Zoo Atlanta

Zoo Atlanta will strengthen career pathways into zoo and museum professions by expanding the Zoo’s internship program and establishing standardized training, mentorship, and evaluation systems. Program participants will develop the knowledge, professional competencies, and workplace behaviors necessary to successfully advance within the zoo and museum workforce. Through training and targeted professional development, over 60 interns will gain applied experience, career readiness skills, and expanded professional networks that position them for entry-level roles and long-term career pathways in the field. Zoo Atlanta staff serving as intern liaisons will strengthen their supervisory, mentoring, and leadership skills through formal training and applied experience. Intern participants will be students currently enrolled in higher education and intern liaisons will be early- to mid-career staff members at Zoo Atlanta. The project will establish a scalable workforce development model, evaluation-informed training curriculum, and dissemination of results through professional networks or conferences to support career readiness for students through workforce training practices in the museum and zoo field.