SPRINGFIELD – Since the pandemic, pools across the country have struggled to staff their facilities and recruit lifeguards adequately, and Willamalane was no exception.=
“We were like most pools across the country, requiring that applicants be fully certified before hire,” said Whitney Hoshaw, marketing and communications manager. “Now, under Willamalane’s hiring model, an applicant can come to a hiring event, people can learn about the position, jump in the pool to complete basic competency requirements, and receive a tentative job offer if they pass the requirements and are interested in the position.”
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Once hired and after passing background checks, Hoshaw said that the new employees undergo lifeguard and safety training on paid time, with all certifications paid for by the district.
On Monday, June 2, folks over the age of 15 were invited to the Willamalane Park Swim Center for its bi-monthly lifeguard and instructor hiring event, where candidates received an overview of aquatics and lifeguarding. Then they suit up and dive into the water to complete the precourse of the American Red Cross Lifeguard program.
“We’ve done everything we can to eliminate absolutely all cost barriers to becoming a lifeguard,” said Brandon Lemcke, Willamalane Aquatics program manager.
In 2022, hiring lifeguards and instructors was challenging due to the certification requirements that must be met before hiring, which can cost anywhere from $100 to $300. To combat these challenges, Willamalane started offering lifeguard training classes to get lifeguards on watch sooner.
“Overall, reversing this process has successfully recruited lifeguards and swim instructors, keeping our pools fully staffed,” said Whitney Hoshaw, Marketing and Communications Manager. “Going into summer, we have a full staff already! … It’s been a really successful model that’s allowed us to keep our pools open through some really tough times.”
An average of 10-12 people typically attend the hiring events held at the pool located at 1276 G St. The first step is a verbal overview of aquatics at Willamalane by Kory Holt, the aquatics supervisor. After about 30 minutes, it’s time to get in the water.
Swimming and ability requirements must be met to get a job offer. Applicants must be able to swim 150 meters, tread water for two minutes continuously, and then swim an additional 50 meters, all without taking a break. They also need to be able to retrieve a 10-pound brick from an underwater depth of around 10 feet in under one minute and 40 seconds.
“If they can do that, then we go through the process, we do a formal interview, and then we can formally offer them a job,” said Lemcke. “It’s a pretty efficient process.”
Willamalane has benefited from this new hiring procedure, seeing an increase in lifeguards and swim instructors since before the pandemic. This is the first summer since the COVID-19 pandemic that they’ve had an excess of swim instructors.
To learn more or sign up, visit willamalane.org.
