People are constantly searching for new horizons and opportunities, which includes the competitive job market. At BYU-Idaho many students are blessed with the chance to work on campus.

“It is very convenient. You can walk and not have to pay for expensive gas. The school works with your schedule, and the hourly wage is better than most off-campus jobs,” said Sarah Allen, a freshman from Blackfoot, Idaho.

Since the number of college students attending during the fall and winter semesters is higher than during the summer, more jobs are becoming available to students during the fall and winter tracks.

Approximately 2,400 job positions are filled during the fall and winter semesters, which drops down to approximately 1,600 during the summer.

“BYU-Idaho is the largest employer in this area, and President Kim B. Clark is bound and determined to have the summer semester employment match that of the fall and winter,” said Grant E. Johnson, BYU-I director of student employment.

With the upcoming summer semester just a couple months down the road, certain job areas will start to pick up once again. The trend seems to be that during the summer months in any job dealing with academic areas the positions will drop in number considerably, including student labs and library positions, Johnson said.

On the other hand, ground work, maintenance and custodial jobs pick up during the summer. Many maintenance positions open while the school is less populated because it is easier to take care of tasks such as shampooing carpet and repairing woodwork.

“I will tell you a [department] that always … always needs more help,” Johnson said. “The custodial always needs help at four o’clock in the morning.”

Some students may believe it is competitive to find a job on campus, but opportunities can arise as students keep themselves informed about possible openings.

“I have worked here [in the Executive Office] since August, and it is really nice,” said Lauren Giles, a senior from Hanford, Calif. “It is the best possible environment you can work in.”

Students must be going to school full-time to be able to work on-campus and are not allowed to work over 20 hours a week.

“We are here to help students get through school,” Johnson said.