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Spending your summer break in Georgia working with the Natural Resources Conservation Service
is an opportunity you don't want to miss.
Students from around the United States are gaining invaluable work experience in Agriculture
through NRCS' Pathways program. Here in Georgia, we send top students to areas where they get
real-world, hands-on knowledge working side by side with our skilled staff. They are part
of building NRCS' legacy of conservation.
So, why should you join the Natural Resources Conservation Service Team in Georgia during
your summer break? Here's what a few of our summer interns say about the Pathways experience
in the Peach State.
Kelly Winkler's Story:
"My name is Kelly Winkler and I'm a Clemson University student and I've been interning
with the Natural Resources Conservation Service since 2010. I first started in North Georgia
and it was a great experience. I was able to get to know the Blue Ridge Mountains a
little bit and the practices that they've done there. Then I moved to middle Georgia
the next two years. And, now I'm in southern Georgia and it's a different kind of customer
that we're working with but they've all been welcoming and pretty nice to me. Here in south
Georgia, I've been able to get more comfortable with crop and cotton farming and really getting
to know all these farms."
Seeing different parts of the State has definitely been a bonus during Kelly's time in the Pathways
Program. Adding to that experience, she's had the opportunity to learn first-hand how
conservation can help a farmer.
"In middle Georgia, I was able to get more comfortable with the Conservation Stewardship
Program and learning about forestry practices like prescribed burning and tree planting."
Kelly admits that it also doesn't hurt to get refreshers on certain NRCS practices.
"This farm that I'm on today, we put in a well system and I was able to learn the specifications
there. We did do a well system up in North Georgia but since it's been about four years,
this was definitely a good refresher and a rewarding experience."
NRCS Georgia prides itself on a great staff of skilled and dedicated people who make themselves
available to help interns like Kelly navigate their summer experience. Soil Conservation
Technician Danny Tyson has been with NRCS for 11 years.
"I enjoy working with the interns. We've had an intern every summer since I came on. My
primary responsibility is showing them practices in the field, how to implement them and how
to work with producers on a one on one basis. I really enjoy showing them the working on
the land and the hands on."— Danny Tyson
"They have really let me take on some customers and introduce me, and say this our student
intern and she is going to help you with your practice here and certify it. and, really
let me talk to the farmer and letting me tell them what we're looking for and what the specifications
of the practices and stuff."
Kelly plans to use all she's learned to build a career in conservation.
"I definitely plan on staying with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and become
a soil conservationist and continue on with this work."
Steven Morris' Story:
"I've been through south, north, east and west and they've all had different experiences
for me. My first summer was in Newnan, Georgia which is more of an urban area; they have
a lot more different practices than where I spent my second summer which was Swainsboro,
Georgia in South Georgia."
From there, Steven Morris spent his next summer in the Greensboro office in Northeast Georgia.
This year, Steven worked in the Perry office in middle Georgia. As you can see, Steven
has embraced working with NRCS all over the Peach State.
"As a pathways intern, you should be open-minded to traveling."
A Tennessee native, Steven first learned about NRCS at Tennessee State University.
"I first learned about the Pathways Program through my Liaison Officer at TSU which is
an 1890s University." Deciding to take advantage of the opportunity
to work with Georgia's NRCS has been a natural fit for Steven.
"I chose Ag because I grew up on a country farm with my parents. I grew up farming my
whole life."
Even though learning Farm Bill programs has been challenging, Steven says he has enjoyed
working alongside experienced NRCS employees to help different landowners improve their
farming operations.
"As an intern, I've met a lot of people who have helped me through my career as a pathways
intern such as different DCs, different technicians in the office and different conservationists.
All of them have become a help to help me improve my skills as an NRCS employee."
Once he graduates, Steven plans to join NRCS Georgia as a full-time employee and continue
doing his part to help people help the land.
Wade Mize's Story:
"I first learned about NRCS at a local college career fair. My first summer, I interned in
the Tifton field office and it was a great experience and so the next summer I was in
the Douglas field office. Each office is a little different.
You get to see how others do things and see different conservation practices being implemented.
And, getting to work with different farmers and landowners."
The Pathways Program has been a perfect fit for Wade Mize who really enjoys all things
related to agriculture.
"I really enjoy getting to go out to the field and doing surveying for irrigation systems
and designing waterways and terraces."
Even though a lot of his time is outdoors, Wade has been able to use his time in the
Pathways Program to get a better grasp of today's technology that is used to help farmers
and become a better student.
"It helped me improve as far as in the classroom when I went back to school and for future
job employment opportunities. I feel that it's a great internship."
When Wade isn't busy working on conservation plans and maps, he likes to share what he's
learned with high school at the annual Natural Resources Conservation Workshop that is held
in Tifton.
"Some students at the beginning of the week didn't think they would be interested in agriculture
related jobs and they definitely gained interest in it."
Wade says he's definitely looking forward to growing with the agency and continuing
to work with the land when he graduates from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.
"I feel that this job is very important and it makes me feel great to know that I'm going
to a job that will make a difference one day."
If you're interested in joining our Pathways Program and spending summers with Georgia
NRCS: stay tuned to www.usajobs.gov regularly and/or create a jobs search agent that can
notify you when positions are announced.
To make sure your conservation tool box is on track for the Pathways Program and eventually
a career with NRCS, be sure that you meet the basic requirements for the Soil Conservation
Series (0457) per general manual/OPM
Basic Requirements 1. If you're applying based on education,
your degree should include: soil conservation or related agricultural or natural resource
discipline such as agronomy, soil science, forestry, agricultural education, or agricultural
engineering. a) The study must have included 30 semester
hours in a natural resource or agricultural field, including at least 12 semester hours
in a combination of soils and crops or plant science. Of the 12 semester hours, a minimum
of 3 semester hours must have been in soils and 3 semester hours in crops or plant science.
OR 2. If you're applying with a combination of
education and experience: at least 30 semester hours in one or more of the disciplines as
shown in A above, including at least 12 semester hours in a combination of soils and crops
or plant science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
a) Of the 12 semester hours, a minimum of 3 semester hours must have been in soils and
3 semester hours in crops or plant science.
If you have any additional questions, feel free to visit our website shown or give us
a call at 706-546-2272!