Seasonal job posting are starting to pop up, however fewer young people are applying

Seasonal jobs are starting to pop up as summer nears closer. March 26, 2024. (Daniel Halmarson/CTV News Winnipeg)

Job postings for seasonal work in and around Winnipeg as summer slowly creeps forward are beginning to pop up.

Employers like the Winnipeg Goldeyes are hard at work recruiting for jobs around Blue Cross Park.

“Positions like being a pop hawker, like walking up and down the stands and handing out drinks, or you know, working in the warehouse, being a cook, or even fan services” Melissa Schlichting, Winnipeg Goldeyes food and beverage manager, told CTV News.

The Goldeyes season runs from May to September – making the ball diamond an ideal place for young people to get some job experience.

“Interacting with people and learning how to communicate,” Schlichting explained. “Make eye contact and troubleshoot and multi-task. You know, figure things out on the fly. All of that you learn in a setting like this.”

However, Schlichting said fewer young people are applying for seasonal jobs.

“I do feel that there is a decline – not only in overall interest – but also the level of commitment,” she said. “They don’t necessarily need to work as much as they would have in previous years.”

According to Statistics Canada’s latest labour force survey, the unemployment rate for Manitobans aged 15 to 24 was at 9.3 per cent in February.

Non-profit organization Youth Employment Services (YES) helps young people find jobs through short-term training, resumé building, and interview preparation.

“Youth do let us know they struggle quite a bit finding employment, and also maintaining it a lot of the time,” Ashley Demery, YES office manager, told CTV News. “Some of the barriers they face are primarily their lack of experience and their network.”

Demery said young job applicants should highlight what they’ve learned in school, along with skills developed through hobbies and extra-curricular activities.

“Assessing what they’ve done, what experiences they have, what they are strong at, and what do they want to do,” she said.

Youth Employment Services is a free resource for Manitobans between 16 and 29. More information on YES can be found online.