Seasonal hiring begins soon

We will soon be shaking off the cobwebs of winter and entering the spring and summer months.

As more opportunities to enjoy the outdoors open up, employment and hiring will increase to meet seasonal demand.

According to the Illinois Department of Employment Security, one of every 10 jobs in the state workforce is in leisure and hospitality, a sector that includes jobs in recreation activities. In the Rockford region, this sector gained 800 jobs in 2024, with the highest levels of employment being from mid-May to late August.

Hiring has already started for seasonal jobs in our abundant green spaces. The Rockford Park District alone offers a portfolio of playground programs, summer camps, pools, horseback riding, and golfing on public courses. To staff these offerings for the 2024 season, the park district employed nearly 150 teens and young adults.

Forest Preserves of Winnebago County welcome campers with facilities that accommodate tents as well as RV hookups. In addition to seasonal positions for campground hosts, summer jobs with the forest preserves include wildlife and natural assistants, food and beverage staff, and golf course attendants and maintenance staff.

Hotels in the Rockford region are also preparing for a surge in summer visitation, fueled in part by the many sports tournaments hosted here each year. From April through August, thousands of athletes and their families travel to Rockford for competitions at venues such as Mercyhealth Sportscore One and Two, UW Health Sports Factory, and Rockford BMX. This influx of visitors translates to increased demand for hotel accommodations, making summer hiring a crucial priority for hospitality businesses.

With major events, such as the IRONMAN 70.3 taking place June 22, and ongoing youth sports tournaments driving overnight stays, hotels should be well-staffed to meet demand and maximize the economic impact of this seasonal boom.

Another Rockford signature—the frequency and range of live music on summer afternoons and evenings—creates seasonal employment.

Local, regional, and nationally touring musicians find work at the popular Tuesday Evening in the Garden series at Anderson Japanese Gardens. And in a city where there’s live music outdoors nearly every summer night, local and regional musicians play at such events as Music in the Park at the Sinnissippi Park Music Shell on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Dinner on the Dock at Prairie Street Brewing Co. on Thursdays, Music on the Mall at Edgebrook on Fridays, Concerts on the Creek at Spring Creek United Church of Christ on Saturdays, Woodsong at Klehm Arboretum and Botanic Garden on Sundays, and Domingos en el Parque plus Live at Levings at Levings Park on Sundays.

Many of these live music mainstays are known for food trucks—another flavor of seasonal employment. By collaborating with event hosts, emerging food-service entrepreneurs test the market with a ready-made audience. And like many people who seek seasonal jobs in a field they want to explore, food truck owners can find surer footing on that stepping stone during the bustle of summer months.

For food-service professionals in brick-and-mortar eateries, summer hiring is expected to start soon. According to the National Restaurant Association, seasonal employment begins to ramp up in April and peaks in June, July and August. This is especially true for restaurants that offer outdoor seating.

In addition to jobs related to enjoying the outdoors, landscaping companies and garden centers hire summer help, as do construction companies.

The collective impact of summer hiring is important. From an economic standpoint, additional jobs mean a stimulus for business activity and local spending, contributing to tax revenue. For people in those jobs, that work experience can mean skill development and networking opportunities—both of which can pave a path to higher-income employment.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Greater Rockford Chamber of Commerce.