Before we began traveling full-time in our RV, we had never heard of workamping. Just like it sounds, workamping is a combination of working and camping. There are so many options: the work can be part- or full-time; you can volunteer or get paid. If you do get paid, compensation might be in the form of a salary or hourly wage or it could be a free campsite with utilities, Wi-Fi, and laundry, or both. The great thing about workamping is that you have the freedom to go wherever you want and to stay as long as you want. You can explore new places, learn new skills, and meet and work with new people.* Many workampers are retired travelers, but more families and younger couples are also embracing the concept of living and working while on the road.
*Since this is our first time workamping, many thanks to friends Steve and Joan for providing pictures from their workamping adventures!
So what types of jobs can you do as a workamper? Being a campground host is one of the most prevalent jobs, but there are many more experiences available to those who do a little planning and research. Some examples of other places that use workampers are national and state parks, US Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, amusement and water parks, farms and ranches, oil fields, animal shelters, golf courses, and resorts. Some of the biggest workamper employers are warehouse fulfillment centers like Amazon and JC Penney, who use seasonal help to manage the huge volume of orders during the holiday season.
We had first looked at Amazon, but after talking to someone who had done both Amazon and J.C. Penney, we decided J.C. Penney might be a better fit for us. The dates were more flexible, the campground stipend was better, there were more campground options, we got a great employee discount at the store or online, and the people were great to work with—I think we made the right choice! We drove to Reno, Nevada, in mid-September and got settled in at Bordertown RV Resort. This campground was well maintained, peaceful, and only 8 miles from work. We met some great fellow workampers there and were also able to carpool to work.
The process of getting hired at J.C. Penney was pretty straightforward. We filled out an application online and were contacted by the HR department soon after. A background check and drug test are required before being hired. Once completed, we attended a one-day orientation session where we filled out paperwork, received safety instructions, and had a tour of the facility. We also learned a little about the company and the philosophy of James Cash Penney. His first dry goods and clothing store was called “The Golden Rule,” as he believed that principle applied to all aspects of life. Building on the legacy of doing what is right and just, the company is committed not only to its workers but also to being a good corporate citizen through support of environmental, social and ethical initiatives. We were amazed to learn of employees that have been with the company for 20, 30, and even 40 years!
I can’t show any pictures or give too many specific details due to proprietary rules of the company, but I can give you an idea of our experiences. We worked 4 days a week from 5:00am until 3:30pm and got two 15-minute breaks and a 30-minute lunch each day. The facility is very large, encompassing over 1.6 million square feet so you can do a lot of walking. It’s so big that supervisors ride bicycles to get around! We learned how merchandise is received, scanned, sorted, and sent out to department stores around the country as well as to individuals who order over the internet. We did several different jobs but mostly worked at the conveyor belts and were involved with the sorting process. It was a very interesting experience as I had never seen the inside of a factory before. It certainly is a well-oiled machine to handle hundreds of thousands of items each day!
We met so many nice people while working at the J.C. Penney Logistics Center. It can be grueling work to stand for 10 hours each day and do the same tasks over and over, but they are very good at their jobs. The Reno location hires around 200 seasonal workers to help with the Christmas rush and workampers are a part of that help. We felt very welcomed and appreciated as employees, even though our stay was only for a few months. The company does a great job with morale and incentives: there were contests, holiday decorations, goodies, and rewards.
Overall, I would say this first experience with workamping was a positive one for many reasons. We were able to save up the money to pay for our upcoming 63-day tour of Alaska, we met great people and learned many new things at J.C. Penney, we have lots of new workamper friends and learned so much from their experiences, and we saw a new part of the country (read about Reno here). It was different for us to be “worker-bees” rather than in a leadership role, but it was kind of freeing to not have that responsibility. You could get overtime hours if you wanted them and the supervisors were flexible if you had any issues.
The negatives were adjusting to working a 10-hour day… on our feet… on concrete floors (being older and retired for a year, this was a big deal!). One factory rule is no sitting unless you are on break or at lunch. We were also used to being able to go home at lunch from our previous jobs to take care of our 2 elderly dogs, but there was not time to do that here. I used Rover.com and found two awesome dog walkers who took great care of our fur-babies during our workdays. Finally, we also had to deal with snow for a few weeks in December.
We would recommend J.C. Penney as a great place to workamp. We have heard that more locations will be opening to workampers in the next year, part-time options will also be available if you don’t or can’t work 10 hours a day, and the hourly wage will be increasing. It’s definitely worth checking out! They will have representatives at Quartzite RV Rally in January 2020 or you can contact the HR department in Reno using Renojobs-dl@jcp.com if you want more info….tell them Robin sent you😊.
I’m glad you had a good experience with workamping. I learned a lot with your posts. I look forward to hearing about you Alaska trip. Be cautious but have fun.
Thanks, Pam. We are looking forward to the Alaska trip!
Wow! That sounds really interesting! But I can empathize with the “after” picture! I bet it was exhausting at first…good shoes must! Hope you had a great Christmas…Happy New Year!!
Hi Susan. Yes, we realized that we liked retirement much better than working 40 hours a week, but it was a very interesting experience. We had a nice Christmas and hope yours was as well. We have a few more weeks at home before we hit the road again.
Even though we talked each week while y’all been RVing and on the Reno experience, I’m amazed at all you’ve seen and done. I’m glad you’re also doing the blog because we get to enjoy it too.🥰
Thanks, it has been an easy way to share with family and friends. It’s also a great way to preserve our memories for us too!
I am amazed! I remember my first few days at work when I was 18! I worked for an orthodontist and we stood the entire day, also. I thought I would cry that first week! I can’t imagine doing that now! You two are truly living the life in retirement! Can’t wait to read your next post!!!
Hi Jacki, My feet were so sore for the first several weeks! I did finally adjust, but 10 hour days are still looonnngg. Hope y’all had a great Christmas. We have a few more weeks at home and then we will hit the road again. Thanks for following along with us:)
WOW! Very interesting news! I had no idea this type of employment was available. What a perfect fit for you two. So are you taking the RV to Alaska? I am curious how that would happen… Can’t wait for that blog post too.
Hi Sandi, We didn’t know much about workamping either, but there are many opportunities out there. Our trip to Alaska is a guided caravan tour with 20 RVs, so yes we will take the motorhome. I was a little nervous about going on our own since many areas are pretty isolated, so I feel better knowing we will be with a group. They plan and take care of everything for you–campgrounds, routes, gas stops, and sightseeing opportunities!
I’ve been curious about your experience and enjoyed your write-up. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Pam. It was quite a different adventure but we are glad we experienced it! Going on our Alaska trip without having to dip into savings will be a great benefit of all our hard work:)
What month did you apply before showing up in September?
Hi Stephanie. I think we started the process about this time last year, but they hired people throughout the spring. If you are interested, I would start the inquiries as soon as you can. The people there were great to work for:)