Almost half of the students who registered with Government for summer employment are still looking for jobs.

But organisers of the summer employment programme told the Royal Gazette that they are pleased with the progress of the scheme.

The programme, co-ordinated by the Ministry of Development and Opportunity and actively promoted by Minister Terry Lister, has been advertising the Hire a Student Campaign on television and through other forms.

In total there are 824 students who had signed up for the programme at the beginning of summer, most of whom are high school students. Some applicants have returned to the Island to work, while others have had various commitments and are unable to work. So far, just under half have not been placed in jobs.

The figures are constantly changing as jobs are made available and it should be noted that the figures cannot accurately reflect the numbers which have been placed. More than 160 students, two thirds of whom are at college, are working for Government. In the private sector, placements have been found, but only for a small number of students, many of whom are college students.

Co-ordinator Dawnita Grant, joined by Karen Trott and Acting Director Sharol Simmons, said the main demand has been for students who can work in an office environment.

Ms Grant said: "Many of the students are requesting what they feel they can do. A fair number have jobs which are office related.'' Mrs. Simmons said: "The overall goal is to see students placed into careers they intend to pursue.

"When they graduate and return to Bermuda, it should get to a point where they will be assured jobs. We are not quite there yet.'' In Government, there are currently 108 college students to 60 high school students.

"Far fewer jobs for high school students, more jobs for college students,'' said Ms Grant. "We do have a large number of students working with Works and Engineering, the Aquarium and Agriculture and Fisheries.

"They are doing landscaping, cashiers, customer services, typing. And some students are helping companies prepare systems for Y2K (the computer "bug'' in which computers need to be adjusted to accept the year 2000 in the date).'' Jobs being offered in the private sector are primarily office-oriented, the officials said.

Ms. Grant explained: "The private sector has been requesting clerical, computer skills and day care.'' What the Training Office has noticed is that the private sector tends to hire students outside of the summer employment programme. This makes it difficult to place students into private sector fields.

Developing an ongoing and continual relationship with the private sector is something which the office is working on.

Mrs. Simmons said: "Our goal is to lend support to the private sector in enlisting jobs for students.'' The Hire a Student Campaign has also been getting some response from members of the public who have been calling to offer work to students, such as lawnmowing and household chores, said Ms Grant.

The hope is that the campaign will continue to raise awareness that there are students out there who are still looking for work,