Best Outdoor Education Internship in Southern California

The unemployment rate is declining as the labor market strengthens. Not everyone dreams of landing into an office job. Some people are looking for a career that won’t require them to sacrifice their love of the outdoors.  Read to the end to get all the info you need to secure the best outdoor education internship.

Is an Outdoor Education Career for You?

Maybe you’re one of those people looking for a job that provides a change in scenery and has a growing earnings potential. The good news is that there are plenty of outdoor careers that require you to spend most of your working hours, if not all, outside an office. The biggest challenge is how do you get to know that you fit in an outdoor job.

Use the following checklist to know whether an outdoor education job is for you or not.

  • Do you like to be active instead of sitting at an office desk?
  • Do you appreciate feeling connected to nature?
  • Do you like interacting with people of all kind?
  • Do you like experiencing changing seasons?
  • Do you see yourself in a role that isn’t connected to a computer?
  • Are you excited about the ability to be different every day?

Getting Started in Outdoor Education

Don’t know where to begin? Here are some handy pointers.

Plan ahead

The changing seasons affect outdoor activities making many outdoor education jobs seasonal. In many companies and organizations, hiring for summer positions begins in winter. Winter positions begin the process in the summer, etc. To get an opportunity, you must apply on time.

Identify Your Goal

Before applying for any outdoor education internship, you need to have an idea about what you want. You should research on where you want to work and only apply for an internship with experience in your chosen field. For example, at Pali Institute, we work exclusively with students.

If you are not comfortable with sharing your love of the outdoors with children and young adults, this may not be the experience for you.  Applying for a wrong type of internship can turn the entire experience disappointing

Your future lifestyle can also help you select the best opportunity for you.  Do you want a career where you will stay in one place for years or a seasonal job that gives you time to trips and vacations in the offseason?

Assess Your Skills

Which skills do you have? The skills you have can help you decide the industry to venture in. Do you have all the required skills?

Many of the entry-level positions in outdoor education don’t require immediate expertise.  You can get a real leg-up on the competition with a well-thought-out internship. Go for the on-the-job training opportunities and volunteer assignments to get experience.

In most cases, companies and organizations employ people they can trust, if you do a great job and your supervisors get to realize they may end up hiring you.

How to Find the Best Outdoor Education Internship for You

Research your specific interests and direction on the internet. Some of the best sites to start with include:

  • The Student Conservation Association
  • Conservation Job Board
  • Association of Experiential Education’s Jobs Clearinghouse
  • OutdoorEd.com
  • NOLS Job Network

Many outdoor education internships have minimum educational qualifications. In fact,  requirements may exceed those for office jobs. Summer internships and wilderness education jobs are among the many outdoor careers available to escape the office.

Places the Best Outdoor Education Internship Can Lead You

Are you dreaming of spending your career rafting in whitewater, wrangling horses or going for an adventure? You can take that as an opportunity to start working outdoors. There are several outdoor jobs awaiting you in places like:

Rafting Companies

Do you like spending most of your time in the rivers? Rafting companies are looking for people like you to fill different positions such as dispatch and transportation, guiding, food and customer service. Working in a rafting company gives you a chance for free river trips and training.

National and State Parks

National parks offer jobs in different disciplines such as geoscience, history and culture and natural resources. Working in a park lets you take advantage of free flightseeing trips, free bus rides to the park, tours, and rafting.

Water Parks

Due to the higher temperatures in summer, water parks receive people in droves. In this season parks need more attendants, admission and customer service workers. Working at a water park often lets you use skills in water sporting activities such as swimming and diving.

Theme Parks

Working in theme parks such as Disney Parks lets you take advantage of incentives such as free admission to the park and other parks and discounts to merchandise and food.

Hiking and Guiding Companies

Working for a guiding and hiking company offers great experiences like meeting and interacting with people from all over the world and seeing spectacular places up close. You will be paid to explore the world. Your duty is to guide people into the wilderness expeditions.

Golf  and Tennis  Facilities

The golf course and tennis courts are one of the most expensive sporting venues.  Working here gives you a chance to improve your game for free, and shop discounts.  In summer, courses look for additional shop employees, candies, maintenance crew, and food service staff.

Educational Institutions and Museums

One of the biggest perks of an internship with an educational program like Pali institute’s is gaining teaching experience as well as a healthy dose of the outdoors. Working in educational institutions, camps and museums often allow you to take advantage of reciprocal agreements to visit other institutions, a living wage, plus education benefits.

Create Your Career Map Today

Finding a job in the outdoor industry is in many ways similar to the other fields. A good resume, skill building, and networking will help you in creating your career path. Build your skills based on the directions you want to take and navigate with confidence.

Be yourself and go for what you love. A great start is to explore your options with Pali Institute. We are looking for interns who love the outdoors, are passionate about sharing their knowledge and who love working with like-minded colleagues.

Learn more about joining us for an internship!