Increasing Diversity in Environmental Careers

Durations

Multi-Year, Summer

Regions

Minnesota

Age Ranges

Current College Students, Varies (See qualifications)

Eligibility

Individuals who self-identify as women, black, indigenous, and/or people of color (BIPOC), and/or individuals with a disability (definition of Disability defined by MN Statute 363A.03 Subdivision 12)
Authorized to work in the United States
Enrolled full-time at an accredited Minnesota state, community, private, or tribal college/university

Interest Areas

Communications/Marketing
Habitat Management & Improvement
Leadership Development
Mapping & Data Collection
Parks

Find Open Positions

The Increasing Diversity in Environmental Careers (IDEC) program is a strategic partnership between the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Conservation Corps Minnesota and Iowa (CCMI), Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources.

The IDEC program provides a unique multi-year college-to-careers pathway for underrepresented college students in STEM fields, including women, racial/ethnic minorities, and individuals with disabilities. The goal of the program is to reduce barriers to successfully completing a STEM degree and prepare participants for post-graduation employment in state environmental careers.

The IDEC program is one strategy to develop and tap into the diverse labor market. In addition to fostering the next generation of innovative environment and natural resource conservation professionals, the IDEC program has a goal of increasing access to outdoor recreation opportunities and promoting diversity amongst outdoor enthusiasts. The program is funded by Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources through the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund.

Components of the IDEC program typically include:

Fellowship: The IDEC fellowship provides students with a supportive community of peers, yearly academic scholarship, and professional development opportunities. Fellows work with the program manager who manages resources and helps students navigate challenges during their academic journey.
Mentorship: Fellows connect with professionals in the field who share their experiences and provide support. The mentorship program aims to enhance college success, encourage personal and professional development, and promote career advancement by pairing fellows with employees at one of the participating state agencies.
Internship: Fellows learn more about environmental and natural resource career paths and gain hands-on experience through paid full-time internships with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources. During the first summer internship, Fellows will rotate between the three state agencies to explore the different careers they offer. In the second and third year summer internship, fellows are placed at one of the three state partnered agencies.

Upcoming Info Sessions

Click here to register for Thursday March 21^st – 6:00 PM
Click here to register for Wednesday March 27^th – 6:00 PM
Additional dates and times will be added for April

Apply Now

Testimonial

“My favorite part has been the field trips. You get to do some pretty cool field trips. You get to see some things that you don’t get to see every day. You get to go to, you know like household hazardous waste sites and water treatment facilities, and then you get to see sites like this where you see Remediation in action and it definitely puts it in perspective, and you realize like yeah this work really has an impact.”

Ena Vigil IDEC Fellow

“I remember specifically one day being out, and you know, this little girl was really surprised and happy to see that another girl was working on a fishing boat. I remember her telling me that she didn’t think girls could do that. But, you know, just me being in this position through IDEC now gave her a little bit of hope, too, of something that she could do in the future.”

Lauren Dagen IDEC Fellow

“To me, the most beneficial thing about the IDEC program is the safe space for which it provides. I can explore different career and education opportunities free of judgment, while making friends with the cohort. It’s a way to meet and learn from a diverse group of people who are, at times, experiencing the same excitement and stress that you may be about entering the professional world.”

Tasha Kurtz IDEC Fellow

Go to Increasing Diversity in Environmental Careers

Benefits

Through participation in the IDEC program, Fellows will receive the following…

Yearly academic scholarship.
Resources to support future academic success.
Information about environmental and natural resource careers.
Multiple paid summer internships.
Mentoring and networking with professionals in the field.
Skills to become a more competitive job applicant after graduation.

Qualifications and Selection

To be considered for participation in the IDEC program, the following requirements must be met…

Identify as ethnic or racial minorities, women, and/or individuals with a disability. Definition of Disability defined by MN Statute 363A.03 Subdivision 12.
Pursuing a STEM degree with a desire to work in environmental careers upon graduation (Click here to see all accepted STEM Majors).
Accepted to or currently enrolled in a two or four-year fulltime undergraduate program at an accredited state, community, private, or tribal college or university in Minnesota. Copy of unofficial transcript required.
Willing to commit to the full IDEC program (see Program Timeline below).
Be legally authorized to work in the United States.
Unfortunately, the IDEC program does not have capacity to support international students.

Applicants are evaluated upon the completeness of their application and eligibility criteria. Priority consideration is given to…

Individuals who face multiple barriers to education and employment.
First generation college students.
Individuals demonstrating significant financial need.

Timeline

14-16 individuals will be selected to participate in cohort 5B of the IDEC program.

Cohort 5B application opens – March 20th, 2024
Cohort 5B application closes – June 10th, 2024
Candidates select interview date and time – June 14th – June 21st, 2024
Conduct virtual interviews part 1 – June 24th – 28th, 2024
Conduct virtual interviews part 2 – July 8th – 12th, 2024
Send selected candidates an email notification – July 18th, 2024
Last day to confirm participation in the IDEC program – July 26th, 2024
Cohort 5B orientation – August 23rd, 2024, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
- This is a mandatory, in person event held at Conservation Corps MN & IA office in Saint Paul, MN.