If you are a young person looking for something different for summer employment or you know someone that is looking, here's an amazing summer employment option. Work in a National Park.
I did this a few years ago. They even hire seasoned, seasonal workers. Most of the workforce is college aged kids, school teachers that have the summers off & retirees. The rest are foreigners that get 120 day, J1 visas that allow them to work. I did it in Yellowstone National Park. Grand Canyon, Glacier NP, Death Valley NP, Mt Rushmore, Zion NP & Rocky Mt NP. I'm sure other areas have similar programs but I can't comment on those places.
I'll detail YNP employment opportunites since that is what I'm familiar with.
YNP hires 3,300 seasonal workers for April through October. Each employee makes their own deal as far as lenght of service. I knew a guy that just went out for 3 weeks of work. They like to get you there for as long as they can. The average is between 3 & 4 months long. Nobody commutes to work. Everyone is given a dorm room or a site in the campground. Employees are provided 3 meals a day. Snacks and beverages are available all day long. All food must be eaten in the dining room, just covered liquids can be taken out.
Most of the jobs are in the hospitality field. Food service and maid service are 2 of the bigger departments. They have a few unique jobs like horse wrangler and fishing guide but there are only a handful of those jobs available. They have a lot of behind the scenes people like office workers and laundry help.
Employees get discounts throughout the park. Things in the giftshops are pricey. There is an employee recreation program for any employee in the park regardless of which concessionaire they work for. They have a softball league and the rec people organize hikes and campouts all the time. You can rent boats & go horseback riding on your days off. Many employees that have the same days off get together and go exploring. The company has a few 15 passenger vans that they use to shuttle employees to the border towns so they can go shopping.
The food is decent and plentiful. It's all you can eat. I've seen people eat 3 steaks. Lunch and dinner has a vegetarian option. There's always a sandwich and salad bar at lunch and dinner. Box lunches are an option for people's days off when they won't be close to the dining room. They have employee run pubs for evening entertainment. Making a purchase you have to show your ID and those under 21 have a different color ID background so they won't be served.
Most of the jobs are uninteresting. It's the same thing every day. Make beds, cook food, ring up customers. The companies don't sell the job, they sell living and working in the park. Turn over is probably higher than the industry standard. Management realizes this and they are constantly getting in a new supply of employees. A few employees quit within the first 2 weeks. Many of the younger people are away from home for the first time in their lives. Some this is their first paying job. Some struggle to understand how the washer machine works or how important it is to show up for work on time.
The J1 workers are fascinating. They come from all over the world. They are hard workers for the most part. They stay in their little groups and don't interact much with the other employees. They are required to speak English but always speak their mother tongue amongst themselves. I think that many of them are from the upper middle class in their home countries. They are educated and they had to purchase a plane ticket before they got their first paycheck. Street people aren't going to be able to swing that.
There is a medical clinic in the park for employees. The park is broken up into 8 distinct areas. Each area has a different opening and closing date. A few of the areas are open all year. A lot of the employees take 1 job but after arriving request to move to a better suited position. Many employees thing everyone else has an easier job. Most jobs don't require any experience. There is a day of training then it's off to work. The restaurants do a shake down day before they open. The other employees eat in the restaurant, selecting off of the menu. The only charge to the eating employee is for any alcohol they order and a tip if they leave one.
In YNP it gets cold at night, even in the summer. We had snow on May 28th. If you spent any time in the woods you will encounter wildlife. I ran into my share of bison and elk. I always carried bear spray that shoots a stream of pepper spray 30 feet. I never had to use it. YNP has some stunning scenery. While I forget my days on the job, those memories of the experiences and view stay with you for life.
Xanterra jobs
Delaware North jobs
YPSS jobs
MedCor jobs
Old Faithful
Lake Yellowstone at sunrise
Late May blizzard
I did this a few years ago. They even hire seasoned, seasonal workers. Most of the workforce is college aged kids, school teachers that have the summers off & retirees. The rest are foreigners that get 120 day, J1 visas that allow them to work. I did it in Yellowstone National Park. Grand Canyon, Glacier NP, Death Valley NP, Mt Rushmore, Zion NP & Rocky Mt NP. I'm sure other areas have similar programs but I can't comment on those places.
I'll detail YNP employment opportunites since that is what I'm familiar with.
YNP hires 3,300 seasonal workers for April through October. Each employee makes their own deal as far as lenght of service. I knew a guy that just went out for 3 weeks of work. They like to get you there for as long as they can. The average is between 3 & 4 months long. Nobody commutes to work. Everyone is given a dorm room or a site in the campground. Employees are provided 3 meals a day. Snacks and beverages are available all day long. All food must be eaten in the dining room, just covered liquids can be taken out.
Most of the jobs are in the hospitality field. Food service and maid service are 2 of the bigger departments. They have a few unique jobs like horse wrangler and fishing guide but there are only a handful of those jobs available. They have a lot of behind the scenes people like office workers and laundry help.
Employees get discounts throughout the park. Things in the giftshops are pricey. There is an employee recreation program for any employee in the park regardless of which concessionaire they work for. They have a softball league and the rec people organize hikes and campouts all the time. You can rent boats & go horseback riding on your days off. Many employees that have the same days off get together and go exploring. The company has a few 15 passenger vans that they use to shuttle employees to the border towns so they can go shopping.
The food is decent and plentiful. It's all you can eat. I've seen people eat 3 steaks. Lunch and dinner has a vegetarian option. There's always a sandwich and salad bar at lunch and dinner. Box lunches are an option for people's days off when they won't be close to the dining room. They have employee run pubs for evening entertainment. Making a purchase you have to show your ID and those under 21 have a different color ID background so they won't be served.
Most of the jobs are uninteresting. It's the same thing every day. Make beds, cook food, ring up customers. The companies don't sell the job, they sell living and working in the park. Turn over is probably higher than the industry standard. Management realizes this and they are constantly getting in a new supply of employees. A few employees quit within the first 2 weeks. Many of the younger people are away from home for the first time in their lives. Some this is their first paying job. Some struggle to understand how the washer machine works or how important it is to show up for work on time.
The J1 workers are fascinating. They come from all over the world. They are hard workers for the most part. They stay in their little groups and don't interact much with the other employees. They are required to speak English but always speak their mother tongue amongst themselves. I think that many of them are from the upper middle class in their home countries. They are educated and they had to purchase a plane ticket before they got their first paycheck. Street people aren't going to be able to swing that.
There is a medical clinic in the park for employees. The park is broken up into 8 distinct areas. Each area has a different opening and closing date. A few of the areas are open all year. A lot of the employees take 1 job but after arriving request to move to a better suited position. Many employees thing everyone else has an easier job. Most jobs don't require any experience. There is a day of training then it's off to work. The restaurants do a shake down day before they open. The other employees eat in the restaurant, selecting off of the menu. The only charge to the eating employee is for any alcohol they order and a tip if they leave one.
In YNP it gets cold at night, even in the summer. We had snow on May 28th. If you spent any time in the woods you will encounter wildlife. I ran into my share of bison and elk. I always carried bear spray that shoots a stream of pepper spray 30 feet. I never had to use it. YNP has some stunning scenery. While I forget my days on the job, those memories of the experiences and view stay with you for life.
Xanterra jobs
Delaware North jobs
YPSS jobs
MedCor jobs
Old Faithful
Lake Yellowstone at sunrise
Late May blizzard
