When it comes to popularity with the student workforce, the hospitality industry is the clear front runner.
Last year, nearly one in every four applications submitted through Student Job Search (SJS) was for a hospitality role. Ranked by number of job applications, hospitality has been number one in 10 of the last 11 years.
Student Job Search Chief Executive Louise Saviker says given hospitality employers already have access to Aotearoa's most engaged student workforce; the next step is to consider how the industry can keep them long-term.
"The next generation of hospitality leaders may not be studying hospitality. Approximately 3000 students currently studying hospitality-related qualifications are registered with SJS," she says.
"However, the wider graduate pipeline includes tens of thousands studying business, commerce, marketing, communications, technology and creative disciplines. These are potential future venue managers, operations managers, HR leaders, marketing specialists, and business owners."
Hospitality New Zealand Chief Executive Kristy Phillips says hospitality gives students something a lot of part-time jobs don't; real responsibility, early on.
"You're dealing with people, solving problems on the spot, and learning how a business actually runs, as well as sharpening the time management skills required to balance study and working shifts," she says.
"Those are skills that stick with you long after you've handed in your last assignment."
Hospitality has "a genuine career ladder", Kristy says.
"We see it all the time; someone starts behind the till or on the floor to help pay their way through uni, and five years later they're managing a venue or running their own. A lot of our sector's leaders started exactly where these students are now.
"The businesses that hold on to great staff are the ones that treat student workers as future talent, not just weekend cover. That means offering training, a clear path to more responsibility, and flexibility that respects their study commitments. Get that right, and a student job turns into the start of a career."
Student Job Search surveyed students who had worked in hospitality and asked what they liked about it. The majority of responses talked about the human side of hospitality; customers, teams, social connection, and the energy of the work. Many also saw hospitality as a place to build confidence, communication skills, and practical work experience.
The value of having students in your workplace should not be underestimated, Louise says.
"Students can do more than fill the gaps. Given the opportunity, they can become the reliable team members and future leaders that keep hospitality businesses moving. Many are also developing skills through their studies that can be applied across your business as they grow."
"The businesses getting the best results aren't just hiring students for weekends and busy periods. They're creating opportunities for students to stay, grow, apply what they're learning and take on more responsibility."