District of Houston leisure services director Cassie Henrickson hopes a lifeguard training program being offered this summer will lead to more pool hours for residents this fall.
A first lifeguard training program offered last year resulted in seven people finishing, resulting in the ability to provide extended pool hours this summer.
But two lifeguards are leaving this fall for post secondary education.
“Our pool hours starting in September will rely greatly on the results of our lifeguard development program this summer,” said Henrickson last week.
Houston is not alone in the quest for lifeguards to keep pools open and programs running. Even cities the size of Toronto are reporting the difficulty in recruiting people.
“The entire aquatic industry seems to be short-staffed and struggling to find lifeguards within their communities,” said Henrickson.
“Recruiting high-school students can be relatively easier than adults, but many students leave their hometowns after graduation to attend post-secondary. This is the situation that we are faced with in Houston.”
“We also struggle to recruit adult lifeguards, as it requires many weeks of training, and physical stamina to complete the courses required to be a lifeguard,” Henrickson added.
The typical costs for all five courses withing the training program range between $1,500 - $2,000 but, as an incentive, the cost is being covered by the District of Houston. In return, the lifeguards have to commit themselves to work at the leisure services facility.
“Leading into the second round of our lifeguard development program in 2022, we hope to recruit more senior staff members to build our team and ensure that we are able to remain open throughout school hours come September,” said Henrickson.
Individuals qualified as both a lifeguard and a swim instructor start at $22.53 an hour.
“Permanent part-time employment typically ranges from 22 to 35 hours per week, and there may be a potential for full time employment in the future,” said Henrickson.
Henrickson herself was once a lifeguard at the leisure services facility and said the skills learned and experience provided can lead to any number of varied career paths.
In Henrickson’s case, it resulted in attaining post secondary recreation and leisure services qualifications leading to her current role as the director of the District’s leisure services department.