LOS ALAMITOS, CA — Parks, Recreation, and Marine department of Long Beach oversees over 170 public parks. Last week, Mrs. Barton, Los Alamitos High School’s College and Career counselor, sent out an email that advertised open positions for Long Beach Parks and Recreation. 

Not only does Parks and Recreation oversee parks and public spaces, they run hundreds of programs that offer a multitude of services to the community, including community centers, senior center, summer camps, public pools, homeless shelters, music classes, and much more.

“We are currently hiring part-time positions for the following programs: Day Camp, Summer Fun, Be SAFE, Aquatics, Afterschool, Older Adult Programs, and Youth Sports,” shared Andrea Lain-Ruffino, Community Services Supervisor at El Dorado Park.

A full list of all the available programs, along with a thorough description of each, is available here.

“You will gain valuable skills that can be used in many different careers,” Lain-Ruffino said about the job. “Working with the participants we serve gives you a sense of community.”

“Most positions [offered] are entry level,” she added, which means that working in the department would be a great first job. However, the positions are only for people 16 years or older. Anyone younger can apply to be a Teen Volunteer. Teen Volunteers can get 250 hours during the summer, and the experience would be great training for a future position in the department.

For students sixteen and older, working for the department will allow them to earn a variety of skills that are extremely useful across all disciplines of the American workplace.

“Customer Service skills, new games, new crafts, sportsmanship, teamwork, socialization, how to handle difficult situations, etc.,” said Lain-Ruffino.

A common question from new-hires is what the schedule looks like. Schedule flexibility depends on the site and the program. Lain-Ruffino shared some examples:

Day Camp: You could be scheduled any hours between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. during the ten-week program.  You will also have to attend trainings before summer begins.

Youth Sports Coach: Practices are held Monday through Friday evenings at the park. You coach for one to two days a week and games are held on Saturdays.

Be SAFE Program Staff: This program runs during the summer for ten weeks and the hours are 5 p.m. to 8 p.m..

More information on program hours can be found on the Long Beach Parks and Recreation website.

“You never know where your part-time position will lead to. I started as a Day Camp counselor 25 years ago, and here I am now the Community Services Supervisor of the park I started at,” Lain-Ruffino said.

Find more information about how to apply here.

Hopefully, many Griffins are looking to find their first jobs as several businesses prepare for the spike in commerce as summer draws closer.  The department of Parks, Recreation, and Marine is one of several community services that are in need of new employees.