YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK LODGES SEEKING 2,600 SEASONAL EMPLOYEES FOR THIS SUMMER; SEQUESTRATION WILL HAVE NO IMPACT ON CONCESSIONER HIRING
Despite all the news about the potential impacts of sequestration on the national parks, Xanterra is planning to open facilities and services on schedule. In fact, Xanterra Parks & Resorts is looking for 2,600 great employees to fill positions for the summer season that runs late April through the third week in October.
“Every year we staff Yellowstone lodges, restaurants, gift shops and tours with dedicated employees from around the U.S. and the world and we draw from all walks of life, including teachers, students, veterans and retirees,” said Beth Casey, regional director of human resources for Xanterra in Yellowstone. “A summer job in Yellowstone can be a life-changing experience because employees can immerse themselves in a 2.2 million- acre playground in their off-hours, strike up friendships with people from around the world and play an important part in helping Yellowstone visitors develop an appreciation for the world’s first national park.”
Casey emphasized that all employees complete an extensive training program that teaches them not only the fundamentals of their jobs but also about their massive place of employment – its history, wildlife, geothermal features and Xanterra and National Park Service preservation initiatives.
“Helping our guests understand what they are seeing, from wildlife to wildflowers, is a major part of any position with Xanterra, and we encourage our employees to not only learn from the training materials and classes but also from their own after-hours experiences in the park,” said Casey. “Everyone from housekeepers to dining room hosts is trained that our dual priorities are the safety and comfort of our guests as well as ensuring our guests have a positive, fulfilling experience. Knowledge of the park is a job requirement no matter what the position. And with knowledge comes appreciation. When the season comes to an end, our employees depart as dedicated and life-long stewards of Yellowstone.”
Prospective employees can quickly learn about available positions and apply online at www.yellowstonejobs.com. The website lists both seasonal and year-round jobs and provides detailed information about housing, lifestyle and other topics of interest.
Many of the seasonal positions require little to no previous experience, so they are a good option for young people, many whose Yellowstone jobs will be their first employment experiences. There are also positions that require specific skills, such as wranglers, bus drivers and office positions.
Years ago, Xanterra drew mostly from the college student populations, but as the summer season has expanded Xanterra has found it necessary to tap other employee markets. The company is very interested in employing veterans – a recent job fair was dedicated exclusively to that population – as well as retirees. The U.S. employees come from around the country including nearby states of Idaho, Wyoming, Montana and Utah, as well as California, Texas and other states along the East and West Coasts.
Xanterra human resources professionals attend job fairs during the months leading up to the opening, with a special emphasis on fairs in Las Vegas, Southern states, Native American locations and culinary institutes throughout the U.S.
Employees live in housing – mostly dormitory style – supplied by Xanterra for a fee and have access to employee dining rooms, laundry and recreational facilities. Xanterra also has a limited number of recreational vehicle sites for employees who want to live in their own RVs.
Examples of seasonal positions presently available include front desk workers, servers, hosts, cooks, housekeeping supervisors and wranglers.
Xanterra is the long-time concessioner in Yellowstone, and the company was recently awarded the contract to operate the lodges, restaurants, gift stores and activities in the park for another 20 years. The company operates nine lodges with more than 2,000 rooms as well as foodservice facilities and tours and activities such as the popular Roosevelt Old West Dinner Cookout. Lodges open and close on a staggered schedule beginning the opening of Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel on May 3 and ending with the closure of Old Faithful Snow Lodge on Oct. 20.
For more information visit www.YellowstoneNationalParkLodges.com or call toll-free (1) 866-GEYSERLAND (1-866-439-7375) or (1) 307-344-7311.