City partners with local high school to offer new lifeguarding co-op program
It's a brand new program for Bear Creek secondary school students.
The school now offers a lifeguarding co-op program in partnership with the City Of Barrie.
Students will receive two credits and full lifeguarding qualifications.
"They are getting their bronze medallion, their bronze cross, their standard first aid, emergency first aid, as well as their national lifeguarding certificate," said Jodi Green, a Bear Creek Secondary School teacher.
The program runs out of the Peggy Hill Community Centre and is offered to students grades 10 to 12.
"We've been doing in pool work and dry work so we learn CPR and that kind of stuff. But we've also been working on stroke development, diving, in water rescues."
For some, it will help in future careers.
"I want to be a firefighter when I'm older, so I was hoping that I would be able to get my certifications to make the process easier," said Jaiden Vankolfschoten, a grade 11 Bear Creek Student.
The city of Barrie employs 180 lifeguards. However, staff say the turnover rate is high and must hire 60 to 80 new lifeguards annually.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
"Having partners like the school board to work with us to solve that problem is a huge help to not only us but the community that we serve," said Joey Rusnak, the Barrie Recreation Program Supervisor.
Rusnak says having lifeguards is critical to keeping the community safe.
"Less than one per cent of drownings in Canada happen around lifeguards," said Rusnak.
Once students graduate from the lifeguarding co-op program, the city can hire them.
"When we hire them on, they do another 40 hours of training with us, and they can work at our beaches, our swimming pools, teaching, swimming lessons, or lifeguarding. It's a really good pipeline for them to join our team," continued Rusnak.
The City Of Barrie is still looking to employ more lifeguards for summer. Anyone interested in applying is encouraged to do so.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Hackers release corporate data stolen from London Drugs
Retailer London Drugs says cybercriminals who stole files from its corporate head office last month have released some of the data after it refused to pay a ransom.
Toronto man falls off his chair after seeing $70M Lotto Max win in his bank account
A Toronto man who won $70 million in a recent Lotto Max draw literally fell off his chair when he saw the funds in his bank account.
Montreal-area high school students protest 'sexist' dress code
Approximately 50 Montreal-area students — the vast majority of them female — were suspended Wednesday after their school deemed the shorts they were wearing were too short. On Thursday, several students staged a walk-out to protest what they believe is a "sexist" dress code that unfairly targets girls.
Oilers' Henrique, Stars' Hintz out for Game 1 of West final
Top-line Dallas Stars centre Roope Hintz will still be out of the lineup for the Western Conference Final opener Thursday night against Edmonton, which is still without forward Adam Henrique.
'Looking over our shoulders': A killing looms large in a little B.C. town
Something shifted in the pretty little village of Lumby, B.C., after Tatjana Stefanski vanished. It used to be the sort of place where parents let their kids roam free or play in the local creek, but everything has changed.
What is 'slapped cheek disease' and should parents be concerned?
Despite its rough name, experts say most cases of 'slapped cheek disease' are mild and not a cause for concern.
American Airlines retreats after blaming a 9-year-old for not seeing a hidden camera in a lavatory
American Airlines has distanced itself from a court filing in which the carrier said a nine-year-old girl should have noticed there was a camera taped to the seat of an airplane lavatory.
Unknown Newfoundland soldier from the First World War heads back home from France after 100 years
Canadian soldiers and government officials arrived in northeastern France this week for a historic mission: returning an unknown Newfoundland soldier back home.
Calgary Philharmonic takes action following investigation into 'deeply troubling' comments by 2 musicians
The Calgary Philharmonic has confirmed its taking action after controversial online comments made by two members of the orchestra.