6 February 2002

13.6% Increase In Student Employment So Far This Summer

Students have found 13.6% more jobs so far this summer, Associate Education (Tertiary Education) Minister Steve Maharey said today.

Latest figures from Student Job Search for the summer period up to 25 January 2002 show that 26,705 students have been placed into employment, up more than 3,200 jobs – or 13.6% – from the 23,500 students placed for the same period last summer. Student Job Search has found those students 100,302 weeks of work this summer, an increase of 17.1%, or 14,655 extra weeks of work, on the same period last year.

Steve Maharey said the results come following increased government investment in Student Job Search and more active matching of summer jobs with skilled students.

“Student Job Search has achieved excellent results this summer and, with the rest of the month of February to go, they confidently expect to place more than 30,000 students into work by the end by the time students return to the books.

“A feature of this summer has been the increasing number of long-term jobs students have found. To date 3,495 students have been placed in jobs exceeding 30 hours per week for 4 weeks or more – up 651 students (or 22.9%) on the same period last summer.

“Opportunities for summer employment are important to provide students with work experience and with savings for their coming year's study. That’s why the government has invested an additional $3million over four years in Student Job Search.

“This summer we also piloted a new 'Students Work' programme comprising a trial business growth and student employment project called Snap! and introduced changes to student assistance designed to help students get into meaningful summer employment,” Steve Maharey said.

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