Mr. Speaker, I have Return to Written Question 19-16(2) asked by Mr. Robert Hawkins on Monday, June 9, 2008, regarding the summer student hiring process.
Summer students are hired as casual employees and are subject to the same terms and conditions as other casual employees. Between April 15 and August 15, students are given a higher hiring priority for casual employment with the GNWT than non-students registered in the same affirmative action category. Departments that request a summer student are provided with access to a list of available individuals which is filtered by their affirmative action status and field of study. Departments are advised that the affirmative action status applies to summer student employment and encouraged to hire in accordance with the policy where priority students can be matched to summer employment opportunities.
The start date of each summer student hired for the 2008 summer season varies from April 1 to July 7, 2008. Later this afternoon, at the appropriate time, I will table the document 2008 Summer Student Employment Start Dates.
Approximately 63 per cent of summer students hired in 2008 were previously hired through the Summer Student Employment Program. Of these, 32 per cent have been hired three or more times.
The number of summer students that will be attending a post-secondary institute for the first time this fall is 26.
The number of summer students that are finished post-secondary schooling and will not be returning in the fall is difficult to determine as a number of students who complete their initial diploma or degree continue on to pursue their education either in another field of study or in a graduate program.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.