MobilizeGreen Expands Its Mission and Vision with The VirtualIntern

The new platform seamlessly connects interns and STEM organizations to complete projects and create pathways for diverse students

From day one, MobilizeGreen’s mission has been clear – we’ve connected diverse interns and job seekers to major environmental agencies and organizations, with the express purposes of removing unjust barriers to employment and diversifying STEM fields. 2020 has only reinforced the importance of what we do. This year, the pandemic has stress tested American society, with a national reckoning over racial inequality, a historic economic downturn, and devastating socioeconomic disparities. However, this year has also complicated our work. When businesses are shut down and it’s unsafe for young students to gather in-person, how can they gain access to professional opportunities and continue working toward their goals? For us, the answer was immediately clear – The VirtualIntern.

What is The VirtualIntern?

The VirtualIntern is a new online platform designed to seamlessly place diverse interns in green STEM internships with major environmental organizations. Whereas MobilizeGreen is focused on a diverse student’s entire journey, from intern to employee, The VirtualIntern specializes in helping students take the first important step toward their career objectives.

These paid internships remove pandemic restrictions as a barrier to a meaningful experience. Each intern takes part in real-world projects and networks with supervisors and mentors. They’re able to establish a firm foundation in their chosen discipline and gain skills that prep them for a future in green STEM.

The VirtualIntern’s opportunities cover a wide range of project categories:

  • PR/Social Media

  • Administrative

  • Engineering/Construction

  • Environmental Education

  • GIS/Data Analysis

  • Graphic/Web Design

  • Outreach/Collaboration

  • Project Management

  • Real Estate/Lands

  • Technical/Report Writing

  • Accounting/Business

  • And more!

Value for Interns and Organizations

There’s tremendous value for both students and participating organizations who use The VirtualIntern. For diverse students, they’re able to receive on-the-job training, sharpen their skillset, make contacts for the future, and close the experience gap. As they move through the next stages of their academic and professional journeys, they’ll have the know-how and credentials to get the jobs they want and overcome barriers to entry in STEM. Also, at a time when the pandemic has disrupted secondary education, disproportionately impacted communities of color, and devastated the job sectors that young people typically rely on to make ends meet, The VirtualIntern gives them a lifeline.

Organizations in both the public and private sectors will have a viable way to complete critical projects with cost-effective labor. They’ll also have an easy, direct way to build bench and keep their talent pipeline full. Though the platform is just launching, The VirtualIntern has already successfully placed interns with the USDA Forest Service, Udall Foundation, National Park Service, King County (WA State), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Young people of color have always needed an advocate, and MobilizeGreen has filled that role since 2014. But this moment demands an even bigger and more innovative solution, and that’s what The VirtualIntern achieves. Diverse STEM students have a direct line to the most high-profile organizations in their respective concentrations, and they can gain invaluable, real-world experience all while prioritizing their health, safety, and well-being. The VirtualIntern was created as a way to address the challenges of now, but it will serve as a stepping stone for diverse students for many years to come.

Mobilize Green