More than 250 Summer jobs at more than 20 workplaces across Southland are up for grabs at the inaugural Southland Summer of Work.
The event is an online job fair to connect Southland students looking for Summer work with the employers who have jobs available during the summer holidays.
Great South Southland Youth Futures Team Manager Renata Gill said the event was a good way to lessen the burden for business owners in having to try and find summer staff.
“Businesses are already impacted by the stress of Covid lockdowns and have no ability to fill roles with visitors on working holiday visas,” Mrs Gill said.
It was not always easy for students to approach employers and often when they did, they found that employers wanted someone with prior experience.
“The beauty of these jobs is that no experience is required.”
“There’s real variety in the work available too, with everything from a range of tourism and hospitality roles including at a jetboat company, to blueberry picking to tractor driving to wrapping Christmas presents.”
The event was originally intended to be held in person but due to Covid level restrictions that wasn’t possible.
“We’re really lucky that we’re able to continue with the event online and actually that will mean it’s much more likely that students from all over Southland will be able to take part.”
The way it works is that students will be able to view videoclips of employers talking about the kinds of work they have available and from that decide who they would like to meet to learn more from.
They will then be set up with meetings online that may either be one-on-one or a group information session.
“The employers have gone above and beyond in making some really creative videos.”
The event was open either to school students or Southland tertiary students returning to Southland for the holidays.
More information about the event can be found at summerofwork.nz