NZUSA welcomes proposed student job initiatives

NZUSA welcomes proposed student job initiatives

Students today are welcoming positive initiatives that tertiary institutions are proposing to support students who cannot find work over the summer period.

Both the University of Canterbury Vice Chancellor Rod Carr and the University of Auckland Vice Chancellor Stuart McCutcheon have met with senior Government ministers to suggest initiatives that will aim to keep students in jobs over summer.

“Currently only one third of students are eligible for the Unemployment Benefit (Student Hardship) over summer, while the rest receive no support if they cannot find a job. With the threat of increasing unemployment, students may find it hard to support themselves over summer with jobs and may find it difficult to return to study once the semester begins” said Sophia Blair, Co-President of the New Zealand Union of Students Associations.

Suggested schemes include increasing the amount of summer research scholarships over summer and creating a ten week summer work programme that would involve students doing menial jobs that might not have otherwise been done.

“Given the Government’s appetite for innovative and creative work opportunities, these schemes fit nicely with other Government programmes that are underway and it would be timely to include these in the upcoming Budget” said Blair.

“Without support, students may find it increasingly difficult to continue with their studies. This would be a loss for both our society in terms of loss of skills and knowledge, and may negatively add to the growing queues of others already looking for work” said Blair.

NZUSA strongly urges the Government to support such initiatives that benefit both institutions and students alike.

ENDS

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