Thursday, January 19, the University of Burgundy organized a job dating at the Multiplex of Dijon (Côte d’Or). In partnership with a recruitment agency, the university wants to connect companies and students. An event marked by growing precariousness everywhere in France.
Rania is 25 years old. Under his arm, an A4-size plastic pocket filled with resumes. “I have already filed five or six since this morning”. This student in the first year of a master’s degree in art history is of Algerian nationality. Arrived in France at the end of August 2022, she walks the aisles of the Multiplex of Dijon (Côte d’Or) in search of a job.
“I really need a job because I don’t have a scholarship or any income”, explains the young woman. When moving to Dijon just before the start of the academic year, Rania found a 9m2 room located on the campus of the University of Burgundy. “I pay 265 euros in rent every month and I also have to finance my studies. I am looking in any sector”, she specifies.
Same story for Noah, a business student. After having multiplied seasonal jobs in the hotel industry, sales, or even handling, he is actively looking for a work-study contract. “I want to save money, pay for my own business, treat myself once in a while. I look everywhere and I accept everything that is offered to me”.
Rania and Noah are among the 250 people registered to participate in the job dating organized on Thursday January 19 at the University of Burgundy. A rather stable number already recorded during previous operations organized on campus, indicates the university.
For the first time, an agency specializing in human resources is associated with the initiative. “We have a hundred positions to fill today in all sectors and throughout the region.”, announces Virginie Chaillard, director of My expertise RH. Including internships, short contracts, seasonal jobs as a caregiver, accountant, psychologist in Dijon, Bourg-en-Bresse or Besançon.
We will never ask students in financial difficulty to stop college to go to work
Vanessa Vaizant, responsible for the solidarity and disability mission at the University of Burgundy
The companies participating in this fair have been chosen by the University of Burgundy in order to strengthen the professional integration of future graduates. “We really try to target the jobs we offer to students who are at the end of their course. Those who are still studying can find year-round contracts and benefit from flexible hours or even discharge at the course level”says Amélie Guittet, responsible for relations with companies at the University of Burgundy.
This show also allows the University of Burgundy to raise awareness of existing systems to help students in precarious situations. Vanessa Vaizant, responsible for the solidarity and disability mission assures that “the best way to become autonomous and independent is to find a job”. But beware : “we will never ask students in financial difficulty to stop college to go to work. Or go into debt to continue studying”, defends the manager.
At the beginning of December, the Solidarity Commission of the University of Burgundy (CSE) inaugurated a mutual aid center for students in precarious situations. This year, 192 registered at the university are followed by the service. 40 of them have already been able to find a student job, says Vanessa Vaizant. “We are not in the assistantship. We want to support them as much as possible. We want to make sure that all employers play the game and that there is no exploitation”.
Job dating is not enough
Lissandre Baron, member of the UNEF-Bourgogne union
“It is not with job dating that we are going to fight against student precariousness”assures Lissandre Baron, member of the UNEF-Bourgogne union. “We are facing an increasingly serious student precariousness, more and more important everywhere in France. Students in precariousness find themselves forced to work since the abolition of APL (personalized housing assistance) and the freezing of university scholarships despite inflation”criticizes the activist. “We are waiting for more concrete measures to get students out of precariousness. Job dating is not enough”, completes Lissandre Baron.
