WASHINGTON - Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Michael L. Connor announced today the establishment of a summer intern program for young people interested in ranching and farming.
Reclamation teamed with the Student Conservation Association and Family Farm Alliance to establish three summer intern opportunities for youth, 18-25, interested in ranching and farming.
"Reclamation's relationships and activities in the West have always been intertwined with ranching and farming communities," Commissioner Connor said. "These intern opportunities will help young men and women learn more about water conservation, better preparing them for a life in agriculture."
These intern opportunities are located in Colorado, Idaho and Nevada and offer young people the chance to spend a summer working at Reclamation alongside hydrologists, engineers and other professionals who are on the cutting edge of water conservation in the west. The interns will be SCA volunteers. Housing will be provided along with a living allowance. Interns will be eligible for an education award of $1132-$1415, which can be used to repay qualified student loans (loans backed by the federal government), graduate or undergraduate tuition, or educational expenses for qualified enrichment courses. The intern program is a part of Reclamation's support of President Obama's youth initiative and creates opportunities for individuals who live in rural communities to better prepare for lifetime employment.
The Student Conservation Association's mission is to build the next generation of conservation leaders and inspire lifelong stewardship of America's environment and communities by engaging young people in hands-on service to the land.
The Family Farm Alliance is an organization that advocates for family farmers, ranchers, irrigation districts and allied industries in 17 western states. The Alliance is focused on one mission - To ensure the availability of reliable, affordable irrigation water supplies to western farmers and ranchers.
For more information on the program, or to apply, go to http://on.doi.gov/M27Xg4.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
