Seasons change and jobs do too.

Whether it’s working at United Postal Service (UPS) only over winter break or Co-oping, students are partaking in a beneficial job for the fall.

Co-oping at UPS or working over the break has several benefits. The job is convenient for high school students. The amount of students working at UPS continues to grow.

Co-oping for UPS still allows students to get an education but also work and make money. “The Co-op is different than others because we pay for JCTC professors to come to UPS and teach students. When they graduate through our school to work program, they will have 6 college credits at no cost to them. UPS pays for it all as long as they pass the class,” said UPS recruiter, Blake Allen. Most students work until around four, then take a college class twice a week.

Students who are working temporarily over the break also receive great benefits. “This is the busiest time of the year for UPS. We ship roughly 3 million boxes a day in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Students work more hours than normal but the pay is good and the 200 dollar weekly bonus makes it a great opportunity to make good money,” said Allen.

As a result of the increase in business around Christmas time, work hours may be longer but the pay is unbeatable. “The nice thing about UPS is they will also pay for you to take a class through JCTC each semester. You get six college hours for free and UPS pays better than a lot of your part time jobs,” said Crystal Barr, guidance counselor.

Some people may assume working over winter break is harder than a regular day at UPS. However, some workers think the opposite. “I thought that UPS over Christmas break was easier than a regular day. There was a lot more people working and the days were longer so we didn’t have to get as much volume through per person, Plus, I didn’t have to go to school first,” said Luke Whitley, former Co-op student.

Whether students are Co-oping for UPS or working just over the break, it can be a real eye-opener. “You get great work experience in one of the world’s largest companies and you have the opportunity to work with people you know,” said Allen. The experience students get from working at UPS exposes them to another career option. It also holds students responsible and acts as if it were their real day to day job.

Any student can Co-op for UPS as long as they’re a senior, have good attendance and have a minimum of a  2.5 Grade Point Average (GPA). Co-oping students leave after their third class around 10:05 am. They park in the back by the College and Career Center (CCC) which is convenient because they also sign out there. “Leaving school to go to UPS every day was always easy and stress-free. It was also a fast drive that wasn’t difficult which was very helpful,” said Whitley.

The number of students choosing to work at UPS is continuously increasing. “There are a lot of students who choose to work at UPS over Christmas break. Last year, we had over six-hundred high school students alone come and work for us,” said Allen. The benefits are endless which attracts many students to the UPS program.

UPS is currently holding job interviews for work over winter break for high school students that will be seventeen by their start date. Students will work only day shift on Sundays leading up to winter break. During winter break, they will also work during the workweek. UPS offers a two-hundred dollar weekly attendance bonus just for showing up. The pay is $10.20 per hour and working five hours overtime is $15.30. To apply, students have to complete the application for part-time package handler online at www.upsjobs.com. Then, students need to call (502)359-1877 for an interview.