Teens looking for a first summer job? The state Department of Ecology is hiring



SEATTLE -- Looking for a productive way to get teens out of the house this summer? How about a job?

The Washington State Department of Ecology is hiring around 300 teens from across the state for summer work as part of the Ecology Youth Crops.

Teens earn $12 an hour for the part-time work, mostly cleaning up trash along the state's roadways. More than 12 million pounds of trash is dumped annually on roadways in the state, according to the DOE.

The program is open to anyone aged 14 to 17. For many, it's a great way to get a resume started.

"For most of our teenagers it's their first job that they can put on their resume probably for their life" said DOE spokesperson Larry Altose.

In 2018, youth core workers picked up more than 1 million pounds of litter. The job has been in place since 1975.

It's no guarantee to get in, however. Around 2,000 students apply for the few hundred open positions.

The deadline for job applications is in early April. For more information on how to apply, visit the Department of Ecology's website.