For high school and college students, the spring season normally means starting a search for a summer job.
But there is nothing normal anymore when it comes to COVID-19.
With unemployment rates at unprecedented levels and thousands of businesses forced to shut down, many in the Class of 2020, the so-called “Class of COVID-19,” as well as current college students, are scrambling to find summer jobs and internships.
Lynnfield’s Hunter Allain, a freshman at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., had already lined up a paid summer internship at Raytheon. The aeronautical and mechanical engineering major was originally scheduled to start May 18, but he learned Wednesday that the date has been pushed back to early June.
He said that, while Raytheon is still in business, there have been cutbacks in some departments, yet he feels that living in state, just 20 minutes away, enhances his chances of keeping the internship.
“If they cut any internships, I have to think the out-of-state kids would be first to go,” he said. “Coming here, they would have to be quarantined. I’m already in state so I’m hopeful. This internship is vital in my major, but if it does fall out, I probably will just try to pick up a job around here. That will be tough if they don’t tell me until June.”
Lynn Assistant Superintendent of Parks and Playgrounds Lisa Nerich said her department has put a hold on all job applications. On average, there are 25 positions up for grabs each summer.
“Day to day, we will continue to follow the guidance and recommendation from our public health officials when it is safe to open the city parks and playgrounds,” she said. “Our priority at this time is the health and well-being of all our residents of Lynn.”
Metro North YMCA President and CEO Kathleen Walsh said Metro North employs approximately 250 high school and college students each summer at its locations in Lynn, Saugus, Peabody, Lynnfield, Stoneham and Melrose. It is continuing to take applications and conducting virtual interviews, but isn’t making any commitments.
“This has impacted families with so many uncertainties,” said Walsh. “We’ve always been interested in providing good employment opportunities and we’ve had a lot of interest from past employees, many of whom need to work to help pay their tuition.”
Rich Avery, Facility Manager for Fraser Field and Manning Field, said things are on hold indefinitely for the Mayor’s Summer Job Program, which operates through the Community Development Office. That program provides about 145 jobs on average every summer, ranging from downtown cleanup crews, to positions at local business and non-profit organizations at City Hall, banks, auto repair shops, landscaping companies, schools and city parks.
“Applications were supposed to have come out Monday, but as of now, we are not taking any applications,” Avery said. “It’s a shame because these are jobs the kids thrive in. We were getting a lot of inquiries, but we posted early that things were on hold.”
Community Development Project Manager Allison Perry said that, with the explosion in the number of people losing their jobs, income from students’ summer jobs is more essential than ever before.
“These kids need the money to help out their families, many of whom have lost their jobs,” she said. “We also don’t know what’s going to happen with our $200,000 state grant we get to fund these jobs.”
Lynnfield Recreation employs approximately 60 high school and college students each summer.
“These are coveted jobs and the kids are just phenomenal,” said Recreation Commission Chairman Rich Sjoberg. “Most of them keep coming back even after they have graduated high school. Usually, they would know right about this time that they have a job, but not this year, as everything is up in the air.”
The job crunch has hit the Walsh family up close and personal. Johanna Walsh, a senior and athletic training major at the University of New England, had hoped to have a job lined up soon.
“She can’t do anything at all because her boards have been canceled three times,” said Kathleen. “We only know that she can’t do anything until she is board-certified.”
