When you’re in college, summer is often a bittersweet experience. It’s easy to get stuck in limbo between life as a student and a full-time worker. Neither is easy, especially when friends and classmates post Instagram photos of vacations and other summer adventures. But summer work doesn’t have to be boring. It can provide you with opportunities to create lifelong memories that make your travel-bound friends envious.
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If you need to work over the summer but want to spice up your work life, you should consider a seasonal job in Alaska. Alaska summer jobs let you spend your work time traveling, exploring unearthly landscapes, and learning about new cultures, geography and wildlife.
In Alaska, you’ll discover Instagram-worthy destinations and a paycheck. Many of the seasonal positions you can apply for also teach “real-life” skills, offer opportunities to meet new people, and provide a worthy adventure along the way.
Below are some of the most popular summer jobs for college students in Alaska.
Baker
Your culinary expertise can always ferment and grow. By working as a baker at a top Alaska hotel, you’ll get to learn new techniques and expand your repertoire of baking recipes. Many of your main ingredients will be fresh-picked blackberries, blueberries, mossberries, salmon berries, and strawberries, which are often used in common Alaskan meals.
Cook
More than 1.93 million people visit Alaska each year, and they all need places to eat. If you want a fast-paced job where you’ll learn on your toes, working as a seasonal line cook may be an excellent option. You’ll assist the prep-cooks and assistant head chefs to cook delectable meals for hotel guests, passersbys, and coworkers. Most line cooks also learn to prepare some of Alaska’s most iconic dishes, including Chinook salmon and king crab.
Driver-Guide
Alaska is best known for two things: beautiful scenery and wildlife. If you want to combine these facets of the Alaskan experience, we recommend you consider a driver-guide seasonal job. As The role lets you transfer hotel guests and to-and-from their wilderness lodge. Along the way, you’ll point out features of the landscape and teach folks Alaska’s culture, wildlife, scenery and more. This is a great job for a good driver who has infectious enthusiasm.
Housekeeper
After a long travel day, little is more refreshing than flopping into a crisp, freshly made bed. If you have an eye for detail and a knack for cleaning, being part of the housekeeping staff could be up your alley.
Laundry Attendant
Laundry rooms have a zen state. Maybe it’s the unyielding thrumming of washers and dryers. Or perhaps it’s the smell of fresh linens. If you’d like a calmer summer job, a laundry attendant could be a good fit. As an attendant, you’ll clean bed sheets, linens, towels and other items. Plus, you’ll get to join in on some other housekeeping duties, too.
Logistics Clerk
If you’re studying accounting, hands-on experience is always invaluable for class and after graduation. As a transportation logistics clerk, you’ll develop exactly the kind of skills future employers are looking for: prioritizing work, meeting deadlines, maintaining an attention to detail, and working in a team or group environment. And your weekends are free for exploring!
Motor Coach Maintenance
Mechanics and engineers who love working with your hands and learning about machinery should consider a transportation maintenance job. In this role, you’ll be working on trains that operate across the entire state. As part of your daily duties, you’ll ensure the trains are in working condition while learning about mechanical and electrical principles from seasoned mechanics.
Railway Bartender
Are you drawn to things that are a little old-fashioned? Do you know how to make a delicious Old Fashioned (the cocktail)? If yes and yes, you’ll be a great fit as a railway bartender! There’s a special nostalgic magic to working on trains, especially when you’re tending bar. The tips are as good as the conversations, and you’ll have plenty of stories of your own after a summer riding the rails.
Don’t get bogged down by the same summer experience. Your college years should be spent learning, yearning for new experiences, and making valuable connections – professional and personal. A summer job in Alaska lets you escape the humdrum of your normal summer routine, get hands-on training in your chosen field, and walk away with a lifetime of photos and memories.
If you’re ready to learn how Alaska can change your life, take a look at our current job openings.