Young adults interested in learning a diverse range of job skills while working outdoors this summer can now apply for the B.C. Parks Student Ranger program.
Now in its second year, it provides training and employment opportunities in B.C.'s parks and protected areas. There are 48 openings for people ages 18 to 30 years old with a 30-per-cent Indigenous hiring target.
For the 2019 season, four crews of a dozen people will work in regions throughout the province on such efforts as ecosystem restoration, invasive species control, trail building and maintenance, and outdoor education.
Locations include Prince George, Fort St. John, Terrace, Bella Coola, Williams Lake, Manning Park, Cranbrook, Kamloops, Victoria (Goldstream Provincial Park), Black Creek (Miracle Beach Provincial Park), North Vancouver (Mount Seymour Provincial Park) and Sechelt (Porpoise Bay Provincial Park).
Crew lead positions begin May 13 and crew members begin May 26, wrapping up at the end of August.
Candidates must be enrolled in full-time studies in the past academic year with the intention of returning to full-time studies in the fall.
Applications will be accepted until Feb. 24 and are available at www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/employment/student-ranger/.
The Student Ranger Program was the first program established with proceeds from the sales of BC Parks specialty licence plates. So far, nearly 130,000 licence plates have been sold, generating $4.14 million towards protecting and preserving provincial parks.
