News Release

Career Development Opportunities Available for High Schoolers via the Youth Conservation Corps

News Release Date: May 3, 2023

Contact: David Oechsli, 530-242-3425

Whiskeytown, CA - Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is delighted to announce that the application period for the Summer 2023 Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) has opened. Whiskeytown's YCC program is designed to provide young adults between the ages of 16 and 18 from Shasta County with an opportunity to gain invaluable experience in an outdoor environment. Participants will have the chance to work on maintenance projects influential to their local area.

Whiskeytown's YCC program is an opportunity for young adults to gain effective problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills to help them become better members of their community. It is also an excellent way to gain experience in a natural environment and to become a more environmentally conscious citizen. Many former members have continued their career in public service, and some are now National Park Service employees at Whiskeytown!

Dates of Program: June 27th to August 19th (excluding Monday July 4th).

Reporting Location: All participants must bring their own lunch and provide their own transportation to and from Park Headquarters, located at 14412 Kennedy Memorial Drive. Transportation will be provided from these locations to the various work sites each day.

Outlook/Responsibilities: There will be a total of six applicants split into two crews of three. Participants will engage in hard physical work that may be difficult and repetitive. They will hike long distances over steep and rugged terrain and may be exposed to insects, poison oak, adverse weather, and difficult working conditions. Shirts, gloves, and other required protective equipment will be provided.

Hours of Work: Enrollees will start at 7:00 am and end at 5:30 pm, Tuesday to Friday, starting and ending at the reporting location.

Salary: Enrollees will be paid the California minimum wage of $15.50 per hour for a 40-hour work week.

Description of Work: This is the ideal opportunity for young adults to develop their skills and gain work experience in a fun and interactive environment during their summer. Projects are geared toward construction, maintenance, and refurbishment of front-country trails, bridges, park benches, etc. Other work involves lake-based projects including assisting with the repair, replacement, and maintenance of buoys, docks, and wave attenuators. Through this program, young adults will develop a wide range of technical and interpersonal skills which will provide them with a strong foundation for a career in public service.

How to enroll: Youth meeting these qualifications should complete a YCC application form and email the form to [e-mail] or return it in person to Whiskeytown National Recreation Area NO LATER than May 30th. The application form is available in a fillable PDF by clicking on this application link.

Both the signature of the applicant and a parent or guardian is required. This can be done either electronically or by printing the completed form and then signing. Applications returned to Whiskeytown National Recreation Area are only for the Whiskeytown program; to apply to programs with other parks or agencies you must submit your application to them directly.

For application questions or job questions concerning the YCC program at Whiskeytown, please contact David Oechsli at 530-945-6123 or [e-mail]. 

For media inquiries about Whiskeytown's YCC program, please contact Scott Einberger at 530-242-3450 or [e-mail]. 
 

About Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. Whiskeytown is one of approximately 425 parks within the U.S. National Park System. Whiskeytown National Recreation Area was established in 1965 to protect Whiskeytown Lake and surrounding habitat and to provide outdoor recreation opportunities for the people of the United States. The park protects a diversity of plants and animals and preserves cultural history of the Wintu People and California Gold Rush. Whiskeytown is visited by around one million people each year. For more information, visit our website or connect with us on Facebook.