According to Canada Summer Jobs officials - the replacement for the former Hire-A-Student program - the number of jobs available in Calgary, Edmonton and Fort McMurray appears to put students in the driver's seat.
In Calgary, some employers are offering higher wages or bonuses to find the staff they need. In Edmonton, the number of jobs expected to be posted over the summer period is forecast to be above last year's total. In Fort McMurray, early figures show higher average wage rates along with more jobs waiting to be filled.
But it's not oil and gas that's directly spurring this growth, says Danielle Comeau, youth employment officer at the Service Canada Centre for Youth (SCCY) in Fort McMurray.
Comeau said from the job postings she's seen so far, the oilsands operators have not yet posted, though she pointed out that it doesn't preclude that happening in the immediate future. Rather, Comeau says the postings in May - 71 companies with 143 positions - mainly focused on office work, retail, hospitality, general labour and recreation.
"We're expecting to post more overall jobs than last year," says Comeau. "The average wage (for jobs offered) this year in May was $14.45. Last year, the average for the summer was $13.50 per hour."
Some employers are offering bonuses if the students stay a certain amount of time, adds Comeau.
David Wilkin, Comeau's counterpart in Calgary, is also seeing some - but not all - employers offering bonuses or perks to fill their vacancies.
"Employers are beginning to increase the incentives. We're seeing everything from signing bonuses to higher wage rates - bonuses are being put into the contract to make the job more appealing. We had a job where if you worked for them for the summer, they'd give you $500 extra on the first shift. Those are rare, but we're seeing more employers do that than in previous years," says Wilkin, public relations co-ordinator for SCCY Calgary.
In Calgary, the jobs are primarily in the construction and retail sectors, but Wilkin says they're posting all types of jobs.
Last year for the summer period, Wilkin says Calgary posted the highest number of jobs across Canada at about 18,000 and he expects that number will be exceeded this summer.
Edmonton SCCY spokeswoman Meghan Potkins reports that wages for student summer jobs can go as high as $25 per hour.
"The majority of jobs we post are labour oriented," she says. "In this hot economy, we are also posting many jobs in hospitality, as well as office jobs and technology jobs."
To date, more than 1,300 positions have been posted in Edmonton, a number Potkins says is on track to exceed the total number of summer jobs that were available in 2006.
The Edmonton office is downtown at 9943 109 St. It opened for the summer May 4 and will run until Aug. 14.
The Calgary office is at 510 12 Ave. S.W. in the Sam Livingston Building. It opened May 3 and will close Aug. 10. In Fort McMurray, the office is at 9915 Franklin Avenue on the main floor of the provincial building. It opened at the beginning of May and will close Aug. 10.
The SCCY offices do more than just offer job listings, which are also available online.
"Our offices help by providing job postings, resume, cover letter and interview assistance, and information on health and safety in the workplace, wage rates, employment standards and labour laws," says Potkins.
And even in a hot labour market where there are more jobs than students, Comeau, Potkins and Wilkin all say that students are finding these additional services helpful.
"It is a really great time for students looking for jobs - because there are plenty. But the one thing that we really try to communicate to students is that it is not simply a matter of finding any old job but really finding the job that helps you build upon your experience towards a future career," adds Potkins.
In addition to the traditional job postings, the SCCY centres will stage events to give employers an opportunity to reach students directly. Calgary and Edmonton have job fairs scheduled for later this month, both June 28.
The centres also operate a casual labour program, which allows more flexibility for youth and their employers. These jobs run for two weeks or less.
The Calgary Winter Club, a private member-owned club focusing on athletic and social activities, has used the service in the past and plans to again.
Human resources manager Chantelle Pinder says using the SCCY provides students a chance to find jobs they may not have considered, while allowing the club to hire eager and energetic employees.
"Lots of students love to play badminton or tennis, but do not think of a career in it," says Pinder. "Students have a great attitude, a lot of energy and they very much fit the culture that we have - and that is to have a lot of fun."
Pinder also likes the can-do attitude from the SCCY offices.
"They provide an excellent opportunity to work with the youth and that's the biggest thing. A lot of people want to hire workers and we want people," she says. "The hire-a-student programs work with you to find the right people, as opposed to just workers."
(Laura Severs can be reached at laura@businessedge.ca)
