As our nation grows in a successful economy, wildlife enforcement agencies find themselves in a highly competitive race to recruit and develop qualified applicants for the ever-changing career of the wildlife enforcement officer. This challenge is not limited to any one area of the country and solutions must be as innovative as the technological advances our society is experiencing. Agencies that have developed standards for the level of experience and education they require in their officers, must also develop programs that target the recruitment and retention of those officers. Intern programs have often been viewed as a means to show effort on the part of agencies to hire minority and female applicants and yet most have not succeeded. An effective intern program, in conjunction with a minority recruitment plan, can accomplish the goal of introducing interested applicants to the career of the wildlife enforcement officer while developing and recognizing potential highly qualified individuals for those positions.
