INTERNSHIPS

The Andes and Amazon Field School offers a variety of internship opportunities that allow participants to make a practical contribution to Amazon while learning skills and receiving university credit.  Every effort is made to match the career interests of the intern with complementary internship tasks.   On a regular basis students read articles that give an academic context to their practical work, reflect on their experiences in journals as well as in group discussions.  Interns also meet with senior development workers to learn from their years of experience working in the Amazon.  All interns pay regular pay regular Field School program fees and ASU tuition.   While students from any university may take advantage of internship possibilities the program is especially designed to fulfill internship degree requirements for specific degree programs at Arizona State University.  For details on specific programs click on the relevant program:

BIS (Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies) Internship
School of Global Studies Internship.

Examples of specific internship duties:

Students interested in the environment may work directly with park wardens in reforestation and forest management: planting trees, helping to maintain trails, monitoring illegal logging, and job shadowing at the provincial office of the Ecuadorian Ministry of the Environment. 

Students with a background in education can work with teachers in the local school to improve math, reading or science skills of Amazonian children   In the process they reflect on the future of the Amazon through the eyes of children and get a good sense of the obstacles and challenges facing educators as they seek to help children bridge the gap between the subsistence agriculture world of their parents and the hi-tech future.  Practical work in the school is enhanced by job shadowing at the local school district and offices of bilingual education.

Students interested in Law may spend their time working with local lawyers, the office of the inspector of labor, or the small claims mediation court in the town of Tena.  They may also help to research Ecuadorian law on various issues that impact the environment and local indigenous communities.

Students interested in community governance may attend community meetings, share in the communal work parties, and assist the leaders of local indigenous communities in various daily tasks.