Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is offering Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) positions for young people ages 15 to 18 during the summer months in 2023. This year’s YCC program will last 8 weeks, starting on Tuesday, June 20 and continuing until Friday, August 11. YCC recruits work 40 hours a week, 7:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. each day, and are paid minimum wage, currently $13.25 per hour. They must be a permanent resident of the United States, its territories or possessions, and be able to provide their own transportation to work. The refuge plans to hire up to four (4) young people for this program.
The Youth Conservation Corps offers students the chance to learn a variety of skills in the great outdoors, get plenty of exercise, engage in teamwork, make new friends, accomplish goals, and learn about the natural world. YCC recruits will spend several paid hours each week participating in environmental education programs, getting to know the many different aspects of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Field trips to other refuges are also a possibility for Blackwater’s YCC team. Recruits will be provided with all necessary safety and work equipment, and will be under constant supervision of an adult YCC Leader or other refuge staff.
Youths interested in the YCC program can obtain an application from Ranger Tom Miller by calling 410-221-8156, or email [email protected]. Applications can be picked up and dropped off at the Blackwater Visitor Center on Key Wallace Drive, and are also available on the refuge’s website. Applications must be returned by Monday, May 1, 2023. YCC recruits will be randomly selected from applicants in early May. If more applications are received than positions available, students who did not get selected will become “alternates” in the event a selected applicant cannot work. After selections are made, recruits are required to meet with refuge staff to complete employment paperwork prior to the first day of work.
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, protects over 32,000 acres of rich tidal marsh, mixed hardwood and pine forest, managed freshwater wetlands and cropland for a diversity of wildlife. To learn more, visit our website at www.fws.gov/refuge/blackwater or @BlackwaterNWR.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.
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