Mayor's Report
Student workforce armed and ready
By Marolyn Morrison

With university and college students already out for the summer, to be followed by elementary and high school students, we can finally say "summer is near." And like every other summer, students of all ages will be applying for jobs throughout Caledon.

Students can provide us with much-needed help and relief on a day-to-day basis. Most businesses will hire summer students to help out in scheduling summer vacations for their full-time workers. Others may hire them to assist with new projects, or to simply offer them employment and provide them with valuable experience in the working world. Regardless of the age or experience, summer students are there to assist us.

Each and every year, the Town of Caledon hires summer students to assist us in performing numerous jobs throughout the Town's various departments. This year, the Town will employ approximately 60 summer students that will be working predominantly in the Recreation and Public Works & Engineering departments. Some students will be working in the Legal, Planning & Development and Administration department, to mention a few. These students will perform tasks from archival retrieval to maintenance of our parks and facilities.

The experience, knowledge and work ethics that are gained through summer employment provide solid selfesteem. Many students try to find employment in their selected career fields. Summer employment will help students planning to attend university, college or trade school financially and it will also confirm their desires of future employment within a particular sector.

All summer students at the Town receive a formalized two-hour training session with our health and safety co-ordinator to ensure that they are aware of hazards in their workplace, what to do if they encounter a hazard and what their roles and responsibilities are under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Training is vital for them as it prepares them for a safe summer and teaches them the values of working safely. Health and Safety in the workplace falls under the jurisdiction of the provincial Ministry of Labour.

For more information on your rights as an employee, visit the Ministry's Web site, http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/english/ site/youngworkers.html.

On behalf of the members of council, I would like to take this opportunity to officially welcome all of the Town's summer students. We look forward to working with you over the summer.