The Work Buzz's Latest News: 6 behind-the-scenes ballpark jobs

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6 behind-the-scenes ballpark jobs Posted: 04 Apr 2012 08:14 AM PDT There's really nothing like being at a ballpark. The excitement of the crowd as the home team hits a home run. The roar of fans as they sway back and forth, singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." The calls of food vendors walking up and down the aisles, selling beer, cotton candy and peanuts. Yes, it's that time of the year — baseball season is back in full swing. And while the baseball players are the stars, it's the people working behind the scenes who help make the ballpark experience special. Here are just six examples of the many jobs you'll find at your next trip to the ballpark. 1. Food vendors: If you have a hankering for a hot dog or a craving for some chili fries, you usually have two options to satisfy your hunger. You can head to concessions or flag one of the food vendors roaming the stands. Workers in good physical shape and who have customer-service experience and love baseball should explore a food vendor opportunity at their local stadium. Median hourly wages (food servers, non-restaurant)*: $9.34 2. Ushers and ticket takers: Ushers and ticket takers collect tickets and passes from patrons, help fans find their seats and aid with lost and found. If you have any type of question or need directions to the nearest bathroom, ask an usher. Median hourly wages: $8.95 3. Security: At baseball games, there's drinking, and when drinking is part of an event, some kind of incident is fairly inevitable. Thankfully the security guards are on high alert and ready to escort any hooligans out of the stadium so the rest of the fans can enjoy the game. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, guards working at sports stadiums manage crowd control, supervise parking and seating and direct traffic. Median hourly wages: $11.72 4. Public address announcers: Have you ever wondered who is behind those play-by-play announcements and team introductions? Public address announcers are in charge of broadcasting starting lineups, reading advertisements and announcing players as they enter and exit the field. Public address announcers do their jobs from the stadium's press box. Median hourly wages: $12.50 5. Groundskeepers: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, groundskeepers "care for athletic fields, keep natural and artificial turf in top condition, mark out boundaries and paint turf with team logos and names before events." They're also in charge of maintaining the health of the fields. If it's a natural field, they'll mow, water and fertilize it. When working with a synthetic field, they'll disinfect it after games to prevent bacteria from growing. Median hourly wages: $11.25 6. Custodial staff: Unfortunately, dirty stadiums can't clean themselves. Someone has to be responsible for sweeping up the peanut shells, throwing away the half-empty cups of beer and wiping the sticky seats clean. One might say that the cleanup crews have the toughest job of them all. According to eHow.com, after the game is over, workers will pick up the larger pieces of trash and then use equipment, such as a leaf blower or broom, to gather the smaller items for disposal. After that, seats and walkways are power washed, and any remaining debris is discarded. Median hourly wages (janitors and cleaners): $10.68 *Median hourly wages according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics

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