In 1997, I was a mom of two young boys looking to earn some extra money while still balancing the needs of my family. I was fortunate to hear from a former colleague about an opportunity to teach aerobics at a local YMCA. With a degree from Springfield College in exercise science, this was the perfect opportunity for me to get some exercise, earn some money and help my community get healthier. And so began my career at the Y.
I taught classes part-time for the next six years while my children completed elementary school. I then began full-time work with the YMCA. I have had opportunities to travel the country to train on a variety of public health topics, meet incredible people (some “famous”), facilitate a town hall and meet Hillary Clinton while working in New Hampshire, and to mentor countless interns and staff.
As I look back on my career with the Y, I feel fortunate to have found an organization that allowed me to prioritize my family while supporting the health and wellness of my community. I have taken advantage of many wonderful training and growth opportunities to expand my knowledge and improve my career. The YMCA is open seven days a week, from early morning until late evening, which allows staff to create schedules that are non-traditional and work well with household needs. I share my experience with the hope that it will resonate with job seekers or anyone exploring potential career or part-time experience.
We are at a critical time here at our Y. We are pleased to see our membership and program base recovering after the initial two years of the pandemic. Yet, we are challenged with staffing shortages just like so many other businesses across the country. We currently have a variety of open positions from very part-time to full-time. If you are a committed, responsible person looking for an opportunity that prioritizes a positive work culture, the YMCA is the place for you.
Many of our positions require no experience and/or offer on the job training. We are often the first-time employer of teens and young adults, providing a positive introduction to the workforce. Many former staff members have indicated the skills they learned working at the Y have helped them to be successful in college and in their chosen careers. We are happy to work with people to develop new skills and provide resources for training. While we are not able to provide remote work due to our forward-facing operation, there is flexibility in scheduling.
We are especially in need of lifeguards, swim instructors, school age child care group leaders, welcome center, housekeeping and camp staff. We will be holding a lifeguard training the weekend of April 22 – April 24, and provide reimbursement for the training if lifeguards remain working at our YMCA. Our minimum wage is $15/hour and many positions exceed that rate. We also have full-time director or coordinator level positions open in our Membership, Development and Aquatics departments as well as full-time program positions in child care/camp.
We are asking you to help us spread the word about our hiring needs. YMCA positions are open to people of all ages. Benefits may include free YMCA memberships, program discounts, sick time, vacation time, retirement plans and health insurance, depending on the position. Please find the link to all open positions below.
If you refer a new employee who designates your name as their referral on the employment application, you will receive an entry into a raffle for a local gift certificate. If the employee you refer stays with the Y for a minimum of six months with positive performance, you will receive a $25 gift certificate to Amazon or a local business of your choice. Anyone with questions about employment at the Y is encouraged to contact me, Julie Bianco, CEO, or Kira Mattheson, Human Resources Director.
Thank you for helping the Y meet our mission of strengthening community!
