Local students who were eager to find a part-time job during their 32-day winter vacation should not have had a hard time finding one as many local businesses are trying to profit from the New Year's holiday shopping season as the economy recovers. According to statistics released by local manpower agency 104 Job Bank, the number of available part-time jobs rose to 21,168 in January, up 9.6 percent from the previous month. This figures corresponded to the 9.89 percent increase reported by another employment agency, the 1111 Job Bank, compared with the same period a year earlier. Fang Guang-wei, a public relations manager for the 104 Job Bank, attributed the increase to local restaurants' booming business in meeting demand for year-end dinners, which accounted for 21.9 percent of the increase. Marketing personnel, such as sales promoters in department stores and point-of- purchase salespeople in supermarkets, made up 19.6 percent of the increase. Education accounted for another 15.4 percent of the rise, thanks to more parents enrolling their children in special classes during the winter vacation. These job opportunities likely met the demands of many students who were looking for part-time jobs during the vacation. A survey by 1111 Job Bank showed that 95 percent of students it interviewed said they intended to work part-time during the vacation and expected to earn an average of NT$12,306 (US$383) over that time. 1111 Job Bank spokesman Chang Hsiu-lan said the number of students who intended to work part-time is 10 percent more than in 2008, before the global financial crisis battered Taiwan's economy, and their income expectations were NT$2,000 lower than two years ago. Eateries, which offered the most job opportunities, were these students' favorite workplaces, followed by supermarkets and jobs as computer input operators. Theme parks, which are often packed with visitors during the New Year holiday, and manufacturers of video games catering to students also needed many extra hands this winter. Yuan Hsiang-chieh, the public relations manager for the Leofoo Village Theme Park in Guansi, Hsinchu County, said the park needed 300 student workers in February, 100 more than during the same period last year. These part-time workers were needed to man the park's shops, restaurants, snack bars and hotels. On-line games operators who enjoyed a prosperous year in 2009 also needed part- time workers to help them design, test, promote and maintain their new online games, according to the 104 Job Bank. 