I'm enjoying learning how the things I've learned in class transfer over to the real world. Working in an office is good exposure to the corporate/business world.
What I wish was different
I wish there was more field work to do, but I suspect that will increase with time
Advice
You can make this internship as exciting or as plain as you want. If you choose to make it as exciting as possible and dive in fully, you'll learn a lot more.
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Wilderness Ranger Intern
May - August 2022 • Whitethorn, CA
What I liked
Customized projects catered to our majors/ areas of interest. Outside work opportunities in a beautiful location. Friendly staff and visitors. Backpacking and hiking opportunities. Invasive species control.
What I wish was different
Unforeseen complications resulted in a shortened season.
Advice
Figure out what kind of work you want to be doing now and in the future, and make sure you aren't wasting your time with things that don't fill your cup.
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Natural Resource Intern
June - September 2022 • Salt Lake City, UT
What I liked
This was an interesting and worthwhile experience. The position was fully remote, and required interacting with coworkers through Microsoft teams meetings and through chat. All individuals I worked with seemed enthusiastic and knowledgable, and wanted to facilitate a positive internship experience. Assigned projects were substantive and had reasonable deadlines. This was a great window into scientific governmental work. Additionally this internship provided a DHA (direct hire authority), to be used in applications for federal jobs post-graduation. I recommend this role to anyone interested in federal work, and who does well in remote work.
What I wish was different
The onboarding process was quite slow, limiting access to resources for a few weeks. Inherently remote internships have a bit of a disconnect between oneself and staff/ other interns.
Advice
Remote internships require being self-driven, and you need to have decent time management skills. This program was excellent for networking and provides lots of resources, and it's important to keep those connections going. Everyone's internship experience will differ depending on assigned project and your supervisor/team, but I had a very positive experience.
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Wildland Firefighter
May - August 2021 • Rock Springs, WY
What I liked
The work was extremely rewarding and satisfying to do.
What I wish was different
I wish I could have had a more active summer.
Advice
Make sure you are in good shape before the job, it will help you enormously.
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Wild horse and burro technician
May - August 2017 • Cedar City, UT
What I liked
I really liked my supervisor and the people I worked with and I just loved to get out in the field everyday.
What I wish was different
I wish that I could have done more useful things actually building fence or developing springs rather than driving around monitoring horses
Advice
It's different than other BLM internships so be prepared to be versatile and do different jobs everyday.
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Wildland Firefighter
May - September 2020 • Safford, AZ
What I liked
Saving the landscape
What I wish was different
Nothing
Advice
Try it
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Cadastral Survey Tech
June 2020 • Billings, MT
What I liked
1) Enjoyed being outside 90% of the time.
2) Working Environment was laid back, yet productive.
3) Paid traveling with per diem.
4) Flexible scheduling around my National Guard obligations.
5) Being able to explore the remote parts of MT, SD and ND.
What I wish was different
1) Less arbitrary restrictions due to COVID.
Advice
Connections are everything in regards with working for Land Agencies, ensure that whenever you pursue a career in a path, especially in one highly bureaucratic with limited positions, that you get your foot in the door sooner rather than later. If you must sacrifice a semester to continue your work. DO SO. It never hurts to benefit your career first than immediately return to school.
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Fire Dispatcher
May - October 2020 • Grand Junction, CO
What I liked
Learning new skills and programs in a field I hadn’t heavily considered before. Gaining wisdom and information from knowledgeable coworkers.
What I wish was different
Advice
Stay attentive and detail oriented. Being the central communication is vital. Don’t try to cram information all at once. Take it one step at a time, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
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Petroleum Engineering Intern
June - August 2018 • Washington, DC
What I liked
I really liked the opportunity to work in Washington D.C. It was a very different environment than what I'm used to and involved a lot of policy work. It was something that I realized that I didn't enjoy very much but I'm glad that I got the opportunity to experience it and learn from it.
What I wish was different
The mentor that I was assigned was very confusing. If mentors could be monitored more closely and possibly have stricter rules I think it would improve the experience.
Advice
Make sure to not get too involved in work! It's very important to do good work while you're on the job, but don't kill yourself working tons of extra hours when you're only a summer intern! Make sure to get out of the workplace and experience the culture of the place that you're at!
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Realty Specialist
May 2015 • Cedar City, UT
What I liked
Working on large scale industrial projects that cross or interact with BLM land.
What I wish was different
I wish I could have spent more time in the field.
Advice
IIC Internships are the answer. DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO GET ONE!
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Back country ranger
June - August 2019 • Whitethorn, CA
What I liked
It was really fun backpacking around all summer
What I wish was different
I wish it didn't have to end
Advice
Be prepared to work really hard
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Wildland Firefighter
May - September 2019 • Soda Springs, ID
What I liked
Everything, great crew, great job
What I wish was different
Advice
Push the limits, exercise as hard as you can
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Wildland Firefighter
July - September 2019 • Vale, OR
What I liked
playing with fire
What I wish was different
we got more fires
Advice
in wildland fire you make some good money
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Complaints intern
June - August 2019 • Washington, DC
What I liked
Got to see what a government office job is like. I also learned from multiple people who were happy to talk to me about their jobs .
What I wish was different
Advice
Keep your resume updated and use some type of journal or diary to recall what you did while you are working.
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Park Ranger
May - November 2019 • Canon City, CO
What I liked
I really enjoyed the flexibility, independence and variety of this job. Each day was a little different, I could be doing lots of little projects or one big project. I liked working individually or as a team depending on the size of the project. I worked with other Park Rangers, Non-Profit interns, Volunteers and employees from other departments. I did everything from help expand a campground, public land cleanup, trail building to outdoor education programs with local schools. This job is 85% outdoors, working in the field is a lot of fun and very rewarding.
What I wish was different
A little better training in the beginning, I was left to figure out a lot of things on my own.
Advice
Working in the field requires you to be prepared for a variety of environments. Be open to new experiences, learning new things and getting outside of your comfort zone.
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Wildland Firefighter
June - August 2019 • Ely, NV
What I liked
The whole thing! It was An amazing experience !
What I wish was different
Advice
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Fire Prevention Technician
May - August 2019 • West Valley City, UT
What I liked
I loved that I got to be outside almost everyday and be my own boss. I enjoyed talking to the public and educating them about fire dangers and possibilities. It was also enjoyable talking to the people and learning new things they shared with me.
What I wish was different
Wish there would have been an opportunity to fight fire. I am a back-up firefighter and it was a slow season this year so I did not get called to service.
Advice
Take advantage of opportunities to network and meet new people, that is how new fun experiences are created.
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Wildlife Biologist Intern
June - August 2019 • Yuma, AZ
What I liked
The relevant work experience in my field was beyond helpful in deciding what I want to do after graduation. The only way to know if you truly enjoy something is to give it a chance and see if its for you.
What I wish was different
The location could have been better than Yuma, however every location has its pros and cons.
Advice
Grab as many opportunities like this as possible to help narrow your interests and make some money at the same time.
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et
May - August 2019 • Whitethorn, CA
What I liked
Everything about the job; working in the backcountry Monday-Thursday, hands on learning experience, coworkers.
What I wish was different
Hourly wage instead of daily camping rate ($34/day)
Advice
If you have the opportunity to intern with BLM and you love trailwork and backpacking, do it!
