National unemployment rates may not affect local students looking for summer jobs

For students, the summer could be three months of flipping burgers at a local fast-food restaurant, leading a cheerleading clinic or baby-sitting toddlers for a working mom.

But this year's economy has affected plans for high school and college students hoping to earn a few extra bucks at a summer job. The latest statistics released by the National Association of Business Economics reported that unemployment rates increased to 4.6 percent, reducing chances for youngsters to work.

However, Warren Skinner, assistant director of Career Services at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, believes the national trend has not affected younger workers in this area.

"I've seen the horror stories on television news reports about students having a tough time finding a job, but I think those in Cape Girardeau have been fortunate," Skinner said. "Most of the older population that maybe would hold jobs are from the outskirts of town, which means they are not taking the place of students who are manning jobs at the fast food restaurants, grocery stores and other businesses who hire them for the summer months."

For students still seeking summer employment, Career Services lists on its Web site, semo.edu/careerlinkages, available part-time jobs such as photographer, bank teller, copy editor, computer technician, nanny and restaurant worker. Since the spring, Skinner said about 75 students have searched for summer employment through the Web site.

Another option Southeast students have is through its partnership with greathires.org, a job bank operated by the State of Missouri Division of Workforce Development. The site lists more than 17,000 available employment opportunities.

Businesses such as Country Mart grocery store in Jackson have hired fewer students than in past years for summer employment. Store manager Kevin Groves said contributing factors are last year's minimum wage increase and employees requesting more work hours.

"It's difficult because those two contributing economical factors have not allowed me to hire as many students as I normally would," said Groves, who hires students ranging from 16 to 22 years old. "The students are important because they give us a good mix of age groups here at the store. They are vital contributors to the success of our business."

However, other businesses such as the Cape Girardeau Parks and Recreation Department have yet to reduce the number of students hired for the summer.

Recreation coordinator Jared Tanz said because of the vast number of programs offered, the department cannot cut back on the number of people it hires each summer. A staff of 60 people -- mostly high school and college students -- serve as special event and summer instructors for close to 30 classes, which include sports camps and cooking courses.

"Because of the enormity of our programs, it would hurt the quality of our operations if we reduced staff," Tanz said. "It's important for parents to see that we have a considerably large amount of staff to take care of their children when they drop them off each morning."

Meanwhile, Schnucks grocery store in Cape Girardeau also has not reduced the number of students it employs.

Though the number varies from each year, store manager Dennis Marchi said he has hired 12 students ages 16 to 18 for summer jobs.

"While we haven't reduced the number of students we hire for the summer, the economy has hurt us in other ways," Marchi said. "The cost of fuel is driving up the prices of some food and people are cutting back in some areas, such as buying chicken instead of steak.

"It's scary," he said. "There seems to be no end. But we'll manage the best we can."

bblackwell@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 137