Hiring summer students at your organization can be a very positive practice, both for you and the broader community. From a community standpoint, it can provide an important source of skills education and experience building for the student population. For your own organization, it presents the opportunity to inject fresh perspective, as well as establish a pool of potential future talent.
From a team perspective, summer students can provide resourcing relief for staff who may be feeling overwhelmed with some of the day-to-day tasks and allow them to work on other projects they have been putting off for some time. Hiring summer students may even remind long-term staff how to have fun at work or teach them skills that they may have forgotten over time. It is a great opportunity for your staff to be involved and feel more included during the busy summer months.
Here are some of the benefits of hiring summer students:
- Skills Development: Students can gain practical experience and valuable skills that could help them in future careers, thus boosting the skillset of the next generation of the workforce.
- Increased productivity: Students can be more willing to learn and work hard to earn a positive employment reference or potential future full-time placement, increasing productivity and efficiency.
- Diversity and Inclusion: You can provide opportunities to students of various backgrounds.
- Cost Effective: Hiring summer students contributes to the community by providing valuable work experience for those completing their education, while securing a cost-efficient staffing option.
What are good hiring practices when hiring summer students?
- Understand that every student applying will have different skill levels and degrees of prior work experience.
- If hiring for a summer student generalist, find the position that best suits that student to provide real life experience. For example, someone completing an agricultural program in school may be best suited to working in your ag shop.
- Ensure criminal record checks, vulnerable sector checks, and drivers abstracts are obtained prior to employment.
- Ensure a performance objective plan is in place for any students hired so that they have clear, measurable objectives during their employment.
- Where possible, inject some fun into the work plan: a great example of this could be a workplace bingo consisting of various tasks and learning objectives. As they complete them, they can collect stamps that could be redeemed for a summer-end bonus or additional mentorship opportunity.
What can you do to make their work experience as beneficial as possible for all parties?
- Create a “work buddy” system by matching your student workers with experienced full time or seasonal workers who can ‘teach them the ropes.’ Partnering them with employees who are known to be positive contributors will also show them a healthy work environment and promote inclusiveness.
- Teach essential skills that they can use at any career they choose. These skills can be creative problem solving, how to develop your network, and how to work in a collaborative environment.
- Educate how the public service sector operates and the importance of working in this sector.
- Provide a healthy and safe work environment.
- Be responsive when a concern or idea is brought up. Students may notice a risk or opportunity in your operations that was previously missed. Students may be more in tune with identifying hazards that other employees may have become complacent towards, while also bringing new perspective with fresh eyes to ongoing organizational operations and internal and external opportunities.
What risk management steps should you take with summer students?
- Ensure that you are following all legal compliance requirements.
- Ensure that you provide comprehensive health and safety training.
- Ensure that adequate training is provided for all work they will be expected to carry out.
- Ensure that they are properly supervised while performing tasks.
- Follow and enforce any safety precautions that are required for the tasks they will be performing.
- Establish regular feedback opportunities to address any concerns or performance issues promptly.
- Having a system in place for documentation if concerns are brought to your attention.
- Have a clear termination policy and performance expectations that the student employees are made aware of from the beginning of employment.
Driving Municipal Vehicles
In general, students may be allowed to drive municipal vehicles provided they meet the following criteria:
- Valid Driver’s Licence: The student must hold a valid and appropriate class of driver’s licence for the vehicle they are operating.
- Driver Abstract Review: It is recommended that the municipality obtain and review the student’s driver abstract prior to granting access to any municipal vehicle.
- Supervision and Training: Students should be given a clear orientation on municipal vehicle use policies, expectations, and safety procedures.
- Permitted Use: Vehicle use should be limited to municipal business only. Personal or off-duty use should not be permitted.
Does insurance cover our summer students?
As with any employee, your insurance policies will extend to summer students. Your policy would respond to defend your municipality, should it be named in a claim, subject to the terms, conditions, deductibles, warranties, exclusions, and extensions of the policy.
Providing proper hiring, training and supervision of summer students can help ensure a successful summer for everyone!
Have a safe and fun summer! If you have any questions or concerns regarding summer students, RMA Insurance is happy to assist. Please contact us at risk@rmainsurance.com.