Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 30/00) - The numbers are down a little, but Hire-a-Student are still calling the program a success.

According to Hire-a-Student co-ordinator, Nabil Nadji, 173 returning university and high school students in Yellowknife used the summer job-find program. Last summer, the program found jobs for 190 students.

Hire-a-Student is a federally funded program through Youth Employment Strategy Canada that has been operating for more than 20 years.

"You definitely increase your chances of finding a summer job," Nadji said, referring to the program's success rate.

Out of 165 jobs posted on the Hire-a-Student job board by potential employers this summer, 154 of those positions were filled.

Even though about a third of the jobs posted were for short-term positions, mostly by individuals looking for someone to clean up the yard or do some painting, other positions posted can be quite lucrative.

"Jobs can range anywhere from labour to lower management," Nadji said.

"The post-secondary students are getting more career-oriented jobs, like one for a program director for a sports club, a child- and youth-care worker and a marketing assistant."

There are, of course, some jobs that are a tough sale to young people looking to make some summer cash.

"The most unique request we had was for someone to shovel horse manure," Nadji said.

The program office -- located in the Joe Tobie building -- closed for the summer Aug. 21, but will be open for business again next May.

To show their gratitude for making the program a success, Hire-a-Student held an informal barbecue for students who took part in the program this summer in the alley behind the Joe Tobie building on Aug. 16.

One student, Zaid Ahmed, gave the program a big thumbs up, saying it helped him find the dream summer job this year. "I've used it lots," said Ahmed.

"I'm working at Frontier Mining right now. It's a great job, a great place to work."

And how was his free burger?

"Awesome," Ahmed said. "It's pretty thick."