Summer Fun program in scramble for workers
Summer Fun is scheduled to start in less than two months, but the city has filled only 100 of the 550 adult supervisor positions.
"This year, recruitment has been unbelievably slow," said Dana Takahara-Dias, deputy parks director.
If the city is unable to fill enough positions, it might have to cut the number of children it can accommodate, she said.
The city has been having difficulty filling Summer Fun jobs in recent years, but it is more pronounced this year, Takahara-Dias said. She attributes the drop in applicants to the short period of employment and the pay.
Employment for Summer Fun aides starts June 5 and ends July 28 -- too short for vacationing college students looking for summer jobs, Takahara-Dias said. Pay is $7.50 per hour or $8.50 for those with at least one year of experience. With the state's unemployment rate at the nation's-lowest 2.5 percent in February, jobs paying higher than the state's minimum wage are easier to find.
Summer Fun aides must have completed at least 24 college credit hours and have a basic first-aid certificate by the time they start work.
Anyone interested in becoming a Summer Fun aide can call the city Department of Parks and Recreation at 692-5854 or go online at www.honoluluparks.com for more information.