Cultural Resources Youth Employment Programs

Woman with brown skin and hair wearing glasses and gloves is restoring a sculpture — NCPE intern Maggie Curran
Courtesy of the U.S. Department of the Interior Museum

The Cultural Resources, Partnerships, and Science Directorate promotes inclusive historic preservation and diversity in the cultural resources workforce through youth program internships. CRPS administers internship programs that provide work experience with NPS units, programs, and other federal agencies. Interns' work varies from historical research and surveys for National Register documentation to archeological investigations, records, archives, and museum management. Paid internships are located across the country and are offered year-round.

To find out more about cultural resources in the NPS check out the Discover History page.

Woman with CRDIP shirt standing facing forward in the everglades wet lands — ACE CRDIP Intern Susana Perez at Everglades National Park
Courtesy of American Conservation Experience

Program Goals and Objectives

Provide paid work opportunities in the cultural resources fields to motivated students and recent graduates with a focus on recruiting students from backgrounds historically underrepresented in the National Park Service and cultural resources fields.
Introduce talented young adults to National Park Service staff and to each other.
Support mutual goals of NPS and emerging professionals.

About Programs

Man with brown skin and hair wearing glasses and gloves works on a project with paper tools and scissors — NCPE intern Anthony Wilson
Courtesy of the U.S. Department of the Interior Museum

Testimonials

“I love research because it’s a lot like detective work. Finding the stories and then figuring out a creative way to tie them to a historic place is such a unique challenge and I love that we get to shed a light on the different NPS preservation and partner programs” – Jade Ryerson, American Conservation Experience (ACE) Resource Assistant at the NPS Cultural Resources Office of Interpretation and Education (CROIE)

“I think my younger self would be proud to see I have found the perfect career to bridge all my interests. I get to be outdoors for most of the time, I am directly involved in the stewardship of our nation's National parks cultural history, and am at the forefront of social change within the field of archaeology” – Alexa Kareliz Olivares, American Conservation Experience (ACE) Cultural Resources Diversity Intern at the George Washington Memorial Parkway

“My NCPE internship has given me the opportunity to take a deep dive into the treasure trove of books, papers, and artifacts that shine a light on the history of this significant place. Basically, I research, a lot! It’s like solving a mystery. I search online resources, make calls to historical archives, and look at objects in our collection to find new pieces to put together the puzzle of the past. Every day at my job it feels like I am constantly “rediscovering” the world around me” – Daniel Anekelea Hübner, National Council for Preservation Education (NCPE) intern at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park