ST. GEORGE — College students and recent graduates can get hands-on experience with an internship in some of the most scenic places in Utah.
Applications are now open for summer paid positions on public lands such as Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks and Cedar Breaks and Pipe Spring national monuments.
The Intergovernmental Internship Cooperative hosts paid internships through Southern Utah State University. This program helps participants gain experience conserving public lands.
“We love all students who enjoy the outdoors and especially love those who show an interest in learning more, protecting, and teaching others about our public lands,” Shannon Eberhard, program coordinator, said.
Applicants don’t have to be SUU students or focused on outdoor recreation to apply for one of the internships. Any student or recent graduate can apply.
Eberhard said high school students ages 16 and older are also accepted into the program. She said the program pays every intern equally for whatever the entry-level position would be if they were hired directly.
“In addition to our sweet outdoor jobs, we have less-typical positions like graphic design, administration, technology and more,” Eberhard said. “There are opportunities for almost any career track.”
She said Utah’s public land managers involved in the program include the Bureau of Land Management, National Forest Service and National Park Service. The program is also adding some state parks.
Participants have opportunities to gain paid experience by providing the following:
- Talks about nature and history.
- Education programs for children.
- Graphic design, photo, and video services.
- Information technology (IT) services.
- Mapping services and more.
To learn more about opportunities and how to apply, visit the program’s website. The pay ranges from $11-16.76 per hour for a 40-hour work week during the summer season. A 20-hour workweek is offered if enrolled in classes. Eberhard said housing is available for some positions.
According to a news release, the program began in 2007. Students have been paid to work, learn, and gain leadership skills. The news release states, “No prior experience is needed, just an eagerness to make a difference.”
Eberhard said young people develop an ethic of environmental stewardship and civic responsibility through meaningful work at national parks, national forests, state parks, wildlife refuges, and fish hatcheries.
Eberhard said college credit is given if a student desires it and they can tie the internship in with their degree. The SUU outdoor recreation program is built to include one of these internships. Still, other majors and schools can use the experience for college credit.
“We also have an online certificate course that we automatically sign you up for if you can’t tie it to something else. And it’s great because it helps prepare anyone that takes it to know how to write federal resumes, understand public lands and learn ‘Leave No Trace Behind Skills,'” Eberhard said. “So it’s a great overall outdoor-focused online course that you take in addition to your internship.”
In an email to St. George News, Program Manager for Interpretation, Education, and Visitor Services at Zion National Park, Amanda Rowland, said the park is training the next generation of public land stewards.
“This is a great opportunity for students and recent graduates to spend time with land management professionals, learn what it takes to manage a national park, and see if they’d like to work with us in the future,” Rowland said.
A news release said the National Park Service employs more than 20,000 people who care for America’s national parks and work with communities nationwide to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
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