Students explore summer job options

In February, summer can seem like a distant light at the end of the tunnel of midterms, essays and, eventually, exams.

But the winter semester often passes faster than expected, and last this month’s Summer Job and Career Fair brought students the chance to connect with employers for upcoming job opportunities.

Hosted by Dalhousie’s Career and Leadership Development Centre (CLDC), the fair on Thursday, February 2 featured more than 50 booths of potential employers from across Canada seeking Dal students.

The CLDC provided students with resume-building and professional-development assistance in order to help them put their best foot and face forward as they apply for jobs — in the latter case, quite literally, with a photo booth set up for online profile shots.

Making connections

Last year’s job fair proved beneficial for Political Science student Lydia Swiatkowski, who secured a position as a summer tour guide at the Nova Scotia House of Assembly and now works part-time as a legislative page.

This year’s House of Assembly booth offered these same two positions for Dal students — jobs that Swiatkowski highly recommends.

 “As a page you work more directly in government at the provincial level, and are part of news being made,” says Swiatkowski. “I love it.”

The job is designed for students, Swiatkowski notes, so it is manageable even with her full course load.

A diversity of options

Another type of job on display was as a counselor at one of many summer camps located in Canada and the United States. Camp Arowhon, a traditional co-ed summer camp located in Algonquin Park in Ontario, was offering jobs for summer staff from June to August and for graduates who can work the full season from early May to Thanksgiving.

“We have good luck with staff from the Maritimes,” says Andre Amiro, a University of King’s College graduate who found this camp at a Dal job fair in 2006.

While many students search for summer internships, Amiro notes that camps can offer a different kind of experience that helps students develop interpersonal and problem-solving skills.

The Public Service Commission of Canada, the Canadian Armed Forces, Parks Canada and the Nova Scotia Department of Education were just a few of the other major organizations offering options tailored specifically to students at this year’s fair. Several Canadian universities were also on hand at the fair to highlight some of their programs for students.

Year-round support

While hundreds of students turned out to last week’s fair, the CLDC also offers other year-round supports for students. With myCareer, students can post resumes, apply for positions, and register for events. And DalConnects, a free student leadership program, provides workshops, events, leadership retreats, and conferences.

For more information, visit CLDC online.