City extends free lifeguard training to bolster staffing

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This article was published 27/06/2023 (849 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The City of Winnipeg is offering free lifeguard training once again to ensure its staff complement doesn’t fall behind and jeopardize class and leisure time at city-run pools.

“We know that the need for water safety and the need for individuals, children especially, to learn how to swim is really, really critical,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham Tuesday.

“We know that parents want that, the demand is strong from parents across our city.”

The city offered free training last fall to boost staff to an adequate level. It wants to keep from falling behind as guards move on to other jobs in the coming months. So, it will offer another free, 16-week training and certification program for as many as 40 applicants in August, officials announced at the Cindy Klassen Recreation Centre.

Those who complete the program at the West End recreation centre will be eligible to apply for jobs as instructor guards at city-run facilities. Last fall, 58 instructor guards and six aquatic instructors were added to pool staffing.

Recreation services manager Jennifer Sarna said the city has about 315 lifeguards, which is enough to keep pools under a watchful eye and provide lessons at civic facilities as per the current budget.

Gillingham said facility closures to comply with COVID-19 public health orders interrupted the training cycle for lifeguards and swim instructors, and created labour shortages in Winnipeg and across the country.

“But we’re making progress and filling the vacancies at city pools so fewer parents are put on wait lists for swimming lessons for their children,” he said.

Coun. John Orlikow, who chairs the community services committee, said last fall’s 16-week program cost about $150,000; the summer program will cost about the same.

He noted out-of-pocket training costs for an individual would be about $1,500.

Orlikow said the lack of lifeguards had prevented the city from meeting the high demand for swimming programs.

“We could have done the long, slow approach… wait until a class comes in and keep moving forward… but we all knew that wasn’t acceptable,” he said.

“(City staff) came up with an idea pretty quickly of what are the barriers already facing us, and how can we get this problem solved.”

He said the lifeguard field has high turnover, so the city will continue to address vacancies.

“Right now, we’re quite comfortable, but we’re actually trying to get ahead of it for next year,” said Orlikow.

Sarna said a lifeguard makes $20 an hour to start, with financial incentives for evening and weekend shifts on top of possible raises.

“It is a good entry-level position,” she said.

The mayor added that the free program, which includes all course material, can remove employment barriers — and that a job as a municipal lifeguard opens up more career options with the City of Winnipeg.

The program includes the six courses required to apply for lifeguard positions, which are bronze medallion, bronze cross, first aid and CPR, swim for life instructor, national pool lifeguard and lifesaving instructor.

Applicants must be at least 16 and have a Grade 10 education. A vulnerable sector police check and a swim assessment are required. They must agree to work for the city for at least a year for a minimum of three shifts, or nine hours, a week.

The deadline to apply is July 16.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca