How to Build a Summer Training Program That Actually Works

We are right in the thick of the spring hiring push. Across the industry, operators are staffing up, bringing in an influx of high school and college hires—many of whom are stepping into their very first job.

Once you get these new hires into your system, the next massive hurdle is making sure they are actually ready for the crushing crowds of a busy weekend.

When I first started at Fun Land, we fell into the trap that so many Family Entertainment Centers fall into. We used the "Baptism by Fire" method. The schedule looked something like this:

• Monday: Hired

• Wednesday: Orientation

• Thursday: Training

• Friday or Saturday: Set them loose on the floor

The result? Disaster. We were putting teenagers with zero work experience in front of massive, demanding weekend crowds with barely 24 hours of operational training. They would get incredibly nervous, completely overwhelmed, and it wasn't uncommon for staff to just walk out. We were losing people because we simply weren't getting them ready.

Before I left Fun Land, we completely overhauled how we handled the onboarding pipeline. We built a much more elaborate training program. Did it cost us more time and payroll upfront? Absolutely. But we found that we lost significantly fewer people on that crucial first weekend, which saved us a fortune in turnover and improved the overall guest experience.

Here is the blueprint for how we structured our training to set our summer hires up for success.

1. Shift the Timeline

To stop the overwhelm, we had to stretch the timeline. A new hire's first weekend on the schedule should never be their first weekend operating alone. We adjusted our onboarding flow to this:

• Monday: Hired

• Wednesday: Orientation

• Thursday & Friday: Dedicated Training

• Saturday & Sunday: Shadowing (with a safety net)

By the time they were working their first solo weekend, it was actually their second weekend in the park. They had already survived the crowds once with a veteran by their side.

2. Don’t Assume "Common Sense": Training the Employee

One of the biggest mistakes we make as operators is assuming "common sense." Remember: for most of these kids, this is their first job ever. They aren't just learning how to run a go-kart track; they are learning how to be an employee.

We have to be patient and teach them the fundamental rules of the professional world that they’ve never encountered before. This includes things like:

• The proper protocol for calling out or requesting a shift swap.

• Why being "on time" actually means being five minutes early.

• Basic tasks we take for granted, like how to properly mop a floor or use a POS system.

If you assume they already know these things, you’re setting them up for failure and yourself for frustration. We had to be passionate about the "why" behind these rules, treating it as a mentorship rather than just a list of demands.

3. Implement a Certified Training Program

You cannot just have your older staff members casually show the new kids the ropes. We established a Certified Training Program, designating a few select managers and seasoned staff who were specifically certified to train new team members. This ensured consistency and meant bad habits weren't being passed down from employee to employee.

4. Tier Your Attractions

At Fun Land, we had 18 rides and attractions, along with several different departments. Trying to teach everything at once is a recipe for a panic attack.

We categorized every ride and position based on difficulty. During that initial Thursday and Friday training, our new kids would only learn a few of the simplest rides. We saved the complex, high-stress attractions for our older, experienced staff, who would train on those difficult rides during the slower weekdays.

5. The Test-Shadow-Test Method

We didn't just show them how to press a button and walk away. The training process required proven competency before they ever took control of a busy queue.

• The Initial Test: On Thursday and Friday, trainees learned their assigned simple rides, demonstrated the operations to a certified trainer, and took a test.

• The Safety Net: Once they passed, they were assigned to shadow a certified trainer on Saturday and Sunday. During that first busy weekend, the trainee would step up and start operating the rides themselves as soon as they felt comfortable—but the certified trainer was always right there watching.

• The Final Clearance: Towards the very end of their shift on Sunday, the trainee would be given their final operational test. Only upon passing that final check were they cleared to operate on their own the following week.

Need Help Building Your Own Program?

Every facility is different. What worked at Fun Land might need some tweaking to fit your specific mix of attractions, arcade space, or food service operations.

If you need help designing a training program that works for your unique facility, I’m here to help. Whether it’s building your "certified trainer" curriculum or tiering your attractions for better onboarding, let’s make sure your team is ready for the summer rush.

Schedule a FREE Call!

The Takeaway

If you are rushing your summer hires onto the floor because you need bodies, you are going to end up short-staffed anyway when they get overwhelmed and quit.

Investing in a structured, multi-day training program that utilizes certified trainers, tiered difficulty, and weekend shadowing is an investment in retention. Give your team the tools, the time, and the safety net they need to succeed, and they will run a better, safer, and more profitable park for you.