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City of New York, Parks & Recreation; Micheal R. Bloomberg, Mayor; Adrian Benepe, Commissioner

Work with Parks > Parks Opportunity Program

Parks Opportunity Program

Parks Opportunity Program participants

With approximately 2,500 trainees working in New York City’s parks, playgrounds, and recreation centers, the Parks Opportunity Program (POP) is one of the nation’s largest transitional employment programs. In preparation for private sector careers, POP trainees gain transferable skills in a number of fields.

In addition to maintaining high-quality parks and playgrounds throughout the city, trainees receive employment services, classroom training, and career counseling. POP actively anticipates and responds to changing market needs by creating individual program tracks to match trainees to jobs in growing industries. POP has established specialty training programs that focus on disconnected youth (ages 18-24), non-custodial fathers, as well as participants interested in horticulture and emerging green sectors.

Since its inception in 1994, POP’s six-month training program has placed over 11,000 trainees into full-time positions.

Parks Opportunity Program
Arsenal West
24 West 61st Street, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10023
(212) 830-7754 (phone)
(212) 830-7791 (fax)

A Note for Job Seekers

In order to participate in the Parks Opportunity Program and get assistance with your job search, you must be on public assistance, and you must be referred to POP by HRA. Please contact your HRA case worker for referral to our program. Unfortunately, we cannot accept resumes or inquiries without referral from an HRA case worker.

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