Job fair offers chance to work during games

UNIVERSITY PARK — Wouldn’t it be nice to get paid to go to every Penn State football home game this season?

Craig Houtz

Ray Gardner, left, one of four parking supervisors, describes parking attendant duties at Beaver Stadium during a job fair on Saturday, July 18, 2009. The event was held for informational and training sessions for people wanting to work home Penn State football games as gate attendants, ushers, parkers, club and suite staff.

View larger

• Young Lions still learning at skill positions
• Kenney commits to PSU
• Artists capture the brotherhood

In exchange for a little labor, of course.

“Yeah, but it’s definitely better than working somewhere else,” said 16-year-old State College Area High School junior Runbo Li, filling out his application to work at Beaver Stadium this season.

It takes more than 2,000 people to keep the stadium running during football games — between parking, ushering, security and gates and more.

The concession stands are usually manned by groups who get a stipend for their work.

But the rest of the jobs are just hard-working individuals, said assistant athletic director Dave Baker.

And while in the past the job opportunities have spread mostly by word of mouth, Baker said, “A lot of people don’t even know we have jobs available,” so the university held the first stadium job fair this year and about 150 people lined up at 9 a.m.

“I’d be really sweet because I’d get to experience a game like every weekend for free,” Li said.

Otherwise, he said he would probably only make it to one, maybe two, a year. But it’s not all glamorous.

“I run lots 10, 11 and 12,” said Gary Way, who has been working as a parking supervisor for several years.

“And the main job is getting the cars parked — as early as 5:30 a.m. It’s an early getup.”

Way said he looks for punctual people, “willing to work.”

“Some just don’t want to work,” he said. “They’re here for the game only, and you can understand some of that, but you need to have a little bit of responsibility.”

If Li gets the job, it would be his first, and he said he’ll probably spend the extra cash on video games.

But for many in line, it’s more about the income than it is about the football.

“I just need money,” said Chris Walk, applying to be a parking attendant.

State College resident Nancy Willis said if she doesn’t get this job, she’ll be looking for another one to “pick up some extra cash.”

“I’m looking for other ones,” she said. “But it sounds like fun.”

Willis admits she’s a Blue Band fan, and it’d be nice to be part of the atmosphere. She’d like to work as club suite staff, but she’d take any job.

“It’s not about the football,” Willis said. “I like people, I love meeting people. It’s more about getting out of the house.”

Sara Ganim can be reached at 231-4616.