For the past eleven years, the American Meteorological Society’s Board for Private Sector
Meteorologists (BPSM) has reached across the private industry to connect a cross-section of
professionals working in private sector positions related to meteorology with students
interested in learning more about the private sector.
The highly successful program is structured to pair students with a mentor who is active in
the private sector discipline of greatest interest to the student protégé. Examples include—but
are not limited to—energy forecasting, software development, project management,
broadcasting, and catastrophe risk management. Every attempt is also made to pair students
with a mentor in the same geographic region to help facilitate face-to-face interactions, in
addition to regular phone calls, e-mails, and other forms of communication.
The mentor program is currently seeking a limited number of upper-level undergraduate
and graduate students who are focused on building a career in the private sector. This
program is uniquely focused on skill development, coaching, and helping you grow your
professional network and business acumen. This program will give students the skills
necessary to stand out in the eyes of employers.
In order to ensure that students have an opportunity to build a strong working relationship
during the 2020 calendar year, we request that applications to join this mentor program
be submitted by Sunday, February 16th, 2020. Applications may be accepted later in the year; however,
the number of mentors are limited, so we encourage students to apply as soon as possible!
5 Reasons to apply to the mentorship program:
1- FORMULATE A CAREER PATH
Many students join the board of private sector
meteorologists Mentorship Program because
they are unsure of the next step. Your mentor
was once in the same position and had the
same difficult questions. With their past
experience, your mentor can provide career
building advice and direction as you prepare
for life after graduation.
2- BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH A PROFESSIONAL METEOROLOGIST
Meteorology is a tight-knit community
with a foundation of collaboration and
friendships. This program will help you
foster an invaluable relationship with a
professional meteorologist who can
share his/her far-reaching network.
3- BROADEN KNOWLEDGE OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR
A Meteorology degree can lead to more
opportunities than most realize. Your mentor can
help you understand the various career paths in
the private sector and explain how your
meteorological background might guide you to a
position that is not titled “meteorologist.”
4- LEARN HOW COURSEWORK TRANSLATES TO THE “REAL-WORLD”
After 15+ years of school, you will be
entering a completely new environment.
Experienced professionals can provide
insight into what knowledge/skills they
use daily to succeed in their positions.
5- AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE
Everyone needs some direction in their
career. By becoming a mentor, you can
contribute to a strong and charitable
meteorological community while also
growing and diversifying your network.