(Justmeans.com / CSR News) - (3BL Media / theCSRfeed) [1] Philadelphia, PA - March 1, 2012 - ARAMARK [2], a world leader in professional services, is offering career opportunities to young professionals through its Environmental Sustainability Internship Program. In partnership with the Student Conservation Association [3] (SCA), the program provides participants with hands-on environmental job experience as they help implement solutions for clients at schools, universities, businesses and other locations across the country.
"This program addresses a prominent challenge that exists in the private sector today – how we effectively engage young professionals with an interest in entering the workforce, and in impacting social or environmental issues," said Rick Martella, ARAMARK Vice President of Corporate Affairs. "In addition to creating specific practices around key issues, we are learning how we can work together to create a practical understanding of environmental sustainability and fundamental business knowledge."
Internships are being offered through SCA across ARAMARK businesses including Parks and Destinations, Business Dining, Education K-12, and Higher Education, with positions in client locations from Denali National Park in Alaska to The University of South Florida in Tampa.
The ARAMARK interns will focus on several environmental fields such as purchasing, waste management, building operations, and energy and water conservation. Interns will also help support the policy developed by the National Park Service to reduce and recycle water bottles in National Parks, and enable public school districts to increase locally grown dining options.
ARAMARK partners with the Student Conservation Corps (SCA) to identify applicants who demonstrate strong conservation leadership. SCA, a national leader in conservation, has significant experience recruiting and hiring environmental interns for federal agencies and non-profit organizations and will work with ARAMARK to select and train the interns.
"This program builds an important bridge between business and the environment, and creates opportunities for young people to identify new career paths," said Jamie Patten, SVP of Marketing for SCA. "At a time of increasing interest in environmental sustainability and so many opportunities to demonstrate environmental responsibility, the timing is right for this innovative initiative."
Applicants may be undergraduates or recent graduates, with less than five years of professional experience. All internships are paid, will begin in May and June, and last for six to nine months. Interested candidates can apply through SCA's website, atwww.thesca.org [3], in the Special Programs section, where they can learn about the different positions, qualifications and locations. More information about the program is also available at www.aramark.com [2], in the Careers section.
Interns will participate in a three-day educational and leadership program as part of the ARAMARK environmental leadership summit. The orientation will introduce the interns to ARAMARK and SCA, and provide background on ARAMARK's corporate responsibility and environmental commitments. Throughout the program, the interns will receive onsite training and support from their managers, as well as feedback and support from the SCA and ARAMARK leadership.
In 2011, three interns were hired into permanent positions at ARAMARK, incorporating environmental practices into jobs that are not thought of as traditional environmental jobs, including Purchasing Manager and Registered Dietician.
"SCA identified a bright and talented class of interns last year and the feedback we received was extremely positive," said Martella. "The interns were instrumental in helping advance ARAMARK and our clients' sustainability commitments."
During her internship, 2011 intern Ila Galanti promoted composting, recycling, locally grown and produced foods, and other environmentally sustainable practices at the University of Chicago. At the end of her internship, she was offered a full-time role in the newly-created position – ARAMARK Registered Dietitian - at the University of Chicago.
"This internship integrated many of my personal and professional interests in food, nutrition and sustainability," Galanti said. "It also gave me an opportunity to gain experience in a field with a company where I knew there could be a potential career path."
About ARAMARK
ARAMARK is a world leader in professional services, providing award-winning food [4]services, facilities [5] management, and uniform [6] and career apparel to health [7] care institutions, universities [7] and school [8] districts, stadiums [9] and arenas, and businesses [10]around the world. ARAMARK's Environmental Internship Program is part of the company's corporate responsibility commitment. ARAMARK [2] seeks to responsibly address issues that matter to its clients, customers, employees and communities by focusing on employee advocacy, environmental stewardship, health and wellness, and community involvement.
ARAMARK [2] has been recognized as the industry leader in FORTUNE magazine's "World's Most Admired Companies," and as one of America's Largest Private Companies by both FORTUNE and Forbes magazines. Headquartered in Philadelphia, ARAMARK [2] has approximately 250,000 employees serving clients in 22 countries.
About the Student Conservation Association
The Student Conservation Association is the only national organization that develops tomorrow's conservation leaders by providing high school and college students with service opportunities in all 50 states, from urban communities to national parks and forests. More than 4,200 SCA members annually render over two million hours of service to America's public lands. Since 1957, SCA has helped to develop new generations of conservation leaders, inspire lifelong stewardship, and save the planet. SCA is based in Washington, D.C., and maintains regional offices in Anchorage, AK; Boise, ID; Charlestown, NH; Oakland, CA; Pittsburgh, PA and Seattle, WA. For further information, visit www.thesca.org [3].
Contact: Mary Rucci, ARAMARK, 215-238-7110