Employers overlooking students searching for summer jobs.

By Kristine Klein

Some students are complaining that it has become very difficult to find summer jobs because employers are not taking them seriously when they apply for summer work.

Some college and university students have been searching for part time and full time summer jobs in Windsor. They say there might be more to why it is difficult to find a job other than the high unemployment rates in the city. Melina Hayik, 23, is finding it difficult to find a summer job.

“I feel like companies and businesses don’t take students very seriously to hire for the summer because they know right after the summer we get too busy with school and will quit or just do part time so they don’t see a reason in hiring you,” said Hayik.

Some students agree that not many employers will hire students who are just looking for summer jobs and who may not be reliable when school starts again.

“Employers look for people who are available to make their company money and, as sad as it is to say, money makes the economy go round and in today’s economy people can’t afford to risk hiring a part time student that can’t show up because they have assignments and homework to do,” said 21-year-old St. Clair College student Cody Sorell.

The students said they believe this has become a real issue in Windsor and it needs to be addressed.

“We desperately need to target unemployment in young people because without a strategy, we face kids like me being a burden on the welfare system,” said Taylor Smith, 21, who studies pre-health at St. Clair College.

We’re competing with unemployed adults and graduates as well who can commit more than three to four months to a position. I’ve found the job market for us youngsters with little experience to be brutal,” said Smith.

According to Smith most employers took candidates who were not returning to school in September or those who weren’t students at all.
“I think there are a lot of summer job opportunities if you know the right people and have the advantage of being in a youth program like New Beginnings,” said Smith.

There are youth employment services in Windsor-Essex such as St. Clair College Youth Employment Services, Career Centre for Education, University of Windsor and New Beginnings Summer Jobs for Youth Program.