Within STEM fields, employers are reporting a widening gap in the workforce readiness of new graduates. As departments continue to be squeezed with new requirements, chasing the latest technologies and scientific developments and constrained budgets, formal undergraduate programs struggle to fully prepare students for the workforce. One major mechanisms to address gaps within formal education is in life-long learning. Most technical and professional fields have life-long learning requirements, but it is not common in the geosciences, as licensing requirements remain limited.

Student and early-career geoscientists commonly seek professions with high societal impact, but pathways to alternative geoscience careers can be difficult to navigate, particularly in science policy and outreach. Many geoscience policy leaders enter the profession through the gateway of policy internships and fellowships. These opportunities crafted for those interested but inexperienced in science policy provide training in government processes, tangible experience in policy analysis, and integration into robust networks of professionals.

According to the American Geosciences Institutes Geoscience Student Exit Survey, internship participation rates over the past four years have been low, particularly among bachelors and doctoral graduates. In 2016, 65% of bachelors graduates, 44% of masters graduates, and 57% of doctoral graduates did not participate in an internship while working on their degree. When asked if they submitted applications for internship opportunities, 42% of bachelors graduates, 23% of masters graduates, and 46% of doctoral graduates claimed to not submit any applications.

The American Geosciences Institutes Geoscience Student Exit Survey asks recent graduates about their immediate plans after graduation. Though some respondents indicate their employment or continuing education intention, many of the respondents are still in the process of looking for a job in the geosciences. Recent discussions about geoscience workforce development have focused on the critical technical and professional skills that graduates need to be successful in the workforce, but there is little data about employment success and skills development as early-career geoscientists.

Professional development experiences, such as internships, research presentations and professional network building, are becoming increasingly important to enhance students’ employability post-graduation. The practical, non-technical skills that are important for succeeding during these professional development experiences, such as public speaking, project management, ethical practices and writing, transition well and are imperative to the workplace. Thereby, graduates who have honed these skills are more competitive candidates for geoscience employment.

The American Geosciences Institute’s Workforce Program has recently launched AGI’s Geoscience Student Exit Survey and the Survey of the Geoscience Workforce in an effort to provide more detailed information about the career pathways of early career geoscientists from their undergraduate degree through their first five years in the workforce.

One of the greatest challenges faced by students and new graduates is the advice that they must take charge of their own career planning. This is ironic as new graduates are least prepared to understand the full spectrum of options and the potential pathways to meeting their personal goals. We will examine the rationale, tools, and utility of an approach aimed at assisting individuals in career planning nicknamed a "tube map." In particular, this approach has been used in support of geoscientist recruitment and career planning in major European energy companies.

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) decided to create the National Geoscience Student Exit Survey in order to identify the initial pathways into the workforce for these graduating students, as well as assess their preparedness for entering the workforce upon graduation.

Targeted recruitment and retention efforts for the geosciences have become increasingly important with the growing concerns about program visibility on campuses, and given that geoscience degree production remains low relative to the demand for new geoscience graduates. Furthermore, understanding the career trajectories of geoscience degree recipients is essential for proper occupational placement. A theoretical framework was developed by Houlton (2010) to focus recruitment and retention efforts.

Increased demands for resources and environmental activities, relative declines in college students entering technical fields, and expectations of growth commensurate with society as a whole challenge the competitiveness of the U.S. geoscience workforce. Because of prior business cycles, more than 50% of the workforce needed in natural resource industries in 10 years is currently not in the workforce. This issue is even more acute in government at all levels and in academic institutions.