The Department of Environmental Quality's Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs recently hosted the 7th grade from Moore Square Magnet Middle School for the 2023 Students@Work℠ Month. The Students@Work℠ program serves a critical role in our state's work-based learning efforts by helping students explore potential careers and experience positive workplace environments.
The 2023 Students@Work℠ initiative is connecting 270 businesses, organizations and agencies with approximately 25,500 students statewide. Throughout the month, students interact directly with representatives from various jobs and careers, take part in worksite visits or engage in learning activities to explore a variety of career opportunities.
“DEQ is honored to continue our partnership with Students@Work℠ and share the diversity of careers in our department. We appreciate the enthusiasm of the students and teachers and enjoy providing them with activities and resources to support their studies in science and the environment,” notes DEQ Secretary Elizabeth S. Biser.
During their visit on March 9th and 10th, students toured the DEQ building and learned about the sustainable design features of the downtown Raleigh Green Square complex. They also got an introduction to some of the environmental science used by employees of the department in activities led by Rebecca Coppa, State Sedimentation and Education Engineer with the DEQ Division of Energy, Land and Mineral Resources, Janina Millis, Community Engagement, Education and Outreach Specialist from the DEQ Division of Air Quality and with assistance from colleagues, Megan Davis, Coordinator of Teacher Education and Taylor Prichard, Teacher Education Specialist with the Museum of Natural Sciences which shares the Green Square complex with the department.
The students ended their day by participating in a career panel with DEQ employees, including Dr. Frannie Nilsen, an environmental toxicologist with the Secretary’s Office; Elliot Tardif, a meteorologist with the Division of Air Quality; Shelby White, a biologist with the Division of Marine Fisheries and Alyssa Wright, the Assistant General Counsel for the department.
Students asked the panel about their careers, their career paths, and challenges for their profession. The DEQ employees gave helpful advice for how to students can connect their passions and interests with potential careers and how students can begin to develop the qualifications necessary for working in STEM fields through internships, job shadowing and other opportunities.
The Students@Work℠ program is a joint initiative between the North Carolina Business Committee for Education (NCBCE) and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
For more information about the Department's participation in Students@Work℠ Month, contact the Office of Environmental Education and Public Affairs at 919-707-8125. For more information about NCBCE, visit ncbce.org.
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