Santa Maria Valley YMCA in need of childcare employees as demand from school districts rises

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Summer is right around the corner.

For kids that means having fun.

But the Santa Maria Valley YMCA is experiencing a shortage of employees for its summer programs.

"So believe it or not where the polar opposite of last year which was no kids and we were all in the middle of a pandemic. This summer we have a massive entry-level staffing staffing shortage," said CEO Shannon Seifert of the Santa Maria Valley YMCA.

Seifert said there is a shortage of 55 staff positions that need to be filled in the next couple of months.

Several school districts are also coming to the Y seeking help with childcare.

"So they’ve asked the Y to step onto each campus in Orcutt Union School District, Santa Maria Bonita School District and Guadalupe School District to provide care for these families who need the help for summer," said Seifert.

Right now the Y is looking to hire employees in four different departments for summer work.

"The four positions we have available here at the Y are lifeguard, front desk staff, summer camp, after school programs and also even fitness. My daughter will be entering the camp and she needs qualified staff just as much as I do to make sure mom can go to work and my kid is cared for here at the Y," said COO Krista Delia at the Santa Maria Valley YMCA.

Managers say the challenge isn't providing the care, but rather finding the staff to do it.

"And we want to be there and we want to be there in order for an in order for us to be there we have to have qualified staff willing to work with kids and have fun with them create memories," said Delia.

"We’re branching out we can take care of the kids, and we just need the staff," said Seifert.

If you'd like to apply for a job opportunity, log onto the Santa Maria Valley YMCA website at: https://smvymca.org/employment.