Playing the right cards

A new Government programme aims to put tertiary students into summer jobs related to their study, reports ANGELA McCARTHY.

They're aiming for a perfect match. A new government programme aims to get students into summer work linked to their study areas. At its most basic, it's an effort to better match students' needs for general employment skills as well as those related to their study area, and to give employers the chance to get capable, affordable temporary help.

But it also allows students to check out various industries and employers to observe the talent coming out of New Zealand's universities and polytechnics.

The programme's label? Snap! - as in the card game Snap, which requires players to match pairs of cards to win.

Student Job Search (SJS) Auckland regional manager Sina Aiono says a survey this year found over a third of students would prefer to find skilled work relevant to their course of study.

Last year SJS had 15,000 students on its books to match to 11,000 job offers. This summer, Auckland and Waikato SJS are dividing job seekers into two divisions - a summer squad division and a skill-seekers' division.

The summer squad consists of tertiary students happy to take the one-off labouring, gardening, childcare, retail, manufacturing and hospitality jobs which typically are SJS' stock-in-trade. The odd more exotic job pops up occasionally, such as belly dancing or dressing in chicken suits for marketing drives.

The skill-seekers division, which is running in conjunction the Government's Snap! programme is enrolling students, mostly of whom are nearing the end of their degrees, for jobs specific to their study. The sorts of jobs sought: accounting, IT, project feasibility studies, marketing, web-site development, logos, letterheads, and administrative work.

All up, nine pilot projects have been created (see sidebar).

Ideally, skill seekers need jobs for at least four weeks' duration of at least 30 hours per week to help them in their chosen professions, says Aiono.

And what about employers? They are slowly putting their hands up.

Sharon Bennett, who is managing director of tax and legal business publisher CCH NZ, is in the process of employing a law or accounting student.

She has used students before for a promotion, and likes the concept of taking someone on for a skill-based job.

It's win-win, she says. The company has the opportunity to assess the skills of new accounting graduates, and a student appointment is good value for money given SJS' role.

Students get the chance to check out how various industries suit.

Red Badge Security Company managing director Gary Wilton, who uses a pool of casual student workers for big events, has hired an accounting student for a short contract. He says he expects the student will gain a lot of work and life experience - skills they don't usually develop through study.

Commerce student Dan Brady, 20, has found working as a telemarketer has been a huge eye-opener. He started working part-time for Power Marketing as a telemarketer about 12 months ago and is now the company's operations and human resources manager while still studying.

"Telemarketing helps you learn to sell, something you do in every aspect of life whether selling yourself in a job interview, selling an idea or selling a product", he says. "I have found it invaluable".

Brady says his commerce course has given him a general understanding of all aspects of business, from accounting to information systems, while telemarketing has developed other skills such as teamwork, goal-setting, dealing with people and communication.

This summer, Brady is in a position to offer work - and is keen to employ other students for new projects.

Enterprise Waitakere project manager Nici Wickes, who is in charge of a Snap project, is working with businesses to pinpoint areas that can be turned into short-term employment projects for students. She says there is often reluctance by smaller employers to hire extra people, citing cost.

"Students don't cost as much [as consultants or contractors] and can be bought in on short-term projects to deal with areas such as technical or marketing problems".

She gives the example of a mental health agency wishing to increase its community profile through a marketing campaign.

"They wouldn't employ a marketing person full time, but it is an ideal student project".

She finds that businesses are a little worried about the need to induct new staffers and students' lack of work experience and office etiquette - the very aspects of work that students need to learn about.

HOW TO PLAY SNAP!

The new government programme to match employers and students with jobs relevant to their study features nine government projects.

Student Job Search (SJS) is running four regional pilots in Auckland (309-7800, ext 701), Hamilton (07 856-5023), Gisborne (06 867-4714) and Invercargill (03 218-4155).

Two economic development agencies, Enterprise Waitakere (09 837-1855, contact Nici Wickes) and Enterprising Manukau (09 277-7646), are also running projects while Canterbury-based social development agency, He Oranga Pounamu (03 353-4370, George Clark or Aroha Garth), is running a project specifically for Maori students.

Two industry-specific programmes have been set up through Destination Northland (Glenis Seaman on 025 686-7655) and the Central Region Employers and Manufacturers Association (Dalton Kelly on 04 472-4160).

For general information, call (0508) 66 22 66.

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