This Summer, Indianapolis Youth Can Earn, Learn, and Grow in Green Careers

By: Jeremy Kranowitz

Every summer, something powerful happens across Indianapolis.

Teens and college students step into parks, neighborhoods, medians, and waterways, not just as volunteers, but as paid professionals helping our city thrive.

Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB), in partnership with the City of Indianapolis, is now hiring for our 2026 summer workforce programs. These paid positions give young people hands-on experience in urban forestry, habitat restoration, and environmental sustainability while earning income and building real-world skills.

These aren’t just summer jobs. They’re pathways into green careers.

Youth Tree Team: A First Job with Real Impact

For high school students age 14 and up, the Youth Tree Team (YTT) offers a seven-week paid summer job caring for trees throughout Indianapolis.

Youth Tree Team Members:

• Earn $13/hour
• Work June 8–July 23, Monday–Thursday
• Maintain trees in parks, neighborhoods, and medians
• Participate in weekly enrichment activities focused on personal and professional development

Participants receive daily lunch and may access – on a limited basis – free IndyGo Summer Youth Bus Passes to ensure transportation isn’t a barrier.

Youth Tree Team members learn:

• Tree care and maintenance
• Teamwork and leadership
• Data collection and accountability
• Professional communication

And they leave the summer with confidence, connections, and skills that translate far beyond the field.

Applications must be submitted by April 1, 2026.

Leaders-in-Training: Growing Into Leadership

Returning Youth Tree Team participants can apply to become Leaders-in-Training (LITs).

LITs:

• Earn $14/hour
• Mentor peers
• Support crew leaders
• Develop leadership and responsibility skills

This role bridges the gap between participant and leader, helping teens see themselves as mentors and changemakers.

Urban Naturalists: College Students Exploring Environmental Careers

For college students and recent graduates, KIB’s Urban Naturalist program offers a professional development experience rooted in environmental work.

Urban Naturalists:

• Earn $17/hour
• Work mid-May through early August
• Maintain native landscapes and green stormwater infrastructure
• Remove invasive species
• Support habitat restoration projects
• Participate in weekly enrichment and networking opportunities with environmental professionals

Urban Naturalists gain exposure to careers in:

• Urban forestry
• Landscape architecture
• Environmental science
• Green infrastructure
• Sustainability planning

It’s hands-on experience that helps clarify career paths while improving neighborhoods across Indianapolis.

Growing the City and the Workforce

Through partnership with the City of Indianapolis and community stakeholders, KIB’s youth workforce programs strengthen both neighborhoods and the next generation of leaders.

Every tree watered.
Every native plant installed.
Every stormwater planter maintained.

That work makes Indianapolis cooler, cleaner, and more resilient.

But just as important, it shows young people that they belong in the future of our city.

“Young people aren’t just the future of Indianapolis — they’re shaping it right now,” said Jeremy Kranowitz, President & CEO of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful. “In partnership with the City of Indianapolis, we’re investing in youth while strengthening our neighborhoods. Participants gain hands-on experience in green careers, and they leave the summer with real skills, confidence, and purpose.”

Apply Today

If you’re a high school student looking for your first job, a returning participant ready to lead, or a college student interested in environmental careers, we invite you to apply.

Let’s grow something beautiful together.

Categories: News & Features, Urban Naturalists, Youth Tree Team