Looking for a Summer Job?

"How lucky I was growing up with parents and sisters who love to camp. Each summer we packed up our bags and made the four-hour trip to Killarney Provincial Park. This year I worked as an Ontario Ranger. I will remember my job here. I will remember my friends and our yellow hard hats, my employers and the activities that filled all waking hours."
Jennifer Jones, 2001 Killarney Ontario Ranger.

Many young people experience something very special when they work in Ontario Parks. They feel good knowing that their hard work makes a difference to the environment around them and that it will be enjoyed and appreciated by park visitors for years to come. They are left fascinated by the grandness and beauty of these natural spaces. They develop a strong bond not only with nature around them, but also with the people they have had the opportunity to work with and learn from.

In 2001, more than 2300 young people chose jobs with the Ministry of Natural Resources' Youth Employment Programs. They worked as Ontario Rangers, Ontario Stewardship Rangers, Interns, Summer Experience Program, Co-op and Ontario/Quebec Exchange students. Some examples of the kinds of work young people do in Ontario Parks include:
· Brushing and maintaining access points, portage and walking trails
· Canoe route maintenance and back country restoration
· Park development and maintenance
· Campsite maintenance
· Working in Ontario Park stores and visitor services
· Serving as front gate attendants
· Helping out with organized park activities and educational programs

Job opportunities in 2002
Young people looking for work in Ontario Parks and in natural resource management in 2002 can chose from hundreds of jobs across the province.

For those young people who are looking for more than just a summer job, the Ontario Ranger Program offers a unique experience. It is an eight-week summer job program that aims to provide participants with a unique combination of work, learning and life experiences. Participants are required to stay at a Ranger Camp for the duration of their work term. There are 14 Ontario Ranger Camps in the province.

Being an Ontario Ranger is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Candidates must turn 17 years old between January 1 and December 31 in the year they want to work as a Ranger. This year, candidates must be born in 1985 to qualify. Applications must be submitted to the Youth Programs office by April 2, 2002.

Ontario Parks also hires many students through the Summer Experience Program. This program runs up to nine weeks. Young people aged 15 to 24 (up to 29 if disabled) are eligible to apply to the Program. These jobs are posted in March every year. Young people interested in these jobs are asked to send the application form, their resume and a brief covering letter directly to the park office hosting the position.

The Internship Program is available to college and university students as well as recent (within five years) post-secondary graduates. The internships last for up to 10 months (40 weeks).

The Ontario/Quebec Exchange Program lasts for 13 weeks and begins in mid-May each year. The deadline for applying to the program is February 4, 2002. To be eligible candidates must have French language skills, and be a university student.

The Ontario Stewardship Ranger Program like the Ontario Ranger Program, is available only to young people born in 1985. Unlike the Ontario Ranger Program, Ontario Stewardship Rangers live at home and travel to their work location daily. They also work in small, co-ed teams that are recruited locally. The location and number of teams vary from year to year. A list of locations that will host Ontario Stewardship Ranger teams in 2002 will be available in mid-February. The application deadline is April 26, 2002.

The Co-op program is available to those youth who are enrolled in a post-secondary co-operative education program. Placements last 12 to 16 weeks.

Much more than a job - it's an experience
Many people who have worked in these employment programs have said it is an experience they will never forget. For some, it is the thrill that comes with working in the outdoors in a park setting. For others, it's getting their hands dirty and their feet wet as they tackle fish and wildlife projects in the field. For many, it is a combination of so many things that makes the experience unforgettable. Things like realizing your potential, making a difference, meeting new people, learning new things and seeing new places.

Young people who choose to work in any of these programs will get so much more than a paycheck. These programs are designed not only to expose young people to the field of natural resource management, but also to help them build skills and expertise they can use in the general labour market.