Companies’ summer hiring expectations stay on par with last year’s strong plans, according to a survey released by CareerBuilder. The percentage of employers planning to hire seasonal workers for the summer remains at 41%.

Employers are targeting various workforce segments to fill their summer jobs: 73% said they plan to recruit college students, 39% said high school students and 26% said retirees. And 41% of employers hiring for the summer are looking to hire veterans for their summer positions.

“Employers are grappling with a tough hiring environment, and summer workers are reaping the benefits,” said CareerBuilder President and COO Irina Novoselsky. “Employers are becoming more competitive with pay and offering more long-term employment opportunities to summer workers. It’s a great way for workers to add new skills, build up their resumes and expand their professional networks.”

The vast majority, 88%, expect to transition some summer hires into permanent roles, up from 79% last year.

The survey found 87% of employers hiring this summer plan to pay at least $10 or more per hour on average, 56% expect to pay at least $12 per hour and 25% plan to pay $15 or more per hour.

Although summer jobs are commonly associated with recreation and outdoor work, many positions are available in offices or other corporate settings. Employers are hiring seasonal help in the following areas:

• Customer service: 25%
• IT: 25%
• Office support: 25%
• Engineering: 18%
• Manufacturing: 16%
• Sales: 15%
• Construction/painting: 10%
• Research: 10%
• Banking: 9%

The survey was conducted online within the US by Harris Poll on behalf of CareerBuilder among 1,012 hiring and human resource managers and 1,117 employees. It was conducted between April 4 and May 1, 2018.