Northland Regional Council is providing valuable work experience for 12 Northland tertiary students who have returned home to take up its Summer Student Programme.

The programme allows the students to gain valuable on-the-job experience in a field related to what they are studying, whilst providing much-needed assistance to existing NRC teams.

Climate Change intern Cameron Guy is studying for a Masters in Ecology at the University of Auckland and says the programme helps makes students feel more connected to their field of study in a practical sense.

"This is the first job I've had that's related to my degree and it’s great to be at NRC rather than at a job that might not help as much with my studies. I'm excited to get up in the morning and come to work and it makes me feel like I'm making a difference being here", Cameron says.

NRC's Summer Student Programme has been successfully running for more than 15 years. It places students in teams working in fields such as Environmental Services, Biosecurity, Land Management, Rivers and Natural Hazards and Finance.

Most of the students work from early December until just before the start of the academic year in late February 2023.

NRC Chair Tui Shortland says having students on board over the summer period is mutually beneficial.

"It's fantastic seeing the fresh faces of our summer students around the building and heading out into the field. They're a great asset to our teams and who knows, maybe we'll see some of them return in a full-time capacity once they have completed their studies".

Coastal Hazards and Contaminated Land intern Jared Mills has been taking water samples from Northland marinas which are then analysed looking for traces of invasive marine pests.

"I'm about to finish a Bachelor of Science (Technology) with a double major in Ecology Biodiversity and Earth Sciences at the University of Waikato. It's getting more and more difficult to find work experience opportunities related to your study so being at NRC gets me one step closer to my dream career," he says.

NRC also offers the annual Tū i te ora Scholarship which recognises and supports students to undertake study, research or training that relates to council’s environmental and regulatory functions - providing a springboard for future environmental leaders and champions, whilst contributing to council’s vision ‘Our Northland - together we thrive’.

People wanting more information about the scholarship or the 2023/24 student intake could find out more by getting in touch with the council.

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