Types of Campground Workamping Jobs
Workamping is an excellent way to make money while you travel but its important to remember that you are indeed working while you camp. That’s why it’s a great idea to find a workamping position that you love! Below is a list of just a few of the more common workamping positions you can expect to find when you begin your search for the perfect fit.
Camp Host
Probably one of the most common types of workamping assignments is Camp Hosting. This type of work is often very broad and encompasses the park as a whole. Many Camp Hosting jobs happen in State Parks but are a great option for smaller campgrounds that do not need the same type of substantial workforce many larger resorts and parks require.
As a Camp Host you can often expect to be a go to contact for any guest staying at the park.
In fact, you may be the only one staying at the park with any connection to the management. Being the main resource of the campground, your duties will often require you to be flexible to many different tasks.
These tasks included (but of course are not limited to) registering guests and informing them of park rules, selling products like ice and firewood, maintaining RV and tent sites, enforcing any policies, and cleaning restroom facilities. Every park is different in what their needs are but these are the most commonly requested responsibilities.
Some Camp Host positions require you to volunteer for your site, meaning the hours you put into the park go toward your site only. Most State Parks require at least 15-25 hours per week for your site. If that seems manageable for you, go for it! It’s a great opportunity. But it is possible to find locations that don’t require such an intensive schedule.
I was lucky enough to find a Hosting opportunity in a small town in California that afforded plenty of free time. For only two weeks a month, alternating with another Camp Host, I checked bathrooms between housekeeping schedules, walked the park to inspect any changes, and made myself available in case anything was to arise (which it barely did).
The perk, for the other two weeks I was off, my time was completely my own. For income, I worked in town at a local shop, offering me a wonderful chance to get to know and get involved with the local community.
Ranger
Ranger positions are a lot like Camp Hosting in that they require you to be versatile in the duties you perform at the park because Rangers are often asked to fill in where needed. Cleaning restrooms and cabins, picking up sites, maintaining park facilities, completing projects like painting or repair, and overall, just being ready to respond when something needs attending.
But it is also the main duty of the Ranger to check in guests and enforce campground rules.
Again, each park has its own set of needs, but as a Ranger, you are the enforcer of campground policies and like Camp Hosting, the go to liaison of the park. Unlike Camp Hosting in State Parks where guests come and go often and less management is required, Rangers are often considered security and should be prepared to offer that type of response. A Ranger is more like the neighborhood watch, greeting guests but also making sure everyone is getting along well enough.
The cool thing about being a Ranger and being more involved in the park is that you often get to meet guests and offer direct help.
This encourages a deep sense of community in getting to know visitors, their families, and even their pets. In turn, guests feel a sense of security getting to know you as well.
Another reward is that you gain a fast acting and adaptable skillset. Being ready to take on any challenge or at least coordinating the right people to do so is a major part of being a Ranger. This fast-acting position allows for you to expand your knowledge of daily campground procedures.
Front Desk and Guest Registration
Like Rangering and Camp Hosting, this position focuses on checking in guest and making sure they are aware of park details. Unlike these other positions, this will pretty much be your main focus. And although you may be asked to do some light cleaning or maintaining of gift shops, this is mostly an office position and great for someone who enjoys desk work.
But unlike a quiet office tucked behind a cubicle somewhere, the Front Desk Agent is constantly engaging with guests from all over the world, depending on where you are stationed.
Because you will be preforming office type duties, you should prepare to know the ins and outs of scheduling programs, cashiering systems, and phone etiquette. But you should also prepare to inform guests about the local area, assign or adjust sites, and provide overall outstanding customer service.
As the person who registers guests into park you are their first and main source of communication. It is important to, not only be knowledgeable about the local area but know the park and its procedures in detail. As a Front Desk Agent myself, some days I could expect to get more than forty or so guests checking in and on holidays, even more. When six of those forty decide to show up all at once, its important to be on your feet and ready to respond to any questions you are presented with.
The best part of this position is all the guests you get to meet on a regular basis.
Of course, this experience may be different for everyone as location does matter, but often with the guest registration position you are constantly engaging with guests and visitors from all over the world.
But even if you settle for a small-town resort, as the Front Desk management you will never miss an opportunity to greet and serve guests.
Housekeeping
Housekeeping may not be as upfront as Guest Services, but it is an integral part of the function of any RV Park. Not only do customers expect to be greeted warmly, they also expect facilities to be clean and well maintained. Housekeeping staff are another big reason people keep coming back.
Bathrooms, showers, common areas, and cabins are all high use areas that require an immense attention to detail. And when you work at a busy park, consistent attention to detail is required as areas get used repeatedly throughout the day. A housekeeping position is great for someone who likes to be on the move and is comfortable bending, lifting, and carrying.
Another, not so pleasant but realistic part of housekeeping is that you are truly cleaning up after people and should be prepared for whatever comes your way. I will spare you the gory details but even just being cross-trained in housekeeping I have come across some messy jobs.
From bathroom catastrophes to heavily used cabins, Housekeepers are the unsung heroes of any park. Doing the dirty jobs and making sure park facilities are kept clean and functional. But that is why this position is also a very gratifying one. You get to see your work come to life in pristine countertops, well folded towels, and sparkly clean tiled floors.
Maintenance and Landscaping
Unlike the last four positions, these next two jobs may require more specialized certification. Maintenance, like housekeeping, is also behind the scenes work that is so very important to how the park runs and functions. Electrical issues, water pipe problems, and site clearing are all duties that call a maintenance person to action.
The key to this, however, is that these functions often require specialized training or even certification. Are you a retired electrician or someone who is handy with power tools? Do you have the necessary training to deal with an electrical outage? Can you operate heavy machinery, or lift and bend on a daily basis? Then the maintenance position is a great chance for you to continue in a trade that you love while also providing for the park in such a valuable way.
Landscaping also goes hand in hand with maintenance, being that most RV parks are surrounded by manicured lawn spaces. Trimming, mowing, planting, watering, so much goes into making sure the grounds look clean and beautified.
So, if you’re the type that loves to be outdoors working with your hands to beautify an environment, this is a position to look out for.
Obviously with a job so specialized as maintenance and landscaping the first step is to decide if you are even qualified. And above all are you willing to manage any problems that may arise as they often do unexpectedly. Some things can be trained, of course, but if you have all these skills and some of the certification that comes with it, you have found your perfect match in the Maintenance/Landscaping portion of Workamping.
Activities and Administrative Work
This next category is considered specialized because one, not every park offers this type of position, and two, not everyone is equipped for this type of office work, and it often requires previous knowledge or experience.
Activities are often a great way for a campground or RV park to get their visitors involved and engaged. Oftentimes, a park is full of kids looking for things to do and parents who are happy to participate in anything that keeps their kids occupied.
That’s where Activity Assistance comes in to save the day.
Setting up games, projects, and activities for park guests to enjoy is the main focus of this position. Having a background in scheduling, event planning, or the like is a huge plus as this job requires a lot of preparation and collaboration before an activity can be offered. Not only is it helpful to have a creative mind, it also helps to know how to coordinate vendors and budget supplies.
Like the Activities position, and Administrative Assistant also needs to have a background in specialized office work. Creating park documentation, managing spreadsheets, updating employee databases, and even creating conducive employee schedules are all things that may be asked of an Admin Assistant.
And again, while any job allows for a certain amount of training, already having a experience in office work is very helpful when considering this position for workamping.
So, if you enjoy involved desk duties or have a knack for creating events, these two positions are something to consider when searching for a workamping job. They are an excellent way to exercise office skills while going a few steps above the fairly routine work of a Front Desk Clerk or Cashiering.
Before you begin your search for a workamping job it’s easy to think that positions will be limited. In your own camping experience, you may have only noticed the person that greeted you. Depending on the park, you may have found your site with no interaction at all. But the truth is that there are usually a whole team of people working to create a wonderful guest experience. With this list you can begin to see all the potential job offerings workamping can provide. So, think about the type of work you enjoy and find a workamping site that allows you to do just that!
