2021 journal article

The National Weather Service-North Carolina State University Internship Course Impacts and Success over a Generation

BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY, 102(11), E2079–E2085.

By: T. Green *, D. Leins*, G. Lackmann n , J. Morrow* & J. Blaes*

co-author countries: United States of America πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ
author keywords: Operational forecasting; Education
Source: Web Of Science
Added: February 28, 2022

Abstract Nearly 100 North Carolina State University (NCSU) students have participated in a unique, highly structured internship course conducted by the National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Forecast Office (WFO) in Raleigh, North Carolina. Here, we explore the impact that this course has had on their professional development and career trajectories. As of this writing, the course has been running for 17 years; this paper provides an update on how the course has changed over time, and information concerning participant outcomes. Changes include a reduction in class size to allow for more individualized mentoring, and the addition of experiences outside of the WFO. The course serves as a compelling selling point in student recruiting for the Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences (MEAS), and participation also helps to ensure that the curriculum is adequately preparing students for positions in the NWS. The NWS benefits from a pool of potential employees that will require less spin-up time if hired; additionally, some NCSU graduates have participated in similar student volunteer programs at their respective offices once hired.