Summer is here. For college and high school students and teachers, it’s a great time to get a summer job that can put some extra cash in your pocket and even help you discover new interests and opportunities through summer and part-time employment.

Business are hiring. Last year more than 6,000 jobs were created in Central Mass, according to the executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. This offers those looking for summer jobs, part-time employment, and temporary work more flexibility and options.

At Appleseed we work with students, teachers, families with children needing more flexibility, and retired folks wanting to work with flexibility. . We have employers who need additional seasonal help for busy summer hours as well as temporary full-time and part-time employees to fill in the gaps caused by vacation time.

Summer employment’s not all about hamburger-flipping and ice-cream-scooping. There are many interesting and rewarding seasonal jobs available that can provide some much-needed cash as well the experience and connections that can help with full-time employment later for those with that goal. While some people hesitate about taking the time and effort to look and apply for seasonal or other temporary work, there are several reasons why it’s definitely worth your while:

Good exposure, better odds By opening yourself up to the temporary job market — including summertime work — you increase your chances of getting a full-time job.

Money A little income is better than none and depending on when, where, and how much you work may enable you to still qualify for unemployment benefits, if necessary.

Experience A temporary job such as seasonal summer work is a quick way to get some experience in a field in which you’re interested or with a skill that you may be lacking.

Try out something new A temporary job allows you to explore a new career direction.  You may find you enjoy a line of work you never had even thought of!

Flex time Many temporary jobs are part-time, leaving your schedule partly open to continue with your longer-term job search or family commitments.

Exploring Options A temporary or part-time job is a great way to learn about a company from the inside, helping you to decide if you would like an opportunity to become a  full-time employee.

Easier to hire Costing less than full-time employees, part-time employees are appealing to companies in hard times. “Lowering your barrier to entry” means that as a temporary employee you could get hired by a company that couldn’t afford to hire you otherwise.

Full-time potential The “temp-to-hire” situation is one in which a company brings in temporary employees to test their skills and filter candidates for full-time hiring. If you’re a good worker, the company may be so happy with your temp results that they offer you a full-time job.

So what are you waiting for? At Appleseed, we have a variety of seasonal and temporary or part-time employment opportunities for individuals of all ages, skill sets, and interests. Summer’s a great time to try something new and earn money while doing it.