By Matthew Morgan [1]
BELLEVILLE – With fall here, many students at Loyalist College are intrigued by the idea of finding seasonal employment.
Employers across Belleville have been posting “Now Hiring” ads, as well as posting jobs online through websites like Jobbank [2] and ca.indeed.com [3]
Among the employers looking to hire seasonal workers are PetSmart and Bath & Body Works.
QNet News spoke to three Loyalist College students about whether they’re looking for seasonal work this year.
Breianna Burleigh first year student in the child and youth care program.
Breianna Burleigh, 17, is a first year child and youth care student. She isn’t currently employed because her schedule does not allow her to seek out any employment. She said that last summer she worked a seasonal position at a convenience store.
Burleigh said that she would consider seasonal work as an option closer to the school break. She thinks seasonal work for students is important.
“It allows students on their breaks and schedules to access extra money to afford schooling or cab rides or whatever else they may need.”
She said that when she decides on seeking out for employment, that she would like to find a position that relates to her studies.
Ilias Stanios third year student, film and television production
Ilias Stanois, 21, is a third year student in film and television production. He also isn’t currently employed but has worked a couple seasonal positions in the past. Stanois said that he’s worked for both Keurig and Tim Hortons in the past as a seasonal employee.
Stanois is currently self-employed as an independent film maker in his spare time but now he is seeking employment and is open to the idea of finding seasonal employment in Belleville.
“I have noticed the new job postings, and it seems like it’s (the employment situation) trying to grow a lot, like Belleville itself being a more diverse area these days.”
He would prefer to find work geared to his studies but said that he would take on any part time seasonal employment if it didn’t get in the way of his school schedule.
”You need to have a secondary job, if you’re working in the art career. “
Dawn Moffatt second year student in the child and youth care program.
Dawn Moffatt, 19, is a second year child and youth care student. She said that she was employed as a seasonal worker at Chapman’s Ice Cream in Markdale, two hours northwest of Toronto this past summer.
Moffatt said that she was on a contract from April to August and that worked out great for her because it didn’t affect her studies since she was on summer break.
She said that her current schedule wouldn’t allow her to seek seasonal employment, but she still believes seasonal work is important.
“I believe seasonal work would be very beneficial for students because it’s not like you have a part time job, so you can work for six month or four months, you can work for whenever you really need to.”
She said she has also noticed an increase in the number of seasonal job postings from this year in comparison to last year and said that the employers seem to be putting up their job listings earlier this year.
Moffatt said, “I think that I would consider seasonal work again because I’ve done it before. It just would have to not affect my school schedule.”