Exams are underway – so is the summer job hunt

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Final exams are underway this week at colleges and universities across Ontario. That means thousands of young students are beginning to sweat; and not just about their marks. They’re worrying about the cost of going to school, and whether they’ll have enough money to return again next fall. Scot Urquhart took a look at the summer job market today, and found a few surprises out there:

Justine Lalonde is about to write her final exam, then comes the real test – finding a summer job. “I think it’s always tough no matter who you are, what age you are, to get a job.”

Connor Morton says his hunt for a summer job, has been no picnic: “I just kind of only put all of my eggs in one basket, and that didn’t really pan out… so…” “So now you’re looking for a new basket?” “Exactly.”

But is it too late to find a summer job? “Absolutely not! it’s time to get started” says Angela Eckart from Employment for youth, Hamilton. On Monday, Angela will officially open the summer employment centre for students. More than 550 jobs are available, and the Ontario Government offers employers a bonus to hire students. “The summer jobs service program provides a two-dollar-an-hour reimbursement to employers so certainly we see an increase in opportunties for summer hiring.”

The city of Hamilton on the other hand, offers a bonus to students: the chance to secure a summer job in city parks, greenhouses, and sports fields – for as long as you’re in school.

“We are looking for people, for students — who need to supplement their income so that they can go to school in the fall” says Angela Storey from the City of Hamilton. This summer is already full, but you can apply again, in November. What kind of people are they looking for? “Hard workers. People who want to learn new skills. People who want to contribute to the team their working on.”

It’s National hiring day at McDonalds where teamwork is also a big theme. Stacie Maskell says it’s not about flipping burgers any more – it’s a chance for a career that’s all that, and a bag of fries ” you can stay here and work your way up. I would say 65 percent of management in our corporate office, worked crew.”

But the ultimate summer job this year, is open to only two people. 20-thousand dollars, to spend five months travelling coast to coast on the trans-canada trail, as an ambassador for woods outdoor equipment. The job? Test equipment, and tell your friends. “we are also looking for people who are really passionate about connecting with others…through social media” Says James Patterson from Woods. The deadline to apply is this Friday, April 17th.