site.btaMore High-school Students Want to Work in Summer - Expert

High-school students' interest in working during the summer months was significantly higher this year than in previous years, according to Ralitsa Vachkova, Human Resources Manager at Cargo-Partner Ltd., an international company offering international freight transportation. This interest reflects students' wish to spend a couple of meaningful months when school is off, and gain some financial independent, Vachkova told BTA.

The expert's observations are confirmed by data from the General Labour Inspectorate, which shows an increase in the number of work permits for minors in the first seven months of the year. Their number is 10,459, showing an increase not only compared to the same period of 2022, when they were 8,422, but also to the pre-COVID 2019 when the permits totalled 7,397. 

"We hired eight students between July and August. What the adolescents share as their main motivators is their desire for some financial independence and the opportunity to spend their free time in a meaningful way," said Vachkova. She said that Cargo-Partner started two years ago with the first students studying in the so-called "dual form" of working while studying for the job of a freight forwarder and logistical worker. In total, the company has hired six students from the dual education programme so far, and one of them was offered a permanent job but he chose to go to university. "We are about to offer another student a permanent job," Vachkova said. 

Last summer the company decided to try with shorter-term employment for young people. Two students joined in: one from the dual programme and one from a specialized high school who was also the child of a company employee. A total of eight students are now on short-term summer work contracts this year and the company plans to continue next summer. 

"They formed a great team, had fun together in their off hours, and their mentors hope to see them return next summer," said Vachkova. 

According to her, starting to work during school age develops perseverance and patience. "We've all heard that teenagers nowadays have a problem with exactly these skills, but our experience has been entirely positive," she told BTA. 

She pointed out that the company always expects the best from the young people they hire because they believe in their desire to develop professionally, no matter if they spend the next two years or two months with the company. 

Employers also face difficulties. "Our mentors welcome every new employee with a determination to give their best in the mentoring but it is a two-way process and if they don't see in the recruit a desire to learn, they know these people are unlikely to stay for long. Our experience shows that if there is no motivation to learn in school, there is no motivation to do your job conscientiously," said Ralitsa Vachkova. 

She believes that hiring students during the summer bring both short- and long-term benefits for the employer. On the one hand, it provides the extra hand that is needed during the months when more workers want to go on vacation. "But the long-term benefit is much more significant," she said. "At the company, we share the vision that by giving young people the chance to start their careers with us, they will become ambassadors for our brand in the companies where they one day will make a career. We see in them our future customers," added Vachkova.