Summer Student Program | City of Hamilton

Recreation - Summer Student Position Promotion

Summer Student Jobs

Find out more about the application process below.

The City of Hamilton accepts applications in December for summer student jobs for students who are enrolled at a secondary or post-secondary institution or institution of higher learning.

We accept summer student applications from high school students. High school students who are hired usually have specific skills, special training or have completed certain courses, such as Lifeguard or Playlot Leaders course.

Learn about the

Application & Hiring Process

To apply for a summer student job, you must:

Be legally entitled to work in Canada as a student
Be at least 14 years old AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION. Certain positions have age restrictions. Please refer to the appropriate category for minimum age requirements.
Have a valid Social Insurance Number (If your SIN # starts with a number “9”, you will be required to submit the work/study permit with your new hire package)
Be enrolled full-time in a secondary or post-secondary educational institution or institution of higher learning and returning to school in the fall

OR

If you are a returning summer student, you must have held a summer student position last summer. You must have received a favourable re-hire status on your end-of-season performance evaluation.

If you worked with us last summer and your work performance was considered acceptable, you will be given the opportunity to return to the section where you worked provided work is available.

Returning summer students that held a position last year will be given first consideration to return to their previous position, provided they meet the hiring criteria. Returning students do not need to be re-interviewed if returning to the same position.
Students who are applying for the first time and have the qualifications for the position they are applying for will be given consideration for the positions remaining after returning summer students have been considered. You will only be contacted if you are selected for an interview.
The date that you submit your application and resume may be taken into consideration if we have a high number of equally qualified applicants.
We do not accept transfer requests for summer student positions. If you want to transfer to a different position, you must apply to the new position as a new applicant. There is no guarantee that you will be hired if you apply to a new position.
You may apply to more than one category

If you worked with us last summer and your work performance was considered unacceptable, you will be advised that you will not be considered unless it is determined that there were extenuating circumstances affecting your performance.

Driver’s Licence Requirements

Some student positions require you to drive City-owned or leased vehicles. You must not have any demerit points on your full Ontario class G driver’s licence. Students holding an Ontario class G1 or G2 driver’s licence will not be allowed to drive City-owned or leased vehicles. Indicate the class of your driver's licence on your resume. You will be required to fill in a form to request a licence check from the Ministry of Transportation when you are hired.

You can apply online for a summer student job from January 16 to March 26, 2025.

You will only be contacted if you are selected for an interview. We do not give status updates on individual applications.

To apply for a summer student job, you need to complete the online questionnaire and submit your resume for each job that you want to apply for.

All questions on the job questionnaire must be answered. You must include your updated resume. Failure to do so will disqualify your summer application. Resumes are required to match responses provided (i.e. if you answer “yes” to having paid experience working with children recreation, then this should be listed on your resume).

If you do not complete questionnaire(s) in full and submit your resume, you will not be considered for summer employment. Any false statements made on the questionnaire or your resume will disqualify you or cause your dismissal.

We will send you an email confirming that we received your application. You must provide a valid email address and complete the personal profile.
Make sure your resume is up-to-date with all important information outlining your skills and qualifications in detail before you start the application process.
- Once the posting has closed, you will not be able to make changes to your resume or online application. Hard copies will not be accepted. You can submit updated resumes while the posting is open.

Interviews start as early as mid-February and continue through to early June. If you are selected for an interview you will be contacted via email. Ensure you check your junk and spam folders for emails.

The email will contain the following information:

The proposed date and time of your interview.
The contact name and telephone number you will need to contact to confirm the proposed date and time of your interview.
The deadline for you to respond.

If you are not living in Hamilton due to attending school, you may request a telephone interview. Please contact the person in the email to make alternate arrangements.

It is your responsibility to confirm the date and time of your interview. If you do not contact us by the deadline in the email we send you, we will assume that you are not interested in the position and you will not be given further consideration.

References

You will need to provide two references. The decision to conduct reference checks will be at the discretion of the hiring department.

A reference is a person who can speak to your work ethic and past experience. It is someone you have directly reported to. If you do not have two work-related references, you can use a teacher or leader in a volunteer group that you have been involved with.

There is an Anti-Nepotism Policy in effect that requires you to disclose any of your relatives that work for the City. Elected officials, appointed officers and City employees are not allowed to influence the hiring process.

If you have a relative that currently works for the City, you will be asked to disclose the following information at your interview:

Name of your relative who works for the City
Your relation to them
The department they work for
The location where they work

You will need to show your valid student identification at different points throughout the hiring process. If you do not or cannot provide valid student ID, you will not be considered for a position.

Acceptable Student ID

Valid student ID card (front and back).
In some cases, you may have to submit your letter of application along with your Student ID for proof of academic enrolment.

If verification is not clear, the hiring manager may ask for further documentation from the school's Office of the Registrar.

Your resume needs to have the following information:

Your current contact information including your name, address, email address, mobile and home telephone numbers
The name of the school you attend and the name of any schools that you have attended in the past
Your current student status, either full-time or part-time
The name and number of years of the program you are in (for ex., Bachelor of Applied Health Sciences in Athletic Therapy four year program)
The year you are in of your current program (for ex., year three of a four year program)
The class of your valid Ontario driver’s licence or equivalent
A description of paid work experiences and/or volunteer experiences
A description of your computer skills
A description of your hands-on experience with different types of tools and equipment, including hand held, power tools and gas-operated tools.
A list of any up-to-date certificates you have. For example, standard first aid and/or CPR-C
A list of any associations you belong to

You may be required to obtain a Police Vulnerable Sector Check at your own expense.

Please Note: Police Vulnerable Sector Checks are mandatory for all recreation summer student positions.

To obtain your police check, go to the police service in the municipality where you permanently live.

In order for your application to be considered, you must not have a criminal conviction for which a pardon has not been granted at the time of application and your police check must be satisfactory to the City.

General Labour: $16.00 per hour. This rate only increases based on the terms of the CUPE 5167 Collective Agreement.

Course Specific & Office Administration positions: Student pay rates are based on a comparable full-time position for Office Administrative and Course Specific positions. You will earn the appropriate percentage for the matched position (salary cap applicable) regardless of your program or place of study.

First work term

55% of the comparable full-time position

Second work term

60% of the comparable full-time position

Third work term

65% of the comparable full-time position

Fourth work term (or more)

70% of the comparable full-time position

Changes to student pay rates are based on external market comparisons and adjustments to the comparable full-time position.

Learn about the Available

Application Categories

New Student Hires

Returning Students

General Labour Job Opportunities

Recreation Job Opportunities

Course Specific / Administrative

All students are expected to fulfil their employment commitment by completing the entire term of summer employment as agreed upon at time of offer. Should the entire term not be completed, the student will not be eligible to apply as a returning summer student the following year. The student will be required to apply as a new student. Certain exceptions can be made with proper management approvals.

All students hired by the City must attend a mandatory orientation session. You will be notified by e-mail of the date, time, and location of the session. If you do not attend the mandatory orientation session, you will forfeit your summer student position.

Upon being successful to a summer student position, you will be contacted by the Hiring Manager with information regarding the orientation process. You will also be required to complete a new hire package, please be prepared with the following information:

Personal information and emergency contact information
Banking Information:
- Financial institution name
- Bank number - 3 digits
- Branch number - 5 digits
- Bank account number
- OR a personal cheque which contains the above noted information. If you do not have cheques, contact your bank for the information or submit a banking deposit form. This information cannot be found on your debit card
Valid social insurance number (and/or valid work/study permit when applicable). If you have misplaced your social insurance number, contact a Service Canada Centre.
Documents related to the position you are applying for as noted in the job description or at the time of your interview, such as:
- driver’s license
- first aid certificate
- proof of enrolment in studies both before and after the summer session.
Criminal Records and Judicial Matters Check. This requirement will be noted clearly in the job description and/or will be brought to your attention at time of interview.

You need these documents for payroll purposes. If the information is not provided, there may be a delay in your first pay.

If you are hired or rehired as a summer student, you must agree to all of the following conditions of employment:

You must complete the terms of summer employment as indicated in your conditional offer letter. If you do not complete your full term, you will not be eligible to apply as a returning summer student the following year. You will be required to apply as a new student. Certain exceptions can be made with proper management approvals.
You must be enrolled in full-time studies when you apply.
You must intend to return to school on a full-time basis in the fall.
There is a maximum of four summer student terms for General Labourer and Administrative/Office positions.
Terms in Recreation positions (Camp, Inclusion and Supie Supervisors; Camp and Inclusion Counsellors; Supies; Wading Pool and Change Room Attendants) are unlimited.
A partial summer student term counts as a full summer work term.
“Special Project Summer Student” positions are not considered a returning summer student in the following year. You must reapply as a new student.
If you worked for us last year you must apply to the returning category to be considered for your previous position.
You may not hold more than one job with the City of Hamilton at any point in time.
Positions that permit and/or require you to drive a City-owned or leased vehicle require you to submit a copy of your Ontario class G driver’s license and a current driver’s abstract. You must not have any demerit points.
You are not eligible to apply for internal job postings.
You must report to the work location assigned. Refusal may result in forfeiting your position.

If you held a summer student position last year and were given rehire status on your end-of-season performance evaluation, you can apply again this year. The City will verify your rehire status and performance evaluation to confirm you are eligible to reapply.

If you left your employment early and did not complete your full summer term last year, you are not eligible to re-apply as a returning summer student.

If you did not hold a summer student position with the City of Hamilton last year, refer to the New Student Hires tab.

Note: Summer Co-op and Internship placements are not considered part of the summer program, therefore if you held one of these placements, you will not be considered as a “returning” summer student. You must apply as a new student.

After you have submitted your resume with completed questionnaire and the application closing date, you will be contacted by the Hiring Manager for employment details, information and required documentation.

Do not respond to the email address that sends your conditional offer letter, as this mailbox is set up for outgoing mail only and is not monitored.

Some student positions require you to drive City-owned or leased vehicles. You must not have any demerit points on your full Ontario class G driver’s licence. Students holding an Ontario class G1 or G2 driver’s licence will not be allowed to drive City-owned or leased vehicles. Indicate the class of your driver's licence on your resume. You will need a driver's licence check even if you drove a City vehicle last year.

All offers are conditional offers and will only be confirmed when the conditional offer letter is signed and returned, along with all of the required documentation to the person identified.

Failure to return a signed conditional offer letter and all of the required documentation to the City by the date indicated in the email shows that you are not accepting the position.

Can I transfer to a different summer student position?
No. Transfer requests are not accepted for summer student positions. Be sure to apply to the new category that you are interested in. You are allowed to apply to more than one category if you are interested in switching positions.

General labourers do a variety of different jobs to maintain City of Hamilton facilities, parks, roads, cemeteries, infrastructure, golf courses and stadium. You will work in all outdoor environments and will have to operate a variety of equipment, light duty vehicles, machinery, and power and hand-held tools.

As a general labourer, your tasks will require you to:

Climb
Lift

Balance
Kneel

Stoop
Walk

Some positions will require night shift work (9 pm to 7 am). If you are unable to work nights, please answer the screening question accordingly.
You must be available to work full-time, including nights and weekends. Positions start as early as mid-April. Most finish at the end of August. It is possible to receive an offer later than May if positions are still available.
The 2022 hourly rate of pay for a general labourer summer student position is $16.00 per hour. Students in general labourer positions pay union dues, which are based on a percentage of your hourly rate.
You must report to work in all weather conditions.
You will need your own pair of safety boots for your first day of work. Your safety boots must be Green Patch, CSA-approved boots with a steel toe and steel shank. Your supervisor will tell you boot height requirements and other details that you need to know before buying your boots.
If the position you have been hired for requires you to drive a City-owned or leased vehicle, you must not have any demerit points on your full Ontario class G driver’s licence. You will need to give consent to grant the City permission to collect driver's abstract information.
There is no guarantee that you will be working from the location of your choice. You may be relocated to another location at any time throughout your summer work-term.
You will receive training on all tools and equipment that you will use to do your job, in addition to job specific health and safety training.
You may be assigned to work alone in a remote park and if so, you will receive training on the City’s Working Alone procedure.

You must be available to work rotating shifts and weekends as a general labourer for Parks, Cemeteries, or Horticulture. You also may be required to work in remote locations.

Preference will be given to students who have completed one year, or two semesters, of horticultural programs at college or university, and to students with experience in:

Landscape construction and/or parks maintenance
Garden center and/or greenhouse operations
Agricultural operations
Marina operations

Play structures
In this role preference will be given to students with shop experience or construction experience.

You must be available to work on a rotating shift such as early mornings (6 am), days, weekends and afternoons (about 4 pm to 12 midnight), including statutory holidays such as Canada Day and Labour Day.

You will rotate between the City’s golf courses and the stadium at Tim Horton’s Field as needed. The summer work-term for this area starts in late April and runs until Labour Day in September.

Preference will be given to students who have completed one year, or two semesters, of studies in turf management and to students who have experience in:

Turf management
Groom and lawn care
- Duties include:
- Maintaining buildings and properties
- Using small engine equipment
- Using hand tools such as a groomer, mower or leaf blower
- Setting up, monitoring, and tearing down for events and game day

You will be working 10-hour shifts, including night shifts (9 pm to 7 am). You must be able to work at heights ranging from ground level to 20 feet off the ground using a platform vehicle or ladder and you must be able to regularly lift up to 70 pounds. You must not have any demerit points on your full Ontario class G driver’s licence. Previous painting experience is required.

Preference will be given to candidates that have completed one years (or two semesters) of studies in arboriculture, horticulture or science. You must not have any demerit points on your full Ontario class G driver’s licence. Previous painting experience is required.

In this role you must to be able to regularly lift up to 50 pounds. You must not have any demerit points on your full Ontario class G driver’s licence.

Duties include:

building maintenance
lawn care
fountain maintenance

inventory control
other duties as assigned

Driver’s licence requirements
Some student positions require you to drive City-owned or leased vehicles. You must not have any demerit points on your full Ontario class G driver’s licence. Students holding an Ontario class G1 or G2 driver’s licence will not be allowed to drive City-owned or leased vehicles. Indicate the class of your driver's licence on your resume.

In this role you must be able to perform garden maintenance and interpretation. This role will be conducted with both modern and period-appropriate equipment, methods, and clothing. Preference will be given to students with previous experience in museums, historical interpretation, education, and/or customer service roles.

Duties include:

Garden maintenance (i.e seeding, planting, watering, weeding, raking, shoveling, pruning and harvesting)
Visitor orientation
Provide tours
Schedule groups

There are many different summer job opportunities in recreation. Descriptions of each job and the qualifications are listed below.
All required qualifications must be clearly identified on your resume and must be current for the entire employment period.

Vulnerable Sector Check

All recreation summer student positions require a Vulnerable Sector Check or a Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check if you are under the age of 18. These must be completed at your own expense and be submitted before beginning work.

To obtain your police check, go to the police service in the municipality where you permanently live. Check with your local Police Services to find out identification requirements, cost and payment method.

When you are offered a job, you must provide an original Vulnerable Sector Check or a Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check with a "Date of Search" of less than 60 days from the hire date. If the "Date of Search" was more than 60 days prior to the hire date, it will not be accepted.

In order for your application to be considered, you must not have a criminal conviction for which a pardon has not been granted at the time of application and your police check must be satisfactory to the City.

Minimum age requirements

Camp Counsellors must be at least sixteen (16) years of age within the calendar year as according to the Ontario Camps Association (OCA) Accreditation Guidelines (published January 2017).

The minimum age requirement is set under the Ministry of Labour, Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) according to the Regulation for Industrial Establishments (R.R.O 1990, Reg. 851).

Supie Counsellors and Wading Pool Attendants must be at least fourteen (14) years of age at time of application as according to the Regulation for Industrial Establishments (R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 851) made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA).

Licenses and certifications

All recreation summer student positions require specific licenses and/or certifications (please refer to each position). At time of assessment (which could be as early as days after the posting closes), you will be asked to provide proof that you possess the required licenses and/or certificates. Ensure all licenses and certifications are clearly identified on your resume.

Standard First Aid with CPR Level "C" Certification

All recreation positions require current certification in Standard First Aid with CPR Level "C". You must clearly identify that you have this certification on your resume. This certificate must be issued by a training agency recognized by the Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB). At time of assessment (which could be as early as days after the posting closes), you will be asked to provide proof that you possess the required certificate(s).

Register Now for an upcoming Standard First Aid with CPR Level “C” session

Driver’s licence requirements

Some student positions require you to drive City-owned or leased vehicles. You must not have any demerit points on your full Ontario class G driver’s licence. Students holding an Ontario class G1 or G2 driver’s licence will not be allowed to drive City-owned or leased vehicles. Indicate the class of your driver's licence on your resume. You will be required to fill in a form to request a licence check from the Ministry of Transportation when you are hired.

Recreation job opportunities for summer students

Camp Counsellor (student) – plan and deliver programming activities and games for a group of 8-12 children aged 4 to 15. Follow a daily schedule and participate in programming, including swimming, outdoor activities, and offsite trips. Must be at least sixteen (16) years of age within the calendar year.

Supie Counsellor (student) – plan and deliver programming activities and games in a local City of Hamilton park. Deliver safe programming which is flexible to the age and group size of children present. Supie Counsellors must be at least fourteen (14) years of age at time of application

Program Assistant (Supie) - provide leadership in recreational and outdoor programs. Assists with programs and provides guidance to Supie Counsellors and volunteers and ensures safety measures are maintained.

Wading Pool Attendant (Student) – monitor wading pool and perform wading pool maintenance duties. Wading Pool Attendants must be at least fourteen (14) years of age at time of application.

Inclusion Facilitator – Support Program and Youth – lead programs and events and supporting children with special needs and youth accessing programs.

The City of Hamilton offers opportunities that are specific to your area of study, as well as specific to administrative duties. Job opportunities in these categories are single positions and change from year-to-year. The opportunities in this category are very limited. These positions are subject to change and are dependent upon budget availability.

Specific to Course of Study

You need to match the primary area of your study to the job options provided below. Job options are aligned to our business needs and may be different from the course descriptions for your area of study.

These positions are assessed by hiring managers who have an opportunity available for a specific, related course of study where students can gain insight into the work area or discipline.

Specific positions are not posted individually as candidates are first screened based on their related course of study and then how closely they meet the requirements of the opportunity.

If you are interested in one of these opportunities, you must complete the application process. We suggest that you also apply to one of the other summer employment categories as the opportunities in this category are very limited.

Examples of opportunities include, but are not limited to:

Vacant opportunity	Course of study
Environmental By-Law Officers	Law Enforcement
Landscape Architect Assistants	Landscape Architecture
Animal Shelter Assistants	Veterinary Animal Husbandry Animal Care Technician
Historical Interpreters	History Museum Studies Museum Collections Assistants Library Sciences Museum Technologies Conservation Sciences
Special Support Case Aides	Social Services

Historical Interpreter
As a historical interpreter you will:

Work with a wide audience, including schoolchildren, seniors and adults
Develop and implement public programs such as workshops, demonstrations and tours
Wear period costumes on occasion

Collections Assistant
As a collections assistant you will:

Maintain security for buildings and artifacts that cannot be replaced
Research information related to Hamilton history
Handle artifacts and record them on a computer
Photograph documents and artifacts using a digital camera
Prepare flyers, advertisements and program materials
Respond to requests in writing
Sell merchandise and admission tickets

Gift Shop Clerk
As a gift shop clerk you will:

Operate a cash register, account for sales tax and the current United States exchange rate
Process cheques and travellers cheques
Balance the cash register and complete bank deposit slips
Answer visitor questions in person and on the phone
Receive, unpack, check, price and stock merchandise
Clean and tidy the gift shop by performing duties such as dusting shelves and vacuuming

Administrative students have various clerical and administrative duties including:

General reception duties such as answering routine questions from staff and residents in person, on the phone and via email
Word processing tasks such as creating correspondence or other documentation
Generating computer reports
Inputting data
Photocopying
Sorting mail
Filing

You must submit your resume and completed questionnaire prior to the deadline for application to summer opportunity. All candidates with completed questionnaires and submitted resumes in this category will be considered automatically based on the specific opportunities and course of study, if available. If we are unable to find suitable candidates from our inventory of students, we will post the specific vacant opportunities.

These positions are usually subject to budget availability. Some opportunities are identified early, while most of our opportunities become available after April. The length of these positions is between eight and 16 weeks.

If you are in a related course of study and you meet the requirements of the position, you will be invited for an interview. If we have a lot of equally qualified applicants, we will consider the date of application as criteria for selection.

The hourly rate is based upon a percentage of the permanent, full-time position that you will be working with. The rate will be disclosed at the interview. You will pay union dues based on a percentage of your earnings.

The locations for these positions vary. However, most of these positions are located in the downtown core.

Some student positions require you to drive City-owned or leased vehicles. You must not have any demerit points on your full Ontario class G driver’s licence. Students holding an Ontario class G1 or G2 driver’s licence will not be allowed to drive City-owned or leased vehicles. Indicate the class of your driver's licence on your resume.

You will be required to obtain a Police Vulnerable Sector Check at your own expense. To obtain your police check, go to the police service in the municipality where you permanently live.

In order for your application to be considered, you must not have a criminal conviction for which a pardon has not been granted at the time of application and your police check must be satisfactory to the City.

There is a separate process for co-op positions. They are usually posted at your school and follow the process outlined in the posting. Contact the co-op office at your school for information.

Date modified

January 16, 2025