Who’s hiring, and what’s the pay?
Summer jobs for students provide independence, teach work ethic and pay a bit of holiday cash. Around 12,000 people find work from November to February through Student Job Search, more still through community Facebook pages, job sites and direct approaches to employers. Kirsty Wynn looks at who hires them and what jobs give the best buck for effort.
School’s out for summer — so too university. But while many young people enjoy a well-earned break from study, not all of them want or can afford to. The good news is there’s plenty of opportunity to earn while you don’t learn. Here are some options, and what they typically pay per hour.
Retail: Minimum wage ($18.90) — $22
Retail is usually the go-to for students, with the Christmas rush and big stores hiring staff to fill shelves, work checkouts and fill online orders.
Covid has had an impact, though, with big stores taking on fulltime workers displaced from other industries.
Big retailers such as Kmart, Farmers and supermarkets usually have additional holiday staff until the first week of January, said Christopher Walsh from Money Hub.
“Covid is at work here though and I’ve heard a few stores that readily employed students are now hiring more permanent staff,” he said.
“The fulltime staff tend to be a bit more reliable and don’t call in sick on Saturday morning.”
Retail work dries up in early January when the Boxing Day and New Year sales are over, Walsh said.
For a chance to pick up extra hours, Walsh suggests following the crowds — even if it takes you away from your hometown.
A summer job in a tourist hotspot — think Queenstown, Akaroa, Abel Tasman, even Waiheke Island — can provide good hours with a holiday feeling.
And because of Covid, there are jobs for locals that backpackers might normally do.
“I worked about 80 hours a week at Abel Tasman National Park one year and it was the best thing ever.”
Cheap accommodation could be found on local Facebook pages.
“If you get together with a group of friends you can make some money and have a holiday at the same time,” Walsh said.
Hospitality: $19-$22
Marisa Bidois from the Restaurant Association said there were plenty of jobs for students, with many offering flexible hours in fun and social environments.
“Our industry is still in need of people and many of our members are struggling to find help over the busy season,” Bidois said.
Job boards on the Restaurant Association Facebook page were updated frequently, she added.
Suzanne Boyd from Student Job Search believed some hospitality employers were still worried about customer numbers amid the rolling impact of the pandemic.
“We have noticed employers are a bit concerned with offering the hours they did pre-Covid. We are definitely seeing Covid’s impact.”
All the major fastfood chains were hiring in the lead-up to Christmas, with shopping areas facing hordes of extra customers.
Although shoppers will ease once the sales are finished, there’s a relatively high turnover of staff in fastfood, and decent opportunities.
Office and education: $25-$45
Boyd said some of the biggest earners cover people taking leave.
Engineering, accounting and office admin roles are well-paid and a good
chance for students to get a taste of an industry they might like to work in.
Tutoring roles, which can continue yearround, can earn around $37 an hour.
But the biggest money is in internships.
“We have placed interns at banks, doing graphic design work and as tutors, and some earn more than $45 an hour,” Boyd said.
“There are staff members who head off on holiday and a student might fill the role and get some really valuable experience.”
Fruit picking: $18.90-$20
The fruit industry is desperate for workers, despite 2000 pickers arriving from the Pacific between January and March.
The work can be physically hard, with workers bent down picking or carrying bags that can weigh 20kg, but it pays.
Boyd said there had been a huge
focus on getting students into horticulture roles with the Pick This Pick That campaign.
“I don’t think students have thought about fruit picking before but we have just put 100 through for jobs.”
Walsh said the pay had put some people off.
Jobs online were typically advertised at between $18.90 and $20 an hour. The roles that will be filled with workers from the Pacific have been set by the Government as paying the living wage of $22.10 an hour.
“I worked fruit picking for a season in Queenstown and it is hard work,” said Money Hub’s Christopher Walsh.
“Backpackers often don’t want to do it because it is hard and you’re not paid what it is worth. Central Otago in 37 degrees and blowing winds — you need to be paid more.”
Odd Jobs: Minimum wage-$38
One-off or short-term jobs such as house cleaning, garden maintenance and landscaping are more common outside peak summer.
But Boyd said you might find something during the holiday.
Beware the bad boss
New Zealand has no minimum age for employment, but there are rules around the times young people can work and the work they can do.
Most businesses have a minimum age policy of 16 but will employ younger people in certain situations.
By law, people under 16 cannot work before 6am or after 10pm. Work must not prevent or interfere with school attendance.
People under 15 cannot work in a factory or where things are being prepared or made for sale, on a construction site; in a forest where trees are being cut down or processed, or in any area where the work may harm the employee.
There is no minimum wage for people under the age of 16.
“Student Job Search requires all employers registered with us to sign a declaration that they will behave in ways that are safe, provide a safe workplace and treat people respectfully,” Boyd said.
Students are also encouraged to look at employment law online and ask for help if needed.