More than 100 young adults completed the Conservation Trust for North Carolina’s Emerging Leaders Program this summer. As the N.C. Youth Conservation Corps (NCYCC), Diversity in Conservation Internship Program (DCIP) and CTNC AmeriCorps members concluded their experience, CTNC partnered with the N.C. State College of Natural Resources to organize a two-day professional development conference that would offer pathways to conservation career opportunities.
By the numbers:
- 110 Emerging Leaders program members
- 64 host site supervisors and parents
- 18 job fair vendors
- 16 professional development workshop sessions
- 4 natural resources career panelists
Attendees gained professional development experience through a variety of college and career-readiness workshops designed for students at all education and career stages, from high school to post-college.
“I feel, as emerging leaders, these workshops are very important for us to understand and exhibit skills that will benefit us in the workplace,” said NCYCC member Fabian Martin-Bryan.
The conference featured a natural resources career panel, a campus tour and job fair, and keynote speakers who touted the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the conservation sector. Additional workshops allowed members to expand on skills ranging from financial literacy to communications, interview etiquette and best practices for networking. To conclude the conference, more than 20 interns from CTNC’s Emerging Leaders Program and the College of Natural Resources Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program presented their summer projects at an expo attended by conference attendees and their guests.
“The name of the conference definitely speaks for itself and the young adults who attended represented well,” Charles McCall, EDSI Solutions and job fair vendor.
The Emerging Leaders Program fosters future leaders in conservation, but it gives all members a truly unique experience in professional development.
DCIP participant Diamond McKoy said, “It brought so much gladness to my heart to see under-represented groups on the panel.”
The conference “provided a great networking opportunity for people on a variety of different educational and age backgrounds.” said Taylor Mebane, one of CTNC’s DCIP participants.
CTNC hired nearly 400 young adults over the past 10 years into paid conservation positions. CTNC and our partners are proud to cultivate and provide support to future conservation leaders.
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About CTNC’s Emerging Leaders Program
The Conservation Trust for North Carolina’s Emerging Leaders Program helps connect young people to the outdoors where they can establish a lifelong appreciation for the natural world and an understanding of the critical benefits that land and water conservation provides. Through the Diversity in Conservation Internship Program, CTNC AmeriCorps, N.C. Youth Conservation Corps and Future Leaders of Conservation advisory board, CTNC creates employment pathways by connecting young people to academic studies and careers in conservation.
Watch the video below to learn more about each program.
The Emerging Leaders Professional Development Conference is made possible by a generous grant from the Duke Energy Foundation as part of its focus on environmental education and conservation.