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About The Southwest Portland Post. (Portland, Oregon) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 2013)
8 • The Southwest Portland Post Dear EarthTalk: I understand that there are many internships available at environmental organizations, some involving working outdoors, some year-round with expenses paid. Where do I find these? – Jason Baar, Los Angeles, CA Internships can provide professional experience and on-the-job training for individuals looking to enter the envi- ronmental field. There are numerous opportunities and the key is to know where to look. Many businesses, non-profits and governmental organizations offer in- ternships that are environmentally fo- cused and can range from office work in many different departments to working FEATURES outdoors, some year-round and some short term. Compensation also varies signifi- cantly and can range from unpaid (but earning college credit) to salaried and/ or all-expenses-paid. A good place to start is the Student Conservation Association (SCA), which places over 2,000 interns a year and focuses on expense paid year round in- ternships, many of which are outdoors. They partner with public and pri- vate organizations along with federal agencies and prescreen applicants to create a national pool of candidates for organizations to select from to bring in for interviews. Internships through SCA can offer anywhere from $75-$300 per week in living expenses, plus housing, travel and medical costs. In addition, an AmeriCorps education award may be available to interns at the completion of their internship. The Environmental Careers Organi- zation (ECO) is also a well-known re- source for finding internships for bach- elors, masters and doctoral students and recent graduates. This program partners with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and through paid internships has turned out profes- Multnomah Days 2013 September 2013 Student Conservation Association interns on the job at Mt. Rainier National Park in Washington. (Photo courtesy of the National Park Service) sionals in the environmental field for over 30 years. ECO selects 500 associates each year for 12-week to two-year internships. Sponsoring organizations offer intern- ships in research and training programs in addition to office, laboratory and field work assignments. Associates earn between $400 and $800 per week and may also be com- pensated for relocation costs, housing, travel, and career development. A few other places to look are Eco- Employ and InternMatch. EcoEmploy is a database of hundreds of non-profits, governmental agencies and companies whose work is in the environmental field. This comprehensive list, organized by state, offers a way to find organizations that may offer jobs or internships. InternMatch posts internships in several categories throughout the country and has a section dedicated to environmental internships. They range from summer to year round and paid to non-paid. In addition to these resources, envi- ronmental departments within univer- sities often post internship opportuni- ties for students as well as other tips for finding and researching potential internships. Contacts: The Student Conservation Association, www.thesca.org, The Envi- ronmental Careers Organization, www. eco.org; EcoEmploy, www.ecoemploy. com; InternMatch, www.internmatch. com. EarthTalk® is written and edited by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss and is a reg- istered trademark of E - The Environmental Magazine (www.emagazine.com). Send questions to: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Parker Realty, Inc. Vermont Hills Ranch - $342,000 PULL TAB LADY: Dorothy Arthur, who has lived in Multnomah Village since 1947, models the world’s biggest pull tab dress as she prepared for the annual Multnomah Days Parade. (Post photo by Erik Vidstrand) Quality mid century located on a very quiet street in Vermont Hills Neighborhood. Hardwood floors throughout majority of house. Dining room w/ French doors to a private backyard w/ deck. Top of the line furnace, instant hot water & stainless steel appliances. Hideaway office/bonus/bedroom over garage. The inventory of houses for sale in the Portland Metro area remains at historic lows. High demand for homes in our area coupled with low interest rates and lack of homes for sale translates to higher prices! If you are thinking of selling contact us today for a free market analysis. 503-977-1888•7830SW35thAve.,Portland,OR www.parkerrealtyportland.com Jim Tormey (Multnomah Antiques) drives his famous fire engine in the Multnomah Days Parade. (Photo courtesy of Marissa Turner) MUSICIANS: The Quadrophones, a local saxophone quartet. per- form on the Multnomah Days main stage. Left to right: Michele Medler, tenor; Mary Sue Tobin, alto; Chelsea Luker, soprano; and Mieke Bruggeman, baritone. (Post photo by Erik Vidstrand) Jeff Parker Your Neighborhood Realtor Since 1980