As school year ends, Louisville area employers looking to hire students

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Schools are almost out and summer is around the corner, which means seasonal employers are hiring.

There are a lot of different options when it comes to summer jobs -- and the people who provide some of the best summer fun are always looking to add more to their team.

"We started hiring back in February and we've been continuing to hire ever since," said Carly Uglow, sales manager for Kentucky Kingdom.

The theme park looks to hire about 1,200 people each year to help run all aspects of the park. And this year made some changes amid a competitive job market.

"We have increased our minimum wage and added a lot of great benefits, including offering college for those that work with us," Uglow said.

Those efforts appear to have paid off, with Uglow saying they've nearly met their hiring goal.

"It feels so great to know we're going to be fully staffed and operating this summer, and just have a great environment for our community to come out and have a great time," she said.

Companies like Kentucky Kingdom that still need to fill open positions suspect more applications will start flowing in once school lets out.

"We're really hopeful that people are like, 'Oh, time flew by! We need a job this summer!'" said Margaret Brosko, director of Louisville Parks and Recreation. "It's not too late. We're hiring. We want you."

Louisville Parks and Recreation offers free lifeguard training to those willing to work at their pools, paying just over $15 an hour.

"We've had a lot of people who've expressed interest and attended our life guard classes, but we can always use more," Brosko said. "The more lifeguards we have, the more programming we can offer. So it's not too late. Get in, have fun - it's a great, great job in the summer."

Brosko says they're also hiring for a number of other summer jobs, too.

"If you think about it, it's just endless," she said. "We have summer camps, you can help us cut grass, you can work in a golf club house, you could be a life guard. So many different things to do, and it's a really, really good time. If you love being outdoors, this is the place to be."

As applications continue to come in, seasonal employers are prepared to offer up some summer fun.

"We're hoping to have a really great turnout this summer," Uglow said. "There's something to do for everyone, so we're just hoping people can come out and experience it for themselves."