Summer jobs up for the picking
Up to 25,000 jobs will be created this summer for people to work through SA’s party and holiday season.
Between 10,000 and 20,000 jobs are expected to be generated in the retail sector alone, while the hospitality sector will employ about 2000 extra workers.
Up to 3000 workers are needed for harvest jobs, such as fruit picking, and thousands of extra workers required for regional tourism work, such as petrol station and supermarket attendants.
Business SA chief executive Peter Vaughan said employers looked to boost staff levels to maximise profits over the busy Christmas trading period. “Many sectors over summer rely on casual employment, which suits the nature of work and the lifestyle of many employees,” he said.
Australian Hotels Association general manager Ian Horne said extra bottle shop, bar and waiting staff were needed from late October through to early January to meet demand for the festive and party seasons.
“For a lot of people in our industry, it’s part of their lifestyle, as they’re paid to work in a great restaurant or hotel or pub and enjoy the atmosphere,” he said.
Independent retail consultant Stirling Griff said employment in the industry peaked in the lead-up to and immediately after Christmas and most jobs were casual.
National Harvest Labour Information Service state manager Peter Angel said there would be less work this year than in previous years, particularly in the Riverland, because of the drought.
He said there were more people seeking work in packing sheds, fruit picking and driving tractors than jobs available this year.
South Australia Tourism Commission Limestone Coast regional tourism manager Biddie Tietz said the influx in visitors meant most non-traditional tourism businesses, such as supermarkets and petrol stations, had to put on an extra pair of hands.
Jobs Statewide chief executive Wendy-Jayne Williams said jobs were now starting to be advertised.
“There’s also summer work becoming available in the grain industry, orchards in the Adelaide Hills and housekeeping,” she said.
Sam Rhodes, 22, of Seaford, helps operate the bungy trampoline ride on the Glenelg foreshore on weekends for extra cash. “It’s not a bad spot to work,” he said.
