Just the job for University students
Posted on 24 February 2003
Now UniJobs is launching a new email system which alerts students as soon as an employer has asked for help in filling a vacancy. It went live today as the University of York takes part in National Student Employment Week (24 to 28 February).
During the week, York will be inviting students to workshops on improving their applications for full-time jobs, and on writing CVs that appeal to employers; they will also meet staff from the Job Centre and from a northern recruitment agency.
UniJobs has almost 1,000 employers on its register, has provided 480 jobs since the start of the academic year last October, and currently has 208 vacancies on its database.
Becky Irvin, UniJobs co-ordinator, said: "Many employers recruit their staff through us regularly, and we have often been able to provide students with specialist skills at short notice, particularly when companies have been struggling to cover staffing needs.
"Now is an ideal time to promote full-time vacancies for the summer vacation, when many firms need cover. We can give employers free advertising - and we can provide them with some brilliant students. We can advertise vacancies of up to 15 hours per week during term time and full time during vacations.
"We ourselves employ three student helpers who help out with everything from advising employers to publicising UniJobs events."
Student helper Helen Searle added: "Working at UniJobs has provided me with some amazing skills and experience for my CV and always makes an interesting topic at job interviews. I think our most newsworthy job was probably having an English student wandering around Browns department store in her underwear promoting a local initiative to make stores turn down their heating in order to save energy. "We've also had vacancies for costumed Vikings. The Jorvik Viking centre regularly recruits students to dress up during the busy summer season to provide a certain authenticity to the museum. In the same vein, we recruit costumed guides for Castle Howard. These students dress in period outfits and act as ghostly tour guides."
Other interesting jobs for students have included helping on archaeological digs, and dressing in Tunisian national costume to promote the Tunisian Tourist Board in the centre of York. IT and technology students have been employed to design games for mobile phones, create web sites, and programme software.
Local companies who would like to use the UniJobs service should contact Becky Irvin, UniJobs Co-ordinator on tel: 01904 432687 or email: unijobs@york.ac.uk