A Philly Parks and Recreation job fair was a popular draw amid federal cuts, offering summer opportunities

After having recently lost his job, Andre Wright, 45, couldn’t contain his excitement when he heard about Philadelphia Parks and Recreation’s third annual job and resource fair.

He was one of about 200 people gathered at Mander Playground Saturday looking for seasonal, full-time, and part-time jobs, including lifeguard, pool maintenance, urban park ranger, and other positions.

As a former behavioral health technician, Wright thinks his skills could help Philadelphia’s youth.

“I am hoping to find a job where I can connect with young people and build a level of trust to where we could correct some of the things that we’re seeing,” Wright said.

Marissa Washington, first deputy commissioner of Parks and Recreation, said the job fair was a way to offer just that, opportunities that keep the community connected.

“We’re not just promoting our positions but we’re offering other resources to the community,” Washington said.

Inside the North Philadelphia building, a semicircle of tables from multiple Parks & Rec programs, the City of Philadelphia Office of Human Resources, State Rep. Roni Green, and the Dell Music Center welcomed attendees.

A city worker was available to take in information on behalf of private partners, including Rita’s Water Ice and Scotlandyard Security Services, but the true stars of the fair were the lifeguard and urban park ranger positions.

There was little relief for urban park ranger supervisor Renee Adderly, who faced a steady line of people inquiring about the jobs. She said that was a bit of a surprise, considering the recent park ranger firings at the federal level.

“A lot of funding has been taken from the park system regarding replenishing some trees or things like that,” Adderly said. “I thought it may scare them off.”

She received six applications within the first hours of the fair.

Interested and unafraid, Jordan Youkanavitch, 24, applied to work on park ranger security.

“I grew up in Philly, I’m used to all the crazy stuff,” Youkanavitch said. “I just want to try to make the city right, help out the best I can.”

Despite having lost his manufacturing job two weeks ago, Youkanavitch wasn’t scared about the state of the economy and trusted the city would not be hiring if it couldn’t provide some sense of stability.

“We can’t predict the future,” Washington said.

“We have opportunities that are guaranteed for folks right now for our summer programming, when you think about other jobs for other departments and agencies, those kinds of permanent positions, that’s something that would go through the Office of Human Resources,” she added.

Representatives from the Office of Human Resources declined to answer questions on-site. But, for many, a stable summer job is more than enough.

Kelsi Burris, 17, and her brother Silek Burris, 16, convinced their mother, Ziekestia Burris, to bring them to the fair in search of a temporary job.

“I need something to do in the summer instead of just sitting in the house all day,” Kelsi Burris said. “Honestly, I just like money,” her brother chimed in.

The pair signed up for the lifeguard training program.

For Will Coleman, a city water safety instructor, Philadelphia needs as many lifeguards as it can get.

With dozens of pools all over the city, “we need lifeguards to fill those positions,” Coleman said, adding they were looking to fill about 400 lifeguard spots.

According to Washington, 63 pools will open this summer, as “some are still under construction, some of them still need work.”

In the quest to get more lifeguards, the city is offering a $1,000 hiring bonus to anyone who signs up before Tuesday, Coleman said, and $500 for applicants received by May 15.

“It would be beneficial to them and beneficial to their community if we could fill those pools for the summertime,” Coleman said.