Internship Opportunities

The City of San Diego Park and Recreation Department is made up of 1,400 employees who are responsible for 36,300 acres of open space, 177 playground sites, 190 neighborhood and community parks, 51 recreation centers, 25 miles of beaches and bay shorelines, 13 swimming pools that are open year round, 3 golf complexes and more.

Employees of the Park and Recreation Department welcome interns from local schools and from schools located in other cities, counties and states. In addition to catering to recreation, leisure and tourism majors, the department also offers internship opportunities to students interested in therapeutic recreation.

Internships are available year round and are designed to allow students the chance to:

Apply their academic course work to a hands-on practical experience
Gain exposure to people who provide high quality service to residents and visitors of all ages and abilities
Exchange ideas with professionals in the field
Become acquainted with local, state and national organizations that are in the parks and recreation "business," giving students the chance to expand their professional development
Complete assignments including special projects that contribute to possibilites for future job opportunities

Interns can apply any time by sending their resume and a letter of intent to:

Lucy M. Hernandez
Department Volunteer Program Coordinator
City of San Diego Park and Recreation Department
Community Parks II, MS 804-C
1250 Sixth Avenue, 4th floor, SD, CA 92101 (619) 685-1324, Fax: (619) 533-6725
E-mail My Park

Assignments will be based on the needs of the department and the intern's strengths and interests. Areas where interns can be assigned include:

Recreation Centers that need assistance with community outreach, special event planning and promotion, and sports league coordination
Senior Centers that need help with designing and delivering affordable and convenient services
Therapeutic Recreation Services staff who need support coordinating special events and leisure activities, for people with disabilities
Open space parks that need assistance with resource preservation activities including restoration projects
Administration and Management Offices that welcome input in strategic planning, methods of providing high quality service, staff training and development and marketing.

Interns are asked to work 20 - 30 hours a week which may include evenings and weekends. Internships are not paid as interns are considered volunteers. It is the philosophy of the City of San Diego Park and Recreation Department that the department and the student develop a partnership where staff share their education and experience so as to provide a valuable learning experience for the intern. In exchange, the intern enhances the department's programs by providing new ideas and suggestions. Together, staff and interns work toward the department's vision to enrich lives through quality parks and programs.