The Alabama Water Institute recently became a member of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Youth Corps Program. This program enables USFWS to fund work on public lands through student internships. AWI CONSERVE interns who complete a minimum of 640 hours of work benefitting public lands are eligible to receive a two-year Public Lands Corps certificate, which enables interns to apply for permanent federal jobs using a non-competitive hiring authority. This certificate provides coveted access for students who wish to enter federal service jobs.
“It’s rare to find opportunities that allow you to work directly for the federal government, so this program is a golden ticket for students,” said Mike Fedoroff, AWI’s director of cultural and water resources preservation.
This partnership allows AWI to connect with other institutions with watershed-related conservation ethics that align with AWI. Such foundational partnerships with federal land managing agencies with larger institutions will likely provide additional funding and unique opportunities that would otherwise be inaccessible. There is also the potential to identify research needs beyond the local community.
The path to membership is a lengthy process, requiring an invitation to apply and several meetings prior to being extended a partnership. The USFWS was especially impressed by AWI’s hosting of the Rivercane Restoration Alliance and CONSERVE research initiative.
Possible student intern tasks include the Rivercane Restoration Project, working in the Cahaba watershed, conducting habitat assessments and testing water quality to name a few.
“We will also be targeting our local indigenous communities, such as the Poarch Creek and Choctaw Indians, and working with them to identify interested students,” Fedoroff said.
While those majoring in environmental science or biodiversity may be naturally drawn to this program, this opportunity is not exclusive to students of a singular major. A similar fish and wildlife program boasts interns with diverse backgrounds such as an archaeologist, community outreach specialist, textile expert and GIS mapper. AWI is afforded flexibility when it comes to who can be recruited, and the required skillsets will likely be project dependent. “Ultimately, this program is student opportunity-focused and heavily enhances our water conservation mission,” Fedoroff said.