Sierra Club Apprenticeship Program 2013

IMPORTANT:  This Advertiser has requested that applicants MUST be National Residents / Valid Work Permit-holders.  Other applicants need not apply.

 

Sierra Club Apprenticeship Program 2013

Thank you for your interest in the Sierra Club’s apprenticeship program for careers in the environmental advocacy field, focusing this year on the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign (www.beyondcoal.org). This program is ideal for applicants interested in the facets of environmental advocacy, including but not limited to communications, policy, and community organizing. We appreciate the time you are taking to complete this application, and look forward to reviewing your qualifications. 

About the Program

The Apprenticeship program involves a full-time, 6 month paid staff position that will be based in one of the Sierra Club’s offices. The program will run from Monday, September 30, 2013 through Friday, March 28th. In addition to your salary, the Sierra Club will pay (up to a certain amount) for your transportation to our office at the start of your employment if you presently reside outside of the area and for your return transportation home at the end of the program if you are not remaining in that city. You will be responsible for all of your living expenses during the program.

 

The 2013-14 class of Apprentices will work with the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign. The apprenticeships will be comprised of a variety of work experiences including but not limited to grassroots organizing, administrative policy advocacy and public communications.

Specifically, each Apprentice will learn about and engage in the following activities:

• Implementing environmental campaigns
• Engaging on-line and face-to-face social networks,
• Developing volunteer leadership in both social and environmental advocacy activities that will create strong environmental communities,
• Securing media coverage in regional and/or national media, and
• Maintaining and developing partnerships with affinity groups who share common goals and values.

You will be trained and guided in your job responsibilities by a team of experienced Sierra Club staff, often working closely with our volunteers. At the end of six months, if you wish to continue working for the Sierra Club, you may apply for job vacancies in any of our offices. We are committed to supporting and assisting you to find your future career path, and we hope that your experience with the Sierra Club will encourage you to seek a career in the environmental movement. For more information about the Apprenticeship program, please visit the program's website: http://www.sierraclub.org/careers/internships/environmental-apprenticeship-program.aspx

The Apprenticeship program is designed for new professionals to the field who are at the beginning of their post-graduate career, recent graduates are encouraged to apply.

The Sierra Club maintains a commitment to building a diverse workforce, and candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. 

Qualifications

In order to be eligible for the Apprenticeship Program, you must be a recent college graduate (2012 or 2013 graduation dates preferred) with a B.A., B.S., or graduate level degree. You will be asked for confirmation that you have completed your degree prior to starting the program. You must be able to relocate to the office to which you are assigned for the full six months of the program.  If selected, you will be expected to work full-time for the Sierra Club for six months. 2013 Apprentice placements will be in Massachusetts, Lansing (MI), Austin (TX), St. Louis (MO), Portland (OR) and Los Angeles (CA).

Like all Club employees, you will be expected to:

• Be a conscientious, dedicated, and reliable team player. 
• Be either a U.S. Citizen, permanent resident, legal resident with a valid work permit, or be able to attain a valid work visa independently to be considered eligible for this program.
• Possess strong written and verbal communications skills.
• Have high attention to detail and be able to follow instructions.  This application is your first chance to demonstrate those skills.

• Have pride in their ability to work well in a fast paced and ever changing environment.
• Have shown leadership in their community, work, or academic experience.
• Have a commitment to learning and a passion for sharing their knowledge and skills with others.
• Are resourceful, self-directed, and results-oriented.
• Respect and value the mission of the Sierra Club, which is to explore, enjoy, and protect the planet. 
• Experience in grassroots organizing, training, coalition building, and/or motivating volunteers a plus

?Instructions for applying

Instructions: Please answer the following questions in a separate document and upload it along with your online application. Use Times New Roman 11pt font or similar standard, and name the file LastnameFirstname-App2013Essays (e.g. SmithJohn-App2013Essay).  Each question should have an individual answer.

1.      We are interested in your leadership ability. Please select one of your past leadership experiences and, in about 250 words, describe the most important skills that you gained and lessons that you learned from the experience.

2.      Many successful candidates to the Apprenticeship Program in past years have had experience in one or more of the following areas: policy (federal, state, or local), media and/or communications, electoral races, community or campus organizing, events planning, and/or volunteer management. Please choose one of these areas (or several, if more than one area is wrapped up in one experience) where you have solid experience and, in about 250 words, describe your experience and include any measurable results.

3.      We’d like to understand why you are interested in pursuing a career in the environmental field. Please write an essay of about 1,000 words describing your interest in the field. Include specific skills, abilities and experiences you feel you have to contribute, and what skills and experiences you would most like to gain from the Sierra Club's Apprenticeship Program. 

Things to keep in mind

1.   Take the time to fill out the application carefully and completely. This is the first impression that you will make on our selection committee, who will use this information to determine which applicants will be interviewed. You are already an outstanding, accomplished individual; help us to understand what makes you unique and why you believe you are a great candidate for the Apprenticeship.  (Note: You can modify your application and add documents up to the deadline of August 15th, 2013.  Applications will not be reviewed until that time, and incomplete applications will not be moved forward in the process.  It’s up to you to ensure that your application materials are complete.)

2.   Your answers to the essay questions must be uploaded in a single document.  Please use Times New Roman 11pt font or similar standard for your essay, and name the file asLastnameFirstName-App2013ESSAY  (e.g. SmithJohnAPP2013Essay.doc)

3.   Take some time with the essays. Compellingly conveying your thoughts through writing is a key attribute for most successful environmental professionals.  Your writing style, attention to detail, and personal experiences will help us to evaluate your strengths and potential and will help us understand who you are as a person.

4.   Include any experiences you have volunteering, being active in organizations, and any leadership roles that you have held. This program is designed to cultivate the next generation of environmental leaders and as such we are particularly interested in candidates who are agents of change. Please be sure to include in this application any experiences you have working to bring about change whether it was on your campus, at work, in your community, or at a broader level.

5.   Provide contact information for at least two references on your resume, along with information about their relationship to you.  At least one should be an academic reference (e.g., professor) , and one should be a non-academic reference (e.g., employer)

Our Selection Process

After reviewing all of the applications our search committee will select several applicants for an interview based on the applicants' qualifications and strengths.  The interviews will take place over the phone or through video chat during the week of September 9th, 2013.  After the interviews have been completed the search committee will determine which candidates will be offered a position in the Apprenticeship Program early in the week of September 16, with the program start date on September 30th.  All selected applicants will be notified regarding their status; all applicants will be notified when the selection process is complete.

Deadlines

The online application, including essays, must be completed by Friday, August 15, 2013.

If you have questions about the Apprenticeship program application process, please email HRD@Sierraclub.org, using the subject line "Apprentice 2013 Application Question".  Please note: this contact information is for questions only, DO NOT SEND DOCUMENTS.  All documents must be uploaded via the application website.