Doreen Burke
Staff Writer
The issue of having a part-time job during college is one that many people have to think about. Financially burdening times mean that students and parents are forced to think outside the box when it comes to coping with the high costs of college life. DIT’s brand new Student Employment Facebook page got 232 “likes” in the first 24 hours of its creation. This fact alone certainly confirms that the issue of student employment is a hot topic around many of the country’s campuses. It is a delicate theme, one which sparks debate between the employed and the unemployed, students and parents and merits much thought for many individuals.
The first-year orientation meeting for Junior Freshmen advises that 10-12 hours of part-time work can sometimes be beneficial to a student but that working over 15 hours could be detrimental to their studies. This, however, also depends on how many hours your degree has. Doing an hour intensive degree such as pharmacy, engineering or medicine makes the possibility of part-time work near impossible. However, in these financially stressful times many students whose families would have been traditionally quite well off are now being forced to enter the workforce on a part-time basis in order to support their college lives. Many parents put pressure on their college going children to find part time work in order to contribute financially to the cost of college. On the other hand some parents place a higher value on good grades over financial independence/ semi-independence. Engineering student Aoife Considine’s parents take this approach; “[My parents] have a pretty strong stance with my brothers and I… they’d prefer us to focus on college itself while we’re at college and not have to worry about a part time job”
Aoife supplements future career prospects and enhances her CV in other ways such as being involved in various college committees and attending regular dance classes, an excellent way to add a different dimension to your academic life.
Unfortunately not every family is in a financial position to fully support college-going children. Those students who do work outside of college, for financial reasons or otherwise, should not let the pressure of working deter them from achieving their full potential within their academic discipline. Time management, prioritising and other valuable transferable skills gained from the job itself also benefit future career opportunities. Having experience of working during the college term is often looked very positively upon by employers. From communication skills, ability to follow instruction to experience in handling monetary transactions and understanding the general running of a business, part time work should not be viewed solely as a way of increasing the drinks fund or helping parents with the cost of education. According to a report published by CBI (the UK’s top business lobbying organisation) over two thirds of employers were not satisfied with the business and customer awareness of school leavers. In such a competitive market, employers are striving to create varied teams with a mix of practical skills and experience as well as academic achievement. These employers are looking beyond the generic outflow of 2nd class undergrads and instead are concentrating on diversity and clear signs of a strong work ethic amongst potential candidates.
Having a part time job in college shows prospective employers an example of this work ethic and allows them peace of mind in knowing that the individual knows how it is to work in the “real world”.
Despite these clear advantages, having a part time job can also have detrimental effects on some students with many of those employed feeling pressure to skip classes or leave lectures early in order to make it in time to work. Working during the academic year also means sacrificing other extra curricular activities in lieu of working. Being involved in voluntary work, sports and other hobbies can prove very difficult, particularly if the job involves working during the week as well as at weekends and during holiday times. For many students the choice is between being time poor or money poor, whichever option is the most bearable is up to the individual themselves.
Katie McKeon is a 2nd year TCD student who works part time a supermarket. According to her, “people with part time jobs aren’t the norm in Trinity so it’s kind of tough to miss stuff for it. The pros are never having to ask my parents for money which is great at the moment.” Katie goes on to describe an experience met by many students who have a timetable loyal to both study and work- “I have had to leave class early for work a couple of times last year, thankfully this year my timetable works out in such a way that I haven’t had to so far but it’s still a possibility.”
An ideal job allows the employee flexibility and experience relative to future careers. Whether the job is like this due to flexible working hours, allowing employees to swap shifts, or having a casual atmosphere, it doesn’t matter. However, having measures like this in place can really benefit both the employee and employer. According to Peter Twomey, a TCD law student “Work and college can be a good mix provided you have a suitable job and a non-hour intensive course.” Peter, who recently became an on-campus promoter of Apple Products works a reasonable 5 hours per week in the hassle-free location of the arts block. “If the job wasn’t as convenient and flexible as the one I got is, I wouldn’t have taken it” explains Peter “however, if you can do both, juggle a job with top grades, then that is a great indicator of how employable you really are and worth a lot more than just good grades on their own”. For some people, it can be quite tough when it comes to juggling various aspects of life. With this being said, whether this means juggling life and retirement, for example, there are ways to do this without burning out or even getting stressed. This also can apply to working a part-time job and still being in education.
Second year European Studies student Anna Delany had quite a different experience with working during the academic year. Anna spent most weekends last year travelling back to her native Wexford to give Leaving Certificate grinds; “In general, I think the idea of giving grinds sounds very appealing. With experience, not so much. I put an awful lot of effort into preparation but it was a pain having to travel home every weekend when I often had no-shows. In my experience, not worth the hassle.” Anna charged on a week by week basis, something she also found unreliable and difficult to monitor; “I think if you charge a rate that’s reasonable for both parties and agree that payment be made in five week instalments it could work – providing you deliver a good service.”
It is clear that there are major advantages and disadvantages attributed to a working student’s life. It is impossible to say whether a part time job is worth the money in the long term- it solely depends on the individual. The allure of a weekly pay cheque and a healthy bank balance should not mean having to sacrifice academically. If it is manageable for you though, even a small job in a corner shop looks good on a CV which, along with good grades, shows that you were savvy and independent enough to earn some of your own money during college. The experience of a real life interview is also something that will stand to you in the future. Communication, budgeting, leadership and tasking are all skills that are highly transferable and something that cannot always be learned in a book.
There is no clear cut answer to the question of whether having a part time job in college is a positive or negative thing in regards to academic life but it is something to think about and carefully consider before you decide to take up, or give up a part time job.
