By Janette Rosenbaum and Ambika Chawla
In September of last year, we (Janette and Ambika), joined the sixth cohort of the Climatebase Fellowship program, a career accelerator for people who want to work in climate – and for people who already work in climate and want to do it better. Over the course of 12 weeks, Fellows deepen their knowledge of climate science and solutions, covering topics including energy, transportation, food/agriculture, circular economy, nature-based solutions, the built environment, and more.
Each week of the program focuses on a different topic. Fellows can attend core curriculum sessions taught by expert trainers, as well as an array of talks featuring climate leaders from around the world. For example, the most recent iteration of the cohort-based program offered talks by Jonathan Foley, the executive director of Project Drawdown; Helena Gualinga, an Indigenous activist from Ecuador; Dr. Tzeporah Berman, Chair of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative; and Nathaniel Rich, a climate historian.
Alongside the topic-based sessions, Fellows can strengthen their job search skills with presentations from a career coach, learn how to launch their own start-up with a series of talks for aspiring founders, or join a team of other Fellows to complete a capstone project. Finally, Fellows can build community through informal live conversations, interactive chats during presentations, and an asynchronous discussion forum. The Fellowship is a great way for professionals to build their network with other smart, talented, ambitious, and idealistic professionals committed to tackling the climate crisis.
My Climatebase Experience – Janette Rosenbaum
“I came into the program with a decade of experience working in climate and a powerful drive to do this work more effectively. Through the curriculum sessions, I gained confidence in my knowledge. Through the community, I gained an energizing network of people who are as passionate as I am about advancing climate solutions. Through the career coaching, I gained clarity on which solutions I want to advance, and how I can best contribute to those initiatives.
From Fellows with different skill sets, I got help creating interactive maps and planning effective communications campaigns. In return, I was able to share information about soil science, pollution from mines, and climate-related lawsuits. All of this helped me identify the partnership opportunities that are out there and the unique value I can bring to those partnerships.
Successful climate action needs all of us. The Climatebase Fellowship program is a fantastic place to find more of the ‘us’ you want to work with!”
My Climatebase Experience – Ambika Chawla
“I am so grateful I attended Cohort 6 of the Climatebase Fellowship, where I had the opportunity to learn more about the science of climate change, as well as domestic and international climate policy, while deepening my knowledge on a range of climate topics, such as energy, nature-based solutions, transportation, and circular economy, among other topics. In addition to the great talks, keynotes, and presentations by climate experts and activists from the U.S. and globally, the Fellowship team pulled together excellent resources (i.e. articles, policy reports, videos) to accompany each weekly session.
One of my favorite parts of the Fellowship were the presentations by career coach Magda Kufrej, who led sessions about transferable skills, interview prep, “Finding Your Ikigai” (the Japanese concept referring to something that gives a person a sense of purpose), and networking. For those of you thinking about transitioning into a climate career, there are also opportunities to attend job fairs featuring prominent climate organizations.
Finally, I really enjoyed the weekly “Climate News Roundup” sessions by Julian Moore (the Lead Writer and Editor at Climatebase) where I was informed about the latest climate news/events/analysis in the U.S. and globally. I now feel like an expert in everything climate!”
Applications for Cohort 7 of the Climatebase Fellowship program, which will begin in March of this year, are now open. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to deepen your climate literacy and forge meaningful connections while growing your professional network!
To join this incredible community of climate professionals AND get a 20% discount, please contact us at:
Janette Rosenbaum: janette.rosenbaum@outlook.com
or
Ambika Chawla: ambika.u.chawla@gmail.com
For information about the fellowship: https://climatebase.org/fellowship
Comments