A healthy balance between idealism and realism Many of these skills are available through internship experiences, which the study has identified as the single most important factor beyond the curriculum for helping environmental studies graduates find environmental employment. Additionally, employers prefer to see evidence of student achievement through a senior thesis or project, and many stress the importance of a graduate degree in helping both securing employment and advance through an organization. Employers are also worried about the lack of applicants of color. Organizations that stress diversifying their workforce are finding that few non-white applicants are available. However, a more reasonable balance seems to have been established in terms of gender over the last ten years.
Strategies Consider the requirement of a focus or concentration as part of the program.
Encourage students to become double majors or develop a minor. Require a rigorous student project or thesis to demonstrate competency, content, and focus of the student's undergraduate program. Strategies Begin communicating and networking with local enviromenental employers. Identification of environmental employers and the beginning of formal and informal relationships will require a long-term commitment from the environmental studies program, but it will begin to pay off in increased internship and job opportunities for students. Stress the importance of locating a good internship to students early in the undergraduate program.