A lot of general career advice about résumé and cover letter writing, interviewing, and online career counseling is available. Internet resources that provide this information include Career Mosaic (www. careermosaic.com), CareerPath ( com), JobTrack ( JobWorld ( and Monster Board (www. monster.com). The U.S. Department of Labor s Occupational Outlook Handbook ( is also a useful resource for finding career descriptions, working conditions, education, and training needed for occupations. Acknowledgment This report was developed with funding from the Cook Family Foundation. References (1) Hanson, M. A National Needs Assessment of Environmental Career Development for Middle and High School Youth. M.S. Thesis, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, (2) Earth Work, A Resource Guide to National Green Jobs; Moddy, J., Wizansky, R., Eds.; Harper Collins West: New York, (3) Education and Internships foryour Environmental Career. The Complete Guide to Environmental Careers in the 21st Century; Island Press: Washington, DC, (4) Environmental Studies: 2000; Island Press: Washington, DC, (5) Beyond the Green: Redefining and Diversifying the Environmental Movement; Island Press: Washington, DC, Michaela Zint is an assistant professor of Environmental Education and Communication, and Megan M. Hanson is a graduate research assistant at the School of Natural Resources & Environment, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 26 A ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / JANUARY 1, 2002

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