I liked traveling across the country to Alaska and experiencing hands on how professional hydrographic surveys are performed.
What I wish was different
I wish this experience was longer.
Advice
Apply to internships early and often, the more hands on experience you can get the better your resume will look to recruiters.
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NOAA Hollings Scholar
May - July 2019 • Louisville, KY
What I liked
I enjoyed leading a research project with the help of knowledgeable mentors. There were many professional development opportunities, and this internship allowed me to see what working with the National Weather Service would be like.
What I wish was different
Advice
Apply for the NOAA Hollings Scholarship, as well as other programs like Pathways if you'd like to explore a science-oriented career with the government!
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Government Intern
May - August 2019 • Silver Spring, MD
What I liked
I liked the benefits of working in the government. My supervisor and coworkers were incredible people to be around and immediately welcomed me in. I liked that they gave me independent meaningful tasks. I felt like I truly contributed.
What I wish was different
I wish I would have been able to do work that I am studying. However, when I go back to work full time, I will work in the budget division.
Advice
I would say get to know everybody who you’re working with, but also people in other divisions. I was able to secure a position in my field of study simply off of having a conversation. Networking is huge.
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NOAA Safety Volunteer/Intern
June - August 2019 • Lakeland, FL
What I liked
The atmosphere and passion for their jobs.
What I wish was different
More days to be able to to go in the office.
Advice
Talk to everyone you can and be friendly.
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Hollings Scholarship Intern
July - August 2019 • Seattle, WA
What I liked
Loved being able to work on my own project and conduct actual research!
What I wish was different
I wish I had focused a bit more on networking while I was there.
Advice
If you apply for the Hollings Program and are accepted, reaching out to someone in NOAA to develop your own internship project is way more interesting and efficient that using their internship database. It can be intimidating to send emails to total strangers, but literally everyone I talked to was more than happy to help me find a project I was interested in.
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Research intern
May - August 2019 • Honolulu, HI
What I liked
I loved the work environment and the supportive network set up through my fellowship program! My mentor connected me to resources at the office, and there were people planning immersive events for all of the interns in the office, including: a NOAA ship tour, a local service day at a place of cultural significance, and a capstone research symposium.
What I wish was different
Advice
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Marine Mammal Outreach Intern
January - October 2018 • St. Petersburg, FL
What I liked
Good experience writing in a professional environment. Working on a scientific presentation. Attending a Conservation Marketing conference.
What I wish was different
I would have liked to have worked for a department that was more related to my career field.
Advice
Networking is key.
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Summer Volunteer
July 2018 • Oxnard, CA
What I liked
Everyone was so nice and I loved getting to learn so much
What I wish was different
It took a really long time for my security clearance to go through
Advice
Talk to the professionals there, they want to help you!
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Contract specialist
June - September 2018 • Boulder, CO
What I liked
The staff were amazing
What I wish was different
Advice
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Student Intern
May 2018 • Boulder, CO
What I liked
I was given a lot of independence to conduct my own research as part of a group.
What I wish was different
While independence is good, I wanted some more guidance as to what I should have been looking for.
Advice
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Analytical intern
June - September 2017 • Silver Spring, MD
What I liked
My mentors were very invested and supportive, and made sure I had a good experience. It was also a great way to meet people in my future field and learn about their jobs and backgrounds. The dates and my hours were flexible.
What I wish was different
The work itself was slightly monotonous, but that was the nature of the project I was working on.
Advice
Make time to just meet with and talk to people, and start doing it early in the internship.
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NOAA Hollings Scholarship Intern
May - August 2018 • Juneau, AK
What I liked
Got to go to a really cool place and do really cool things. Spent two weeks on a longline vessel in the Central Aleutian Islands collecting sablefish data used by NOAA Fisheries Management. Then spent time sharpening computing skills analyzing Pacific spiny dogfish data.
What I wish was different
Wish I could have spent more time in Juneau. Other than that it was great. Zero complaints.
Advice
It's a scholarship, so be sure to get your application in and have as many people look at it as possible
