A degree in the geosciences is valuable for many careers in sectors related to water, environment, energy resources, and mineral resources. However, current projections suggest that soon there will be too few students graduating with geoscience degrees to fill these important roles. LET’S GEO (Learning Ecosystem for Training Student Geoscientists for Employment Opportunities) is an initiative to provide targeted workforce training for students graduating with geosciences degrees at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). LET’S GEO will create a network between a large university’s geoscience department and local employers which is intended to amplify the impact of the degree programs for students, provide opportunities to students underrepresented in the field, and address the projected shortfall of trained geoscientists.
LET’S GEO will utilize a geoscience learning ecosystem approach with geosciences partners from academia (faculty, staff, and students), government agencies, and private sector employers. The primary goals of this program are fourfold: 1) to provide current geosciences students with marketable career-oriented skillsets, 2) to strengthen existing partnerships between the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) Department of Geosciences and environmental and geotechnical employers in southeastern Wisconsin, 3) to recruit more students into geosciences majors through clear articulation and examples of pathways from geoscience education to employment, and 4) to provide geosciences faculty who have largely academic work experience an industry-applicable knowledge base. These goals will be addressed through ongoing discussions between partners to create integrated frequent opportunities for students to become engaged in short-term low-stakes career preparation activities including short-courses on technical topics, communication skills, and regulatory frameworks required for many geosciences careers; directed mentoring for students by industry professionals; safety training required for many geosciences jobs; and job-shadowing opportunities for students to see their potential career tracks firsthand.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
