New Zealand students are showing they are as eager for work as ever with 50,000 job applications submitted through Student Job Search (SJS) in November, a record for this financial year.
This is a 13% increase year-on-year and while the number of vacancies rose 15% in the same period, a large gap between students and job opportunities remains.
At a time of year when public holidays start to come thick and fast, SJS Chief Executive Louise Saviker is reminding employers that an army of flexible jobseekers is waiting in the wings, ready to pick up the slack.
“While many permanent full-time staff are dreaming of long weekends and getaways, students are desperately searching for paid employment to fund their studies and their lives,” she says.
“With time-and-a-half hours and days in lieu up for grabs, the holidays are the ultimate time for students to earn and learn while giving the permanent full-time workforce a much-needed break.”
More than 1700 students found employment through SJS in November, which is positive. However, most of these placements were in short-term roles, with casual and one-off jobs continuing to dominate the market.
“We’re continuing to see students picking up multiple jobs just to earn what they would if they could find a permanent part-time or full-time role, and the competition for each job is intense,” Louise says.
“Across the labour market, we are seeing some promising growth with concentration in sectors like hospitality, construction and logistics, all of which align well with student availability but rarely offer long-term security. Youth and graduate job seekers continue to face a shortage of permanent, career-aligned pathways.”
For those students who do find work, it can mean a lot more than just earning an income.
Tessa Dreyer was studying film and content creation but was unsure if it was a career she wanted to commit to. Then, a part-time job through SJS ignited a new passion and totally changed her career trajectory.
“Through a part-time cleaning job at a gym, I got free membership which helped me find my true passion for fitness," she says.
“I am now studying to be a personal trainer at Fit Futures Academy in Christchurch, and I have never felt more sure and excited about my future. This has been something that I’ve really stuck with, and it’s just consumed my whole being in the best way possible.”
Louise says stories like Tessa’s are a valuable reminder of the array of benefits that come from student employment.
“Even if it’s not in the field you’re studying, the skills you learn and connections you make can have real, long-term benefits. We all started somewhere and by listing and hiring through SJS you can make a real difference in a young person’s life.