<p>For anyone who's interested in a career working in natural resources issues, the Student</a> Conservation Association is a really amazing way to get your feet wet - and wedged in the door.</p>
<p>The SCA maintains a database of hundreds of available internships with agencies such as the National Park Service, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, state parks, etc. Over the course of a year, they place thousands of interns across the country. There's a one-time $25 fee to apply, but that one fee is good forever.</p>
<p>All the internships are paid, transportation costs are reimbursed and housing is almost always provided. Longer-term interns are provided with health benefits as well. You won't get rich off the paycheck, but it's enough to live on, and you'll get an AmeriCorps education award at the end of your service, based on how long you serve.</p>
<p>Best of all, the internships are not grunt-work paper-chasing. You're put to work alongside natural resources professionals - analyzing habitat, educating students, operating a visitor center, developing Web sites or monitoring trails. Maybe all of the above! The experience and connections are invaluable.</p>
<p>I'm midway through a six-month stint with the Forest Service in Alaska, and it's helped me build a career track I never saw coming.</p>