Conservation Interns
Young Canadians from British Columbia to Newfoundland are gaining tangible work experience and learning first-hand about the many elements that define conservation today while building skills to face tomorrow’s challenges.
Field-based, paid internships are a key component of NCC’s conservation science and stewardship programs. NCC staff achieve priority stewardship goals in Canada’s most important natural areas while providing hands-on educational experiences for this country’s most promising young professionals.
“Going out into the field with qualified professionals in my desired area of expertise was an awesome experience,” says Michelle Dano. “I was able to learn so much more than is possible in a university classroom. I developed a better understanding of ecological processes because I saw them first-hand.”
Dano says the internship allowed her to hone her field work skills while gaining experience in communication and volunteer management. That, in turn, led to her current position as a stewardship coordinator in the British Columbia Region.
The interns’ work is diverse, ranging from forest and grassland restoration to species inventories, trail maintenance and access, mapping with geographic information systems, land data management, monitoring the effectiveness of our actions and relationship building with neighbours, stakeholders and the communities in which we work.
“NCC’s Conservation Interns program provides outstanding experiences for university and college students in areas such as conservation science, land management and wildlife research,” says Erica Thompson, senior director for national conservation engagement and development. “We are committed to building a natural legacy for Canada.”
This year marked the launch of an innovative partnership with WorkCabin.ca – a national conservation-focused job and internship website. Under the partnership, our interns share their experiences and reflections through blog posts on WorkCabin, while WorkCabin provides advice on topics such as resume building, interview skills and how to sell your expertise to future employers.
NCC would like to thank Imperial, the National Development Sponsor of NCC’s National Conservation Intern Program who has committed to supporting internships across Canada, as well as Shell Canada Ltd. for supporting our conservation intern program in Alberta and British Columbia.
To learn more about NCC’s Conservation Interns program visit www.conservationinterns.ca.