While students tend to look forward to summer break for vacations, parties and overall summer fun, many of them also use this time to earn money.

During the summer, students take this free time as an opportunity to work part-time or full-time jobs and support their livelihoods. According to the Louisiana Workforce Commission industries that have had an influx in jobs since May of last year are leisure and hospitality which have gained 46,700 jobs and trade, transportation and utility industries which have gained 19,000 jobs. 

Jade Hurst, a sophomore art major, decided to take on a job in order to save money for a pet kitten as well as to pay rent for her new apartment.

Hurst was able to find her current job, a sales associate at Children’s Place, on a website called Indeed that allows anyone, but especially young adults, an opportunity to search for jobs. 

“I was looking for jobs with a flexible schedule and employees around my age. Jobs that involve retail or a source of creativity were important to me,” Hurst said. 

Many students have also found job opportunities by searching locally. 

Senior education major Dejuan “DJ” James is working at North Cypress Fitness Center in Hammond as a summer camp counselor. 

“This is the third straight summer I’ve been a counselor, thanks to a flyer my mom gave me back in 2019 when I first heard of the job and it helped that it was not far from where I lived,” James said

James thinks that summer jobs are a great way to keep active during the summer and it also allows him to be a positive role model to children. 

Lanie LeFranc, a sophomore elementary education major, resides in Welsh with her family when she is not at SLU. Welsh is around two hours away from Southeastern’s campus. 

Even though she does not live right by campus, she has still been able to discover work opportunities in her area for the summer. 

LeFranc got her current summer babysitting job when she was referred to by a family friend and has worked at a local seafood restaurant in the past when she was not babysitting. 

While she will not be continuing her babysitting during the fall, she will work as a tour guide for the Southeastern admissions office. 

“I am saving up money to be able to have a good amount for the upcoming semester so I won’t overwhelm myself with the worry of money,’ LeFranc said when discussing her plans for her earnings from babysitting. 

College expenses will be coming in the fall and summer jobs allow young adult students to be able to save for those future payments.

Some of the often best-ranked job search websites of 2021 are Indeed, Monster and LinkedIn. For recent college graduates, Scouted may also be a great source. 

The Office of Career Services is an on-campus resource available to help students in their search for a career. In August Career Services will be hosting a part-time job fair in the Student Union where around 40 employers will be offering employment opportunities for Southeastern students.