SOUTHINGTON — Lake Compounce is making a final push for seasonal hires ahead of its impending April 29 opening. The park is just but one of several businesses in the area that are looking for people to fill seasonal positions as the busy summer season is about to begin. 

In the Southington area, Lake Compounce is among the largest drivers of seasonal hires to supplement their workforce — seeking 1,000 hires as young as 16 to cover all manner of positions from ride operations, lifeguards, concessions, and security, with wages ranging between $16 and $18 per hour depending on the position. 

Currently the park is still seeking to fill around 300 positions, with plans to keep applications open throughout the summer operating season. Despite having that many positions remaining, park operators say they’re still more than prepared for opening in two weeks and that they’ve brought more people onto their team ahead of their opening than the prior two years since the pandemic. 

“The hiring never stops around here,” said Lynsey Winters, communication manager at Lake Compounce. “Our seasonal team members are really the most important team members for our park and for our park to be able to operate fully. Without them, we wouldn't be able to have rides running, we wouldn't be able to have our water park open. They're really who makes the park function day to day.”

The park only has around 20 full-time staff members, and 30 maintenance crew, so the portion of part-time help is significant to daily operations. Staff at the park welcome people of all ages onto their team, though they support a significant portion of high-school and college-aged individuals through their first-time jobs. 

The cadre of new hires is especially welcome for this season, organizers say, as for the 177th season they’ve made significant renovations to their famous wooden Boulder Dash coaster to make it go even smoother and faster, along with upgrades to many of their concession stands.

With bringing in so many seasonal jobs, the staff at the park are proud to be a staple of the area. “I think it's a great place for the community to come together, whether they're working at the park or visiting their park with their friends and family, it's just a fun summer place to be. So, I'm sure that our employment is a huge positive impact on the local community, and the number of jobs that we bring to the local community - we're really proud of that.”

Applications are made available online at https://www.lakecompounce.com/employment

The Town of Southington itself is also taking on new seasonal hires, specifically for lifeguard positions for the Memorial Park pool. They’re accepting anyone 16 or older with reliable transportation. Interested applicants are encouraged to also apply online or call the recreation department for additional questions.

Local restaurants and eateries are also preparing for a busier summer season, which will necessitate more seasonal hires. Ice cream and confectionary shops especially are in high demand during the summer months as patrons try and beat the summer heat. Sweet Claude’s Ice Cream in Cheshire is one such business, that is seeking high school students to stick with their team more long-term to help them through their busy summer season and beyond. 

Having recently moved into a larger location at the Ball & Socket Arts building on 493 West Main St. just beside the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, the store seeks more staff for what they anticipate will be a busy first summer at their new location. 

“We're growing, and it's a good thing we got a bigger space because we're definitely using it. We're definitely carrying a larger staff right now because we are serving more people so we need more folks scooping the ice cream,” owner Kelly Anne Pearce said. “This is a really good job. The kids make minimum wage plus tips, so they are always going get paid well even when it is in the off-season - and when it's in the busy season, they do make quite a bit. People are really generous over here and they see the kids working really hard … we usually see them coming back year after year.”

Summer job positions are in high demand from employers, especially in the food industry, as many establishments are still experiencing hiring difficulties in the aftermath of the pandemic.