As the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday approaches, most students are preparing to return to their hometowns, though an increasing number of young people are also opting to stay in Ho Chi Minh City to make extra cash during the busy festive season.
Students look for job at a job center in Ho Chi Minh City. (Filed Photo)
Despite the hardship of spending Tet away from their families, many students say it is a good opportunity to earn money and gain valuable work experience.
Before Tet, which this year falls on February 14, seasonal work for students increases sharply due to higher labor demand from companies.
Tran Thi Yen, a student of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Polytechnic said that working on the days leading up to Tet pays higher than normal and she can earn VND100,000-200,000 (US$5.30-11.00) a day or more.
Nguyen Thanh Ngoc, a student from the HCMC University of Industry, also stays in the city to work before Tet. He earns VND70,000 working in a supermarket during the day, and at night he works in a restaurant. He expects his total pre-holiday earnings will amount to around VND5 million ($260), enough to return home before the holiday period ends.
Student Nguyen Thanh Minh, from the central province of Quang Nam, said that last year’s severe typhoon caused tremendous hardship for his family so he was trying to earn more money to pay his own school fees. Minh said he earned VND1 million by working on Christmas and New Year’s Day, and that he will remain in the city to earn more money during Tet.
Sacrificing for families, opportunities
While some young people are staying in HCMC to earn money for themselves, others are doing it to send money to their families back home.
Yen said this is the second time she will celebrate Tet away from her family in Quang Binh Province. Although she misses her relatives, she knows that by staying in the city she can earn more money to support her parents.
Trong Thanh, a third-year student from the HCMC Medical University, has not returned home since he began his studies. He works in a local restaurant and sends all of his earnings back to his family.
Student Pham Quang Cong from the HCMC College of Finance and Customs said he wants to work during Tet to gain more experience which will help him in the future.
To secure work, many young people visit job centers on the days leading up to Tet. If they are successful at landing employment, they pay the centers a fee of VND15,000.
Nguyen Trong Hoang from the HCMC Student Support Center said this year, the facility had introduced jobs to nearly 3,700 students so far.
A total of 543 local companies are coordinating with the center to recruit workers for more than 5,700 delivery, service, cashier, parking attendant, and retail jobs.
The Dai The Gioi Water Park is still looking for 80 students and pays VND130,000-150,000 per shift. Co.opMart supermarket, meanwhile, is recruiting cashiers and pays VND9,000-11,000 per hour.
Many other city supermarkets are also looking for an additional 100-200 young workers and offer compensation of around VND10,000 per hour.
Some enterprises, such as advertise that workers need not have knowledge-specific skills, only that they are attractive, tall, or are good at communicating. These jobs can pay up to VND150,000-400,000 per day.
Demand for workers this year is higher than last year, while salaries have also increased by up to 30 percent, said Hoang from the HCMC Student Support Center.
This year, the center is requiring companies to update their job openings more frequently to avoid disappointing students.
