Internship will train Natives in energy, economic development

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George T. Skibine, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Economic Development of Indian Affairs, announced in February a new effort to recruit and train American Indian and Alaska Native post-secondary students to become Indian Country’s next generation of tribal energy and natural resource management professionals.

The Energy Resource Development Tribal Internship Program has been developed through a partnership between the Indian Affairs Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development (IEED), the Council of Energy Resource Tribes (CERT) and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) to help increase the number of American Indians and Alaska Natives who can effectively manage a tribe’s energy and natural resources.

“This internship program will offer an exciting opportunity for

American Indians and Alaska Natives interested in the science and

engineering professions, two fields where they are traditionally

under-represented,” Skibine said. “It will also help tribes by

developing a cadre of professionals who have the training and expertise

to aid them in managing the development of their energy and natural

resources.”

Title V of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 requires

the Secretary of the Interior to provide technical assistance to Indian

tribes seeking to develop energy resources, establish an Indian energy

resource development program and to further the goal of Indian

self-determination. The internship program is one aspect of the IEED’s

efforts to fulfill the act’s mandate.

The IEED will provide

guidance and oversight for the program and funding for student

recruitment. CERT, in coordination with ANL, will recruit interns from

institutions of higher learning. CERT also will seek to recruit tribes

that are in various stages of energy development to provide mentors for

the interns. It also match internship candidates with tribal and ANL

research opportunities, and will identify opportunities for internships.

The

program, which will be held annually, is slated to begin this summer

and run for 10 weeks. Applicants will be considered based on whether

they have the skills to perform necessary tasks, if their needs will be

met by the program and if they are interested in developing

capabilities in sustainable energy programs.

For information,

contact the ANL Division of Ed. Programs at 630-252-4114 or see:

www.dep.anl.gov, and click on “Tribal Internships.” Information also

can be found on CERT’s website at :www.certredearth.com. The deadline

for applications is April 3.