2007 Northeast Energy Efficiency Summit Adds Focus on Students
In the Northeast, and indeed across the country, much attention is being given to energy efficiency’s role in solving our energy and environmental problems. Successfully capturing all the benefits of energy efficiency for our region requires a solid workforce in the efficiency and advocacy fields. Therefore, to generate interest in energy related careers and to introduce young people to the efficiency community, NEEP will offer a student scholarship program as part of the 2007 Northeast Energy Efficiency Summit (May 10 at the Westin Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island).
Thanks to the support of NSTAR, the available scholarships will allow 20 graduate and undergraduate students to attend the Summit without charge. More than just entrance to the Summit proceedings, scholarship recipients will have exclusive access to a panel of speakers who will discuss four different areas of the energy industry. In addition to organized networking opportunities, scholarship recipients will also have access to a job and internship posting board where attendees will recruit for their open positions. The student scholarship program is designed as a working scholarship, allowing students to assist in conference staffing details in exchange for free admittance to the event. Students are being recruited from all over the region from programs of study focusing on energy, energy efficiency, environment, business, public policy, facility management, and engineering.
In conjunction with this student scholarship offering, NEEP interviewed several current or recently graduated students to assess the interests of people considering careers in the environmental and energy efficient industries. Through informal research (including casual interviews), NEEP gathered information related to the ways in which students learn about energy efficiency, the resources they use to find employment opportunities and the way their schools prepare them for this industry.
Natalie Lipomi, Policy Research Analyst, NEEP
Natalie began her career in efficiency as intern with NEEP’s High Performance Schools Project while getting a graduate degree in urban and environmental planning from Tufts University. She sought a career in public policy and was interested in energy efficiency due to her work at NEEP and her educational background. Her graduate program did not offer specific courses on energy efficiency, but the topic was covered briefly. Upon graduation from Tufts, Natalie became a full time policy research analyst with NEEP, which she was made aware of through a consultant to the organization. She plans to continue her career in policy and research.
Andrea Hamre, Energy Industry Job Seeker
Andrea graduated at the top of her class in environmental studies and sociology/anthropology with a minor in economics from Middlebury College. She attended this school specifically for its environmental studies program with ambitions of working in the industry. Energy efficiency and energy policy were weaved into many of her courses and she has stayed abreast of current happenings in the industry since graduating. After looking extensively for a job in the environmental industry, Andrea accepted a position with the Justice Department to gain exposure to government and environmental law. She continues to seek a position more specific to energy or the environment and is contemplating law school to enhance her competitive appeal.
Assistant Dean, School of Environment and Earth Sciences (name and university confidential)
According to the dean, there has been increased student interest in education and careers in the environmental and energy fields recently. Following on this trend, she is noticing a variety of backgrounds in students seeking to learn about the energy and environmental industry, specifically business students. She pointed to green building, alternative or renewable energy, and energy policy as popular tracks of study at her school. Consulting positions are popular with job seekers in her programs, especially in the fields of sustainable business and resource analysis. She noted that the other major source for jobs is the federal government in areas such as regulation, voluntary incentive programs and command and control.
If you are, or know of a student interested in learning about energy efficiency and careers in the energy industry the 2007 Northeast Energy Efficiency Summit will be a tremendous resource. The deadline for student scholarship applications is in early April, so please act quickly! For more information and to download an application form, please access the Scholarship section of the Summit Web site.
