Cash bonus for students to work in P.E.I. fish plants paying off

A campaign offering a cash bonus to university, college and high school students to work in P.E.I. fish plants is proving even more successful than hoped at this point.

Earlier this month, the P.E.I. Seafood Processors Association and Skills P.E.I. launched the new marketing campaign inviting students to join Team Seafood.

The campaign offered those who took a  seasonal job at a seafood plant,  a cash bonus at the end of the summer before they return to class. 

High school students will receive a $500 bursary and university and college students will receive $1,000.

The executive director of the P.E.I Seafood Processors Association, Dennis King, said the incentive package has really grabbed the attention of a lot of the students.

"The numbers have come back and we are upwards of 150 students who have expressed interest and have signed up to begin work in the processing facilities," said King. "So we are really excited about that number. We had put together a plan that called for at a maximum 250, not thinking we would ever get there and we're well over half way there now and it's very exciting." 

King said most of the students who have signed up so far have been university students. 

He expects high school students will apply once the school year ends. He noted they can always work part-time on weekends until then. 

He said the campaign wasn't all about the money. He said it also helped get the word out about the job opportunities available in the plants.

King said the Royal Star Foods plant in Tignish, P.E.I., has had a lot of success with the campaign but he said students will be working in facilities across the province.