BROWN COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Hiring is on the upswing for some municipalities looking to fill summer jobs, thanks to pay rate increases.
The past few years, a shortage of workers has kept Green Bay from always opening all its pools and rides at Bay Beach Amusement Park. It is still early, but Green Bay Parks Director Dan Ditscheit says that likely won’t be the case this summer.
“Last year we were really short on all divisions from pools to our summer playground program to ride operators,” said Ditscheit. “What we’re finding this year is a lot more people are applying and we’ve already hired a lot more than we did compared to last year.”
The city council approved the pay increase late last year.
Now the parks department is promoting the wage growth. Lifeguard pay is up from $12.26 in 2022 to between $16 and $18 an hour this summer. Facility attendant, playground leader, maintenance worker and emerald ash borer specialist positions also increased a few bucks an hour.
“All of that marketing we’re doing towards that initiative is helpful and it is working this year,” said Ditscheit.
The Village of Ashwaubenon is also seeing an increase in applicants after raising pay. The village board agreed to raise hourly rates by at least $2 to $3 for most positions.
“We were struggling a little bit in ’22 finding some spots throughout the season,” said Rex Mehlberg, Ashwaubenon’s director of parks. “With that, they understood some of those challenges raised the rates and we’re sitting pretty good for this coming summer.”
Unlike Green Bay, Ashwaubenon was able to keep its full offering of programs last summer. However, hiring struggles still had an adverse impact.
“It’s more of the burnout factor,” said Mehlberg. “If the staff are working too much, then they are not happy in their jobs and they decide they don’t want to come back for subsequent seasons.”
While things are looking good, both Ashwaubenon and Green Bay say they still have seasonal job openings.
