Odd-jobs for the picking

Exams are over and summer lies ahead. Yet summer becomes a financial headache for many tertiary students unless they have found a summer job to help them save for the following year.

"Getting a job over summer can make the difference between gaining a qualification or not. It is immeasurable the difference it can make to a student's income, learning and experience," says Julie Pettett, national chairperson of Student Job Search (SJS) Aotearoa.

Run by student associations and funded 95 per cent over summer by the Government, SJS specialises in screening and matching students to employers' needs and is open to any tertiary student or intending tertiary student looking for work.

Traditionally, SJS summer work has been in non-skilled jobs such as dishwashing, fruit picking, labouring and cleaning, as well as Christmas and New Year retail and hospitality work.

But three years ago SJS also began the FutureGrad service, placing students from second year onwards into "skilled duration" jobs.

"These jobs must be at least 30 hours a week for at least four weeks and develop a student's knowledge and experience, because our research showed students wanted better-level jobs to help with future prospects as well as finances," explains SJS Auckland region manager Maureen Tizard.

Second-year AUT student Kara Day, who is majoring in advertising creativity, is one such student. Through FutureGrad she has landed full-time work until Christmas as assistant accounts manager at Creative Juice, a small advertising agency.

The role involves dealing with clients, participating in briefing of the creative team and generally easing the pressure in the office.

Chris Parker, marketing and business information management graduate, also looked for work within his study area, although not through SJS.

He approached a seminar speaker in his first year of study and got promotional work wandering about campus giving out lollies dressed as a nun. This led to other part-time marketing work and eventually to his full-time position as promotions co-ordinator for Brandspanking Promotions.

However not all students want study-related experiences over summer - and not all want to face the crush of SJS offices. Where do they go then?

Janine Arnerich, who runs a website of seasonal work postings (www.seasonalwork.co.nz), says there is plenty of work for students if they follow the harvest season, starting in Central Otago in October and moving up the country.

"Many orchards offer accommodation and attract backpackers as well as local students, so fruit picking can be a fun way to get fit and make money."

Newcomers start on the minimum wage which increases once you gain experience. Arnerich says postings used to be predominantly horticultural but now employers also post jobs such as hospitality and seafood processing work.

Hawkes Bay Fruitgrowers Association executive officer Dianne Vesty says apple thinners are needed in November and December. Piece rates are common, with a higher hourly rate for trees requiring ladders. She says the best workers are students with goals.

"If they're saving to buy a car or pay off student debt they tend to be more focused."

Hospitality and tourism destinations are also worth checking out for casual and seasonal summer work.

It appears most recruitment consultancies aren't interested in students unless the students have specific work experience and skills.

Those contacted felt employers wanting students were simply approaching SJS. The work that is offered by recruitment agencies was in temping, although OCG take students for database entry on a needs basis throughout the year.

Typing "summer work" in a search engine brings up a range of sites including SJS and the seasonal work site.

Web-based recruitment sites such as Netcheck and Seek advertise summer work but don't have a specialist summer job category. Rather, the few summer jobs they do have are found within contract, casual, temp and holiday categories.

Cross section of SJS jobs:

* Business urban design student for qualitative and quantitative research into industrial areas.

* Genetic mapper to analyse data and create a genetic map for kiwifruit.

* Law students as online image checkers to check legality of images up-loaded for use on British Bank's credit cards (cheaper done in New Zealand than London).

* Japanese translator/software developer to help to develop a Japanese website.

* Designers to produce Surf Lifesavers' regional office leaflets and brochures.

* Patient for medical training.

* Engineering student to sample and test asphalt for construction company.

* Person to record scores of rugby league games ($20 an hour).

* Nude model required for a senior citizen art class.

* Three-month job to walk at own time over selected area of North Shore to report on the condition of pavements ($5000).

What you can earn
SJS: 2004 average hourly rate: $12.60, FutureGrad jobs $15 upward.
Minimum wage 18 years plus: $9 an hour; under-18 is $7.20.

Where to find a job
Student Job Search (SJS)
Ph (09) 309 7800
jobs.auckland@sjs.co.nz
Janine@seasonalwork.co.nz
Mid Canterbury Employment Services, ph 0800 562 7335