Text boosts job hopes for students

By Anna Bowden
Bay students hunting for work will be told of job possibilities by text on their cellphone under a radical trial starting this week.
If successful, the new Student Job Search "computer-to-text" pilot would be later rolled out nationwide.
The new initiative means the Durham St office will close for the academic year between March and October. The office will then open for the remaining five months until the end of February.
The closure initially concerned student representatives.
But Student Job Search regional manager Brian Smith said the new system was "exciting and radical".
Mr Smith said that despite the fact some people were worried about the centre's future, Tauranga was "in no way being deserted".
A call minder and diversion system had been set up to redirect calls to the Hamilton office while a complete review of services was undertaken.
Last year, the office's opening hours expanded from October to February to include the entire academic year.
But the latest decision came after a review by a Government agency earlier this year.
Mr Smith said the Student Job Search National Council had decided to trial the new technical alert system using computer and cellphone technology in the Western Bay.
The Durham St office would continue to open during summer months.
Student Job Search would now build up a database of contact cellphone numbers of registered members who would then be notified of any news or situations vacant. Students will be able to text their responses back to the Hamilton regional office where they will be processed and answered by representatives.
"It is very much a trial at this stage," Mr Smith said. "What we are learning is the younger generation of students are very computer savvy."
The changes would mean students can register on the Student Job Search website and then be notified by email or text when employment positions came up.
"Over the years, Tauranga has been used as pilots for many different ideas. If this works it would credit Tauranga for the progressive and challenging way they accept new ideas."
The co-ordinator of the polytechnic's student-run centre Student Worx, Sheree Trotter, said the service was a huge link for the community and the Polytechnic, but she welcomed the change saying students would embrace the "fantastic" idea.
"It is very student friendly," she said.
Ms Trotter agreed Tauranga was a great place to trial the idea. Her only concern was making sure the students who used the cellphones were in fact the registered job seeker.
"There will definitely be a great response from this. It adds another dimension." Over the 2003/04 five month-long summer period, 3247 students were placed in jobs in Tauranga compared to 2959 for the previous year.
Farmers department store took on about 30 casuals during the holiday season, and Mitre 10 Mega store took on 15 students between December and the end of February.