Half Of All Students Work To Pay Expenses

It's unfortunate that modern society suggests that today's students waste their scholarships and grants with frivolous college activities or adventures in narcotics. Recent studies confirm that most studies find gainful employment to support their education. At least 50% of students are employed during their term and more take up work during vacations. 70% of employed students claim that they work just to finance basic living expenses. This does raise larger questions though.

The first usually concerns the amount of time a student should spend working. This is obviously dependent on one's circumstances, although a 16 hour weekly average is a good baseline. It does ignore unique issues though, such as Cambridge University's policy banning any term-time employment and the extra commitment required by some fields of study such as medicine. The one certainty is that more work hours generally correlates with lower degree classifications. One should remember that work should never harm one's studies.

Other questions usually concern the fields of work available. It is easy to see that students will earn more for jobs during night shifts. It is also easy to see that this can wreak havoc on their study schedule and sleep habits. Students also should try to find a position that is relevant to their desired career path. This tends to only work in theory though, since part-time jobs for students are generally in low-skilled areas amongst food service and retail. Searching through your university's jobshop or student union is a good way to find better work though. These organizations can also assist with your application, so it is worth your time.

One new career path available to students is that of self-employment. Students with marketable skills are in a great position to break free from corporate restrictions. The fields of computer programming and graphic design are particularly suited for this. Interested parties can utilize a plethora of sites like studentgems.com to market such a service.

Being self-employed or a part-time employee doesn’t negate one's legal rights. Any 18 to 21-year-old is entitled to £4.77 an hour and 21-year-olds and above are entitled to £5.73. There are other securities. Any employee has a right to receive a written contract. An employee must also be allowed to have an appropriate break period if they work for more than six hours in one shift. A part-time employee isn't any less valuable than a full-time worker. They must receive fair and equal treatment. Direct.gov.uk/employees has a complete list of all worker rights.

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