Indian Youth Service Corps

Grow Your Career. Protect Cultural and Natural Resources.

The Indian Youth Service Corps provides you paid experience and meaningful education, employment, and training opportunities through conservation projects on public and Indian lands – placing you on a path to a Federal career. 

Eligibility

• You must be between the ages of 16 and 30, or up to 35 years old if you are a veteran.

• Indian youth receive preference.

Benefits

• Receive hands-on training opportunities in a variety of career fields while earning a stipend, living allowance or wage.

• Gain skills necessary to embark on a path to a rewarding career, either in the public or private sector.;

• Work 640 hours (about 4 months) to earn a 2-year non-competitive hiring authority. This authority gives you an advantage when applying for job opportunities with the Forest Service and other federal agencies.

Project Types

• Trail building 

• Reforestation 

• Landscape and seascape conservation that protects species and ecosystems 

• Invasive species removal 

• Erosion control 

• Fire fuels reduction and wildfire protection 

• Wildlife surveys 

• Habitat restoration 

• Farming and gardening 

• Water and soil sampling 

• Historic structures and artifacts preservation 

• Restoration and rehabilitation of facilities 

• Interpretive services (traditional ecological knowledge input) 

• Tribal relations management 

• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) work 

Program Length

At least 4 months in length. You must work 640 hours to earn a Public Lands Corps non-competitive hiring authority. 

Contact Information

For more information about the program, contact a partnership specialist.

Contact a partnerships specialist

Ways to Apply

1. Most opportunities are offered through partner organizations. Visit Find a Conservation Corps to search for partners who are working in locations best for you.

2. Visit the Conservation Corps website and browse job openings. Be sure to select the age option that is most appropriate for you.

3. Some Forest Service offices hire youth in the local community to support project work in the summer. Use the Find a Forest tool to find an office location near you to see if they have any opportunities.

4. Check out opportunities with the following organizations:

• Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps

• Lomakatsi’s Inter-Tribal Indian Youth Service Corps

Program Completion: Next Steps

If you work 640 hours in the program, you can earn a Public Land Corps non-competitive hiring authority. This gives you an advantage when competing for career opportunities with the Federal government.