Lifeguards are in short supply in many cities across Canada, but in Prince George that’s not the case.
That's due to the fact that while other cities shut down training programs for lifeguards and swimming instructors during the two-year pandemic Prince George kept its instructional programs up and running, knowing it was about to open the Canfor Leisure Pool last November.
“We knew if we didn’t keep our courses going we’d have a brand new pool opening and wouldn’t be able to staff it,” said Jim Worthington, the city’s aquatics manager. “We spent a lot of time working with the Lifesaving Society on COVID procedures to keep those courses going.”
“So we’re not short lifeguards, but I can tell you one thing that has changed is we end up doing more hiring throughout the year than we used to five or 10 years ago. We used to only hire two times a year but now we’re hiring three and this year four times a year.”
They work at either the Canfor Leisure Pool or the Prince George Aquatic Centre. Hourly wages start at $24.43 for lifeguards not certified as swimming lesson instructors, climbing to $32.84 for a head instructor.
Worthington says many of its lifeguards are former competitive swimmers from the Prince George Pisces or Prince George Barracudas swim clubs. Job applicants are first tested for their water skills and must advance past that test before they move on to the dry interview.
Barracudas head coach Jerzy Partyka says many of his swimmers moved on to lifeguarding after they’ve given up competing as swim racers and they need a part-time job while they’re attending college or university.
“The city is paying very good money for those kids and it’s an excellent job for them then they go to school,” said Partyka. “It’s a city job and they are paid well, and they have good benefits.
“I know the city is struggling with the lifeguards too, like everybody else, trying to find people who want to work. Everybody wants to go on holidays but if it comes to work, not really. Every different profession has the same problem.”
Worthington says the newer generation of lifeguards has different pressures and needs in their lives, whether it's school or sports activities, and they are less willing to commit to working more shifts or longer hours at their jobs, so more have to be recruited. The city has 75 lifeguards on its duty roster.
Some work full-time 40-hour work weeks, some work regular part-time shifts of at least 20 hours per week and some are on the casual list, available to work at least two weekday afternoons and one weekend shift per week – the busiest times for the pools.
At any time during public swimming hours there are three lifeguards on duty at the Leisure Pool and four at the Aquatic Centre and more are scheduled during peak hours on evenings and on weekends. The usual ratio is one lifeguard for every 40 users, but if it gets busy an additional lifeguard is needed for every 100 swimmers beyond that threshold.
The city posts job openings for lifeguards usually three or four times per year , with the next posting scheduled for late October. Candidates chosen from the October batch will begin training in January.
