Looking for An Internship
Site
Invest
the time and effort to find the ideal internship position – one that will
challenge you, build new skills and give you good contacts for future
employment! It is your responsibility to
research opportunities and contact organizations about positions, but don’t
hesitate to contact the Internship Coordinator and other faculty for guidance.
Your
choice of an internship site is likely to depend upon your academic Option
within RPTS:
Natural
Resource Recreation and Conservation Option
Recreation
and Park Administration Option
These links may provide a place to begin searching for your ideal internship position:
Job Announcements Received by the RPTS Department
Job Titles
Some
students obtain positions which are titled “Intern” while others have various
titles which serve as their internships for RPTS 484
credit. If you are not
certain that a position will qualify for your internship, be sure to have it
approved by the Internship Coordinator before accepting the position.
It must be related to recreation, tourism, travel and/or parks, and
provide opportunities for you to apply the concepts you have learned through
RPTS coursework. In many instances, job
descriptions have some flexibility, and interns can focus on a project or
program of interest. You will need to discuss
your
interests and career direction
with your prospective employer if you would like to help shape your job
responsibilities. Some of the common job
titles interns have held are:
Event
Planner Park
Ranger
Backcountry
Fire Patrol Interpreter
Public Information
Specialist Guide
Game
Warden
Guest
Service/Host Park Planning
Intern
Research
Assistant Office Mgt. Intern
Operations/maintenance
Staff
Program Planner
Paid vs. Un-Paid
Internships
in which a student is primarily observing professionals while rotating through
different departments are sometimes unpaid, as are positions with a variety of
organizations which can provide great experience, but have no budget for
interns. If you are able to do an unpaid
internship, you will have a wider range of choices, but there are many paid
internships available as well. Some
sites offer housing, meals and other benefits.
It is your responsibility to negotiate the benefits of your internship
with your prospective employer.
Natural Resource Recreation and Conservation Option
This option equips students to balance use and protection
in natural places through a combined understanding of natural sciences, social
and behavioral sciences, policy and resource management. Students also develop
skills for assuming leadership, interpretive and administrative roles in a
variety of public and private organizations.
Organizations:
Adventure Outfitters
Bureau of Land Management
Conservation Agencies
Department of Defense
Ecotourism and Agro-tourism Companies
Environmental Education Centers
Guide Services
Museums, Arboreta, Zoos
National Park Service
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s)
State Park Systems
Student Conservation Association
Tour Operators
Recreation and Park Administration Option
This option emphasizes knowledge about planning, financing
and programming places and services.
Students develop skills for working with people, organizing activities
and managing programs in community settings.
Graduates assume leadership, supervisory and administrative roles across
a range of public and private agencies.
Organizations:
After-School Programs
Armed Forces Recreation Programs
Camps
Campus Recreation
Corporate Recreation Programs
Golf Courses
Museums
National Park Service
Religious Organizations
Retirement Communities
Scouts
Special Events Agencies
U.S. Forest Service
Youth Service Agencies
This
option provides an interdisciplinary approach to the management, development
and promotion of places and events as tourism attractions. Graduates assume roles in management, promotion,
marketing, public relations and sales in many employment arenas.
Organizations:
Adventure Outfitters
Airlines/Railway Companies
Amusement Parks
Campgrounds
Casinos
Chambers of Commerce
Convention and Visitors Bureaus
Cruise Lines
Economic Development Councils
Event/Catering/Festival Companies
Global Distribution/Reservation Systems
Golf Courses and
Health and Fitness Centers/Sports Clubs
Heritage Sites and Heritage Tourism Councils
Local and State Tourism and Convention Bureaus
Meeting and Convention Planners
Museums
National Park Service
Pro/Semi-Pro Sports Teams
Research and Consulting Companies
Resorts, Hotels and Vacation Communities
Skydiving Companies
Special Event and Festival Management Companies
Theme Parks
Tour Companies
Tourism Research and Consulting Companies
Travel Agencies
U.S. Forest Service
Visitor and Conference Centers
Wineries and Leisure Theme Restaurants
Finding the right position:
Search on-line, e-mail or phone network contacts and prospective employers...leave yourself plenty of time to find a great position!
You may wish to start with the following links:
Job Announcements Received by the RPTS Department