Hands on experience with trail maintenance and ecological restoration working with partner agencies like the USDA Forest Service and US Fish and Wildlife. Opportunities for training in first aid, herbicide, sawyer certification, and leadership. Amazing culture.
What I wish was different
Advice
This is an extremely physical job! You will be hiking, carrying heavy equipment, working long hours rain or shine, and camping for several days at a time. A growth mindset is essential!
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Americorps Member
May - July 2021 • Winters, CA
What I liked
I gained experience in conservation and met many like-minded individuals. I enjoyed it so much that I am returning to work in Arizona this coming year!
What I wish was different
I wish it stayed below 100 Fahrenheit, but you can't win them all.
Advice
Sometimes it's a great idea to try something radically new, especially if you are foundering in your career search.
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ACE EPIC Directorate Fellow
May - August 2020 • Fairbanks, AK
What I liked
I enjoyed getting outside on occasion.
What I wish was different
I wish that telework had not been necessary, since working with others and getting out of doors with them was really the object of this experience.
Advice
Make sure to get outside regularly while teleworking, it helps keep productivity and mood high.
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Facility Management System Software Intern
June - August 2019 • Plains, GA
What I liked
I like the friendly work environment that the national parks provided. This park was an "all hands on deck" experience, where each employee had the same goal: to maintain and further better the park. In this position, I learned how to implement facility management software by interfacing the programs with real world improvements. Working at the parks also exposed me to a wealth of knowledge of park maintenance and machinery that i was able to apply to improving my personal living space.
What I wish was different
The one downside to this internship was the lack of a training program for the software. There was a steep learning curve.
Advice
My best advice would be to adapt the mindset of being proactive in seeking improvements. National Park employees are always testing their own abilities to make improvements, which creates a dynamic work experience where no two days are the same.
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AmeriCorps Member
April - July 2019 • Asheville, NC
What I liked
I enjoyed getting some quality work experience in a job field that is new for me. I enjoyed living away from home for three months. I liked receiving a living allowance every two weeks in the form of a direct deposit. I met a lot of friendly people. I had some friendly bosses and supervisors. I spent a lot of time outdoors. I gained a lot of new professional references for the future.
What I wish was different
Advice
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Crew member
May - August 2019 • Flagstaff, AZ
What I liked
Lots of good people to meet and get close to
What I wish was different
It had less than minimum wage pay, and you can be dragged around a bit by staff (Keanan)
Advice
Don't get expensive everything
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American Conservation Experience Corps Member
June - September 2018 • Hurricane, UT
What I liked
I liked the remoteness of the work. I liked the partnership with the project partners though government agencies. I liked learning new skills and tools that are applicable to my job field.
What I wish was different
That I could have stayed for 6 months! If you stay for 6 months you have the option to get chiansaw trained and i would have really enjoyed that.
Advice
Ask a lot of questions and be open to being out of your comfort zone. You get out of this experience what you put in.
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AmeriCorps
May - June 2018 • San Diego, CA
What I liked
I liked that I was able to meet new people and experience the outdoors in a new way. Trail maintenance is a laboring task and I defintely got to learn more about myself and push myself to new limits.
What I wish was different
I wish I would have had the opportunity to go to a different location within the program, but scheduling conflicts restricted where I could go.
Advice
You will push yourself pass you limits, and pass the new ones you thought you created for yourself. But never give up and you will learn that you can do so many great things.
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Wildlife Biology Intern
May - August 2018 • Georgetown, CA
What I liked
I enjoyed having the opportunity to work with members of the U.S. Forest Service so I could learn more about working in a government agency. The experience I gained doing raptor surveys was invaluable for my career. I also accrued hours towards the noncompetitive hiring status with the federal agencies thanks to the Public Lands Corps. Lastly, I loved working in the forest everyday and the majority of my job was spent in the field.
What I wish was different
I wish I had more time to go over my resume in-person with my supervisor to get advice on how to improve it. We had planned on it, but she got called away to work on a forest fire. I also would've liked the chance to cross-train and see what it was like working on the aquatics or botany team.
Advice
Be prepared for long days in the field, hiking across a variety of terrain and steep slopes.
