Austin attempts to avoid summer camp staffing shortages

Staffing shortages at summer camps and a depleted lifeguard base has plenty of parents concerned when it comes to child care.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Staffing shortages at summer camps and a depleted lifeguard base has plenty of parents concerned when it comes to child care.

This includes Mary Mergler, an Austin local and mother of three.

“It's particularly hard to find affordable options for child care,” she said.

Similar to many other industries, the City of Austin’s summer camps are struggling with staffing shortages.

For Mergler, her only option for child care is sending her kids to camps.

"As a working parent, I absolutely have to have child care during the summer when school is out,” she said.

It’s not just camps, as the Austin Parks and Recreation Department doesn’t have enough lifeguards.

Without enough lifeguards, some city pools could stay closed this summer.

"We cannot and will not operate a pool without proper lifeguards,” Austin Parks and Recs aquatics supervisor Aaron Levine said. “We need people to come in, get trained and get hired to start working."

"Along with a lack of lifeguards … there's also a camp counselor shortage … which means the YMCA is offering plenty of perks to recruit."

At the YMCA of Austin, staff launched a full-fledged recruiting effort for their summer staffing.

“We're offering increased starting hourly pay rates to $15 per hour plus sign-on packages of up to $500,” YMCA of Austin vice president Sean Doles said.

The Austin Y is attempting to bring in about 400 additional summer employees. This includes spots for lifeguards, swim instructors and summer camp counselors.

“If we aren't able to fill these positions, we'd have to limit the number of kids that we can accommodate in summer camp,” Doles said.

This would put plenty of parents in a pinch while adding an extra layer of stress.

"If those programs are not able to open up because of staffing shortages, it's really going to leave a lot of people in a really bad place,” Mergler concluded.

To sign up for a summer job at the YMCA of Austin, click here.