Angela Wilson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (July 10/02) - Hundreds of people turned out Monday for the Hire A Student office's barbeque on Franklin Avenue.

The barbeque was the office's kick-off event for Hire A Student week, said senior student employment officer Patricia Coyne.

"It's a chance for people to get a hint of who we are and what we do," said Coyne.

The Hire A Student office opened May 1 and will remain open until Aug. 16. Now that school's out, a lot of students are using the services available at the office, said Coyne.

"We see a fair amount of students," she said. "Now that school's out, we see about 75 to 100 students per week."

Helping students connect with potential employers is not the only service the office offers. Helping students with their resumes, teaching vital interview skills, offering employment tips and helping students with job applications are all services the centre offers.

"It's really a student's office. We want to help them feel as comfortable as possible."

While there is a wide range of positions out there for students, Coyne said one sector in particular hosts the most number of student jobs.

"Usually, most of the jobs are customer service jobs," she said. "We also have a casual employment program."

Students have different reasons for pursuing employment, said Coyne.

"Lots of students are going back to school and need some money. There are also a lot of high school students out there looking for their first job," she said.