Part-time jobs booming this summer

Thanks a rebounding economy, businesses are much willing to offer more part-time jobs this summer, with pay also increasing, according to the results of an investigation by www.9999.com.tw, a recruitment Web site.

The investigation, which surveyed almost all of the nation's chain stores and small- and medium-sized business sector, found that more than 24,800 part-time jobs -- 18,689 from countrywide chain stores and 6,172 from privately run small companies -- will be offered this summer.

Part-time in the greater Taipei area are better paid at NT$97 (about US$2.90) per hour, ahead of NT$88 in the greater Kaohsiung area and NT$83 in the greater Taichung area.

This is the first time that Kaohsiung has outpaced Tai-chung in this area.

Part-time pays the best at NT$331 per hour, followed by software design at NT$126, market surveys at NT$ 104 and sales services at NT$102.

At the bottom is working as a clerk at just NT$78 per hour, followed by administrative workers at NT$86 and laborers at NT$87, the survey shows.

While for part-time jobs is rising, the average age of employees has risen at 23.34, an increase from 23.1 for last year, 21.92 for 2002 and 21.04 for 2001.

Web analysts attributed the rise in both pay and age to decline in number of young people seeking part-time jobs.