Learning Skills for Conservation Jobs

Where to Start?

College could be the starting point for many students interested in pursuing a future career in any of the conservation fields by fulfilling degrees and certification programs required for the position, but this is not the only way. There are opportunities on the non-college track in forms of vocational programs, volunteer, internship, and related job experiences. In many cases, experience can be substituted for education on applications. Although it is important to seize opportunities to further your educational career, there are many other ways to successively achieve positions within the conservation field.

Professional Certifications:

  • Certified Professional Horticulturist
  • Maryland Nurserymen’s Association
  • Maryland Association of Environmental and Outdoor Education’s Environmental Education Certification Program
  • National Association of Interpretation’s Certified Interpretive Guide, Certified Heritage Interpreter, Certified Interpretive Host, Certified Interpretive Manager, Certified Interpretive Trainer, Certified Interpretive Planner
  • Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council’s Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional Certification
  • Maryland Master Naturalist
  • Maryland Master Gardener

Maryland’s Degree Programs​​​​​


Higher Education Institution​​​
Associates Bachelor Masters/PhD Other

Allegany College of Maryland

​​​Forest Technology

 

 

Tree Care Certificate​

Anne Arundel Community College

Applied Horticulture

 

 

 

Cecil College

Applied Horticulture

 

 

 

Chesapeake College

Landscaping and Groundskeeping

 

 

 

College of Southern Maryland

Communications, teacher education, engineering, engineering technology, environmental studies 

 

 

 

Frostburg University

 

Environmental Science, Natural Resources Conservation, Parks Recreation and Leisure Studies

 

 

Garrett College

Adventure Sports Management, Agriculture Operations and Related Sciences, Natural Resources and Wildlife Technology

 

 

 

Goucher College

 

Biological sciences, communications, engineering science, environmental studies: environmental and society/environmental science,

 

 

Harford Community College

Agricultural Business and Management

 

 

 

Hood College

 

Environmental Biology, Coastal Studies, Environmental Biology, Environmental Science and Policy, Environmental Studies, Archaeology, biology, 

4PLUS Environmental biology program 

Elementary STEM certificate program, GIS

Howard Community College

Applied Horticulture

 

 

 

Johns Hopkins University

 

Ecology, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Studies, Environmental Health

Environmental Engineering, Environmental Health

 

Kaplan University Hagerstown

 

communication,environmental policy and management,

 

 

McDaniel College

 

Biology, biochemistry, communications, environmental studies

Data Analytics

Earth system science, engineering, environmental policy and management, STEM instructional leader 

Montgomery College

Applied Horticulture

 

 

 

Morgan State University

 

Architecture and Environmental Design, Transportation Systems Program

City and Regional Planning, Landscape Architecture, Public Health, Transportation

 

Mount St. Mary’s University

 

biology, biochemistry, business, communications, computer science, economics, environmental science

Business administration, biotechnology and management, data science certificate,  

pre-law program

Notre Dame of Maryland University

 

Biology, Engineering 

Dual-degree engineering program 

 

Prince George’s Community College

Ornamental Horticulture

 

 

 

Salisbury University

 

Earth Sciences, Environmental Studies, Geography, Outdoor Education Leadership, Social Justice, Urban and Regional Planning

GIS, Applied biology

 

Stevenson University

 

Biology, environmental science

Master of science: biology, environmental science

 

The Community College of Baltimore County

Applied Horticulture; Food Science; biology, business administration, computer science, economics, engineering, environmental science, secondary education, 

 

 

 

Towson University

 

Ecology, Evolution & Conservation, Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, Geography and Environmental Planning, Geography and Land Surveying, Geology, 

Environmental Science, Biological Resources Management, Water Resources Management, Wetlands Management, Environmental Spatial Analysis, Geography & Environmental Planning,

 

University of Maryland Baltimore

 

 

Marine Biology, Marine-Estuarine-Environmental Science and Biological Oceanography

 

University of Maryland Baltimore County

 

Environmental Science, Environmental Studies

Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography

 

University of Maryland, College Park

General Agriculture; Agricultural Business; Sustainable Agriculture; Landscape Management; Ornamental Horticulture; Golf Course Management; Turfgrass Management; Sports Turf Management.

Agricultural Economics; Agronomy and Crop Science, Ecology, Food Science; General Agriculture; General Animal Science, Horticultural Science; Soil Science and Agronomy, Turf and Turfgrass Maintenance, Environmental Science, Landscape Architecture, Marine-Estuarine-Environmental Science, Systematics and Population Biology, Sustainability Studies, Civil Engineering 

Agricultural Economics, Agronomy and Crop Science; Food Science; General Agriculture; General Animal Science; Horticultural Science; Poultry Science, Soil and Watershed Sciences, Ecological Technology Design, Wetland Science, Ecosystem Health & Natural Resources Management

Institute of Applied Agriculture

University of Maryland, Eastern Shore

 

Agricultural Business and Management; General Agriculture

Food Science

 

Washington College

 

Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, anthropology/archaeology, biology, chesapeake regional studies, earth and planetary sciences, engineering, 

Dual-degree program with Duke’s school of environment, dual-degree program in engineering with Columbia 

 

Wor- Wic Community College

Landscaping and Groundskeeping

 

 

 


Maryland Workforce Development Programs


Program Name

Organization

Description​​

AmeriCorps VISTA

Corporation for National and Community Service

AmeriCorps members in the VISTA program have joined the fight against poverty by helping local organizations expand their capacity to make change. The VISTA program serves in each of the 50 U.S. states and in all U.S. territories.

Baltimore City Department of Social Services

Baltimore City Department of Social Services

Assist and empower people in economic need, provide prevention services, and protect vulnerable children and adults. 

Branches

Parks & People Foundation

Branches is an afterschool internship and summer job for Baltimore City high school students. Participants restore & explore community green spaces, practice essential life skills, and gain valuable work experience.

Brookside Gardens Cultivate programs guide 

Brookside Gardens

Brookside Gardens is Montgomery County's incomparable, award-winning 50-acre public display garden situated within Wheaton Regional ParkBrookside Gardens offers a range of activities, classes and volunteer opportunities to get involved 

Building STEPS

Building Steps

Through a series of five Program Components, Building STEPS partners with 15 Baltimore city highschools to provide experiences and opportunities to high achieving high school sophomore students that create the exposure and support necessary for college and career success.

Center for Sustainable Careers

Civic Works

At the Center for Sustainable Careers (formerly the Baltimore Center for Green Careers), we train Baltimore City residents for green jobs in brownfield remediation and weatherization and place them in full time jobs. Trainees earn industry-recognized certifications, learn employability skills, and receive case management and on the job training.

Chesapeake Conservation Corps

Chesapeake Bay Trust

The Chesapeake Conservation Corps increases access and opportunities to green careers across the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The program supports and trains the next generation of stewards in professions that restore and protect our environment and natural resources ensuring a healthy place for all of us to live. In the Corps young adults are provided with hands-on environmental and leadership experience, training, and support network of other young environmentalists.

Civic Works' AmeriCorps Programs

Civic Works, Inc.

Civic Works’ AmeriCorps members make a commitment to serve Baltimore’s communities for several months to a year. In return, they receive a stipend, training, and an education award that can be used for college, trade school, or to repay qualified student loans. Our AmeriCorps members tutor students, grow food, create community gardens, repair homes, provide energy education, and more. They represent a diverse range of ages and backgrounds

Clean and Green Landscaping/Urban Agriculture

Bon Secours Community Works

Bon Secours Community Works (BSCW) works to enrich West Baltimore communities with programs, services, and affordable housing that contribute to the long-term economic and social viability of neighborhoods.

CorpsTHAT

CorpsTHAT

To connect the Deaf Community and the outdoors through education, recreation and careers.

C-Stream

Chesapeake Research Consortium

CRC’s Chesapeake Student Recruitment, Early Advisement, and Mentoring (C-StREAM) program is focused on recruiting, advising, and mentoring college students from populations who have been historically excluded from the environmental field and are underrepresented in environmental research and management professions. For the purpose of this program, C-StREAM focuses on assisting students who identify as people of color and/or who are first generation college students.

Details Deconstruction

Humanim

Details Deconstruction strives to channel that history into growth and renewal, not just through the materials we salvage, but through the communities we help to restore.

Directorate Fellows Program (USFWS)

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service strives to have a workforce that represents and reflects the diversity of the people we serve. The Directorate Fellows Program engages students in natural and cultural resources work while providing life changing experiences for those interested in obtaining careers in the field of conservation. 

Earth Conservation Corps

Earth Conservation Corps

Engaging young leaders in conservation movements reclaiming the Anacostia River providing restoration efforts through active conservation. 

Environmental Leadership Program

Environmental Leadership Program

The Environmental Leadership Program connects Fellows with peers through regional and national networks, and links them with experienced environmental leaders through substantive interactions and mentoring opportunities.

Environmental Management Career Development Program

Chesapeake Research Consortium

Through the Environmental Management Career Development Program, Chesapeake Research Consortium works in partnership with the Chesapeake Bay Program  to provide three-year, entry-level positions for individuals looking to begin their careers in the environmental science and management fields.

Grads2Careers

partnership between Baltimore City Public Schools, the Mayor's Office of Employment Development, and Baltimore's Promise.

Grads2Careers helps Baltimore City Schools graduates connect with FREE job training and find employment. We offer training programs leading to career paths in a wide variety of fields, including healthcare, information technology, construction, and many others.

Henry Hall Fellowship

National Aquarium

The Henry Hall Fellowship is a rigorous, four-year program designed to honor and extend the legacy of engineer, world traveler, aquarist and philanthropist Henry Hall (1896–1979) by mentoring and fostering the next generation of Baltimore City's leaders and change makers through field experience  opportunities

Hispanic Access Workforce Programs

Hispanic Access Foundation

Hispanic Access Foundation establishes bridges of access that provide a path for the development and rise of Lation leaders and elevates their voices in areas where they are underrepresented. 

Howard EcoWorks

Howard EcoWorks

Howard EcoWorks empowers communities and diverse workforces to respect and restore our natural systems for future generations.

Internship Programs

USFWS

Working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.

Jr MANRRS

MANRRS (Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences)

The Jr. MANRRS Program is designed to stimulate the interest in science, technology, engineering, agricultural, and mathematics fields, or STEAM. The goal is to encourage students in grades 7–12 to attend college and pursue agriculture, natural resources, and environmental sciences degrees.

Living Classrooms Foundation

Living Classrooms Foundation

Living Classrooms have developed a distinctive competency in experiential learning – literally learning by direct experience – or what we call “learning by doing.” We utilize our environmental campuses, athletic fields, community centers, and historic ships as “living classrooms.”  We work with one child, one teen, one adult, and one family at a time to identify existing barriers towards success and provide skills training, resources, and opportunities.

Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Research Fellow

NOAA

The Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Research Fellowship is an exciting two-year fellowship program that provides the opportunity for graduate students to conduct collaborative research at one of the 29 national estuarine research reserves. Through a research project, fellows address a key reserve management need to help scientists and communities understand coastal challenges that may influence future policy and management strategies.

Maryland Certified Horticulture Professional

Maryland Nursery, Landscape, and Greenhouse Association and MD Arborist Assoc. and MD Forests Assoc.

In 1985 the Maryland Nurserymen’s Association began its Certified Professional Horticulturist program, a voluntary program for those desiring to demonstrate proficiency in horticulture. After meeting a combination of educational and work experiences, and studying a comprehensive manual that is the heart of the program, an applicant must pass a rigorous examination in order to be certified.

Maryland Conservation Corps & Conservation Jobs Corps

Maryland Park Service

The Maryland Conservation Corps (MCC) is an award-winning AmeriCorps program that engages young adults in extensive natural resource management and park conservation projects. The mission of the program is to provide young adults with opportunities for service in the community and the environment by preserving, protecting, enhancing, and restoring Maryland’s natural resources.  

Mobilize Green

Mobilize Green

MobilizeGreen has engaged over 2500 diverse young people in internships, youth conservation programs, and professional development opportunities in partnership with government agencies, nonprofits, and corporations. 

Montgomery County Conservation Corps

Montgomery County Conservation Corps

Latin American Youth Center offers job training in green infrastructure and conservation to residents of Montgomery County and the District of Columbia. The programs provide field experience and classroom instruction and may include job readiness training, certifications, and career development opportunities.

National Aquarium Program 

National Aquarium

The National Aquarium is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire conservation of the world's aquatic treasures. Through full-time and part-time positions, as well as internship and volunteer opportunities, there are plenty of options to get involved at the National Aquarium!

NOAA Coastal Management Fellowship

NOAA

The NOAA Coastal Management Fellowship was established in 1996 to provide on-the-job education and training opportunities in coastal resource management and policy for postgraduate students and to provide project assistance to state coastal zone management programs. The program matches postgraduate students to work on projects proposed by state coastal zone management programs and selected by NOAA. This two-year opportunity offers a competitive salary, medical benefits, and travel and relocation expense reimbursement.

NOAA Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship & Educational Partnership Programs

NOAA Education

The Hollings Scholarship Program provides successful undergraduate applicants with awards that include academic assistance (up to $9,500 per year) for two years of full-time study and a 10-week, full-time paid ($700/week) internship at a NOAA facility during the summer.

NPS Youth Programs: Internships

National Park Service

National parks are places for fun, discovery, exploration, wellness, and service. Youth and young adult programs are designed to connect kids, teens, and young adults to opportunities at national park sites across the nation. These sites contribute to our nation's rich natural, cultural, historical, and recreational resources.

NPS: Mosaics in Science Diversity Internship

National Park Service

The Mosaics in Science Internship Program provides youth that are under-represented in natural resource science career fields with on-the-ground, science-based, work experience with the National Park Service. This multidisciplinary program provides opportunities to work on inventorying and monitoring, research, GIS and other technologies, and interpretation and education projects.

NPS: Youth Conservation Corps

National Park Service

The United States Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) is a summer youth employment program that engages young people in meaningful work experiences at national parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and fish hatcheries while developing an ethic of environmental stewardship and civic responsibility. YCC programs are generally 8 to 10 weeks and members are paid the minimum wage for a 40-hour work week. 

Pathways

EPA

EPA internships, fellowships, and recent graduate positions provide a great introduction to our work, and may lead to permanent employment.

Project Jumpstart

Project Jumpstart

Project JumpStart is an 87-hour pre-apprenticeship training program that provides intensive classroom and hands-on training to Baltimore City residents every year. Our mission is to train low-income city residents to enter the building trades on a construction career track that will help them advance beyond the entry-level.

RAY Conservation Fellows

Environmental Leadership Program

The RAY Fellowship Program aims to increase and facilitate conservation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy-related career pathways for emerging leaders of color. The RAY Fellowship Program is a two-year paid fellowship designed to equip recent college graduates with the tools, experiences, support, and community they need to become leaders in the conservation and clean energy sectors—one that, in our visions of the future, fully represents, includes, and is led by the diverse communities, perspectives, and experiences of the United States.

Resource Assistants Program

USDA

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Resource Assistants Program (RAP) is a rigorous and immersive, paid internship for individuals who are interested in conservation, natural and cultural resources, environmental management, research and development, or other career opportunities with land management agencies. 

Second Chance

Second Chance

By offering both training opportunities and jobs in a growing industry of the new Green Economy, the Second Chance model provides a powerful pathway to sustainable careers for Baltimore citizens facing the most difficult employment challenges. The positive impact this has on the lives of our workforce, their families, and the greater community is undeniable.

ShoreCorps AmeriCorps

ShoreCorps AmeriCorps

ShoreCorps is an AmeriCorps State Program, working under the oversight of the Governor's Office on Service and Volunteerism (GOSV) in Maryland. ShoreCorps is the AmeriCorps program at Salisbury University, but members do not have to be students to serve.  All members of the community are welcome to serve!  ShoreCorps is a partnership with community-based organizations serving at-risk youth and other vulnerable populations.

Student Conservation Association

Student Conservation Association

The Student Conservation Association (SCA) is America’s conservation corps. Our members protect and restore national parks, marine sanctuaries, cultural landmarks and community green spaces in all 50 states. SCA’s mission is to build the next generation of conservation leaders and inspire lifelong stewardship of the environment and communities by engaging young people in hands-on service to the land.

Student Leadership Program

Chesapeake Bay Foundation

The mission of CBF's Student Leadership program is to offer students opportunities to expand their knowledge of Bay issues, improve their planning skills, focus on team building, and learn how to lead others to take action to improve water quality in their local communities.

Teen Leadership Paddle

Chesapeake Bay Research Reserve- Maryland

The Teen Paddle is a week-long canoeing expedition geared towards high school students. The program gives teens a chance to practice leadership & teamwork skills as they navigate the river, water quality testing, plant community studies, help with a stewardship project, camping by the riverside and prepare meals together.

Urban Alliance

Urban Alliance

Urban Alliance connects high school students to equitable, inclusive careers through paid work experiences, mentorship, and professional development. We work with schools and employers to address systemic barriers to economic mobility for young adults of color and to bridge the gaps between education and workforce development for all young people.

Volunteer Maryland /AmeriCorps

Volunteer Maryland

As a Volunteer Maryland AmeriCorps Member (ACM), you will spend most of your year of service at a Service Site recruiting and managing volunteers. Each ACM has a local Service Site that addresses critical community needs across Maryland.

Watershed Stewards Program

Our Creeks & Conservancy

The Watershed Stewards Program (WSP) is dedicated to improving watershed health by actively engaging in restoration science, civic service, and community education while empowering the next generation of environmental stewards.

YearUp - Baltimore Chapter

YearUp

Year Up's mission is to close the Opportunity Divide by ensuring that young adults gain the skills, experiences, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through careers and higher education.

Youth Empowerment Society

Youth Empowerment Society

Youth Empowering Society is an Ohio based non-profit organization that supports young adults within the urban areas of America by teaching them important life skills, promoting financial stability, and encouraging community involvement. 

Youth Opportunity (YO) Baltimore

Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Employment Development

MOED's Youth Services division provides the City's future workforce with the tools they need to succeed in careers in local high-growth industries. The division operates Baltimore City's Youth Summer Jobs Programs, as well as job-training opportunities through Youth Opportunity Baltimore and Youth Partner Programs


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