With the academic year soon coming to an end, students may be looking for ways to spend their free time and make some extra money.
Plenty of jobs are available for students looking for summer placements, said Tim Spence, job developer at NCDS.
“There are a lot of jobs available for adults and students. I believe we have over 250 jobs posted on our job board. We have a board dedicated to students but the regular job board is also geared toward not just adults but also students,” he said.
The job board serves all the programs at NCDS, Spence said, including ones targeted at students.
Students who are interested in taking advantage of the Youth Job Connection program, targeted to those aged 15 to 29 looking to gain pre-employment skills, may find it easier to simply reach out to NCDS for more hands-on support.
“My best recommendation is to stop in at NCDS and check it out. Depending on age, experience, goals, etcetera, there are many different options. We have at least two people situated in our reception area at all times who be able to assist students with their job search activities. The student may also be eligible for some training programs,” he said.
The Youth Job Connection: Summer program is another resource that serves students who may need support transitioning between school and work, providing “summer, part-time and after-school job opportunities to high school students aged 15 to 18 who are facing challenging life circumstances,” the website read.
Executive director Sheryl Supinski said there are 20 hours of workshops and training before the student goes to a placement. “That was skewed towards students like high school students. Although it is for summer, it could be outside of summer as well,” she said.
She noted that the other Youth Job Connection program has 60 hours of pre employment training and may not be the best fit for someone currently in full time education unless the school has given them permission to be out of class.
Students can also drop-in or book an appointment to receive resume writing help, employment advice and interview skills, said Supinski.
When asked if students are guaranteed a job after completing the training, Supinski said that they do connect students with a placement and hope that the student will be interested enough to take on the position.
However, for students looking to apply for quick summer placements, multiple opportunities are available across Fort Frances such as positions at Dairy Queen, Green’s Home Furnishings, Hammond Landscaping, Belluz Concrete & Rentals, Webbs Wholesale, Fort Frances Library, or the Town of Fort Frances.
Supinski said only a few are featured on the NCDS website and Facebook page, however, students are encouraged to make sure of the full job board available on-site.
She said that the biggest trait students need to find or succeed in receiving a summer placement is motivation.
“There’s so many jobs,” she said.
Many of the jobs offer flexible hours and good wages, seeking students who have a positive attitude and like to work with people.
There’s a variety of jobs for different skills and preferences in case some students consider themselves more “outdoorsy” or if they prefer office work.
Supinski said her first job was as a paper carrier for the Fort Frances Times. She attributes her success to transferable skills and would tell someone just starting out in the working world that “although you can’t have everything you want today, you can work hard to put yourself in a better position in the future.”
Students looking for summer opportunities can call NCDS at 807-274-2282 to book an appointment or can preview some summer opportunities online at https://www.ncds4jobs.ca/student-job-opportunities-summer.
