Part-Time Work For Students

By Sara Templeton

Part time work is often an integral part of many students lives.

While a part time job can offer solid work experience, which can come in handy when writing up ones resusé, and enhance the chances of getting future employment, it also allows many students to be independent.

Perhaps this last point is of most importance to students, and figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics suggest that full-time students working part time is one the rise, despite an emerging trend of more mature workers moving into part time jobs, often because of family committments.

Interestingly, between the 1990 and 2000 the number of Australians who both worked and studied increased by some 330,000, with students working part time making up the majority - 64%.

Such figures suggest that most students prefer to work part time and study full time, though there is also data that suggests there is also a high number of part time students who work full time.

The highest number of full time students working part time fall into the high-school region, or those aged 15-19 years old. It's also this demographic who are most likely to fill a number of jobs that don't require post-school qualifications.

Many of these jobs entail working in hospitality, such as at a fast-food outlet, a privately-owned cafe or sandwich bar, restaurant or similar establishment. Retail is also a big employer of this age group.

Perhaps an indication of emerging social trends, 42% of people who combine work and study undertook full time study and part time work, and more than 60% of these were still attending school.

Meanwhile, just 10 years ago and only 34% of pople who combined work and study were full time students and part time employees.

On the other hand, those who were employed full time and studied part time made up 53% of people who combined study and work in 1990, while 10 years down the track the figure has dropped to 44%.

While we can throw facts and figures about all day and all night, it's obvious that part time work goes hand-in-hand with study.

Offering not just a wage, but also independence and satisfaction, a part time job is a great way supplement study, while at the same time giving you both training and experience.

Links:
JobX
Career One
Work Experience Advice