Students Prepare To Earn And Learn

Of the 443,000 students starting university in the coming weeks, around two thirds will be funding their studies through part-time work. Rising inflation and the Browne Review of Higher Education Funding – which is looking at increasing tuition fees – is likely to see the numbers of new undergraduates entering the competitive part-time labour market continue to soar.
Gail Hardwick, student employment manager at Leeds University Union and treasurer of the National Association of Student Employment Services (Nases) has witnessed growth in demand from students for part-time work and holiday jobs, a direct result, she believes, of the recession. Hardwick runs Joblink, a campus-based “job centre” that brings together local businesses and students.
Established through Leeds University union eight years ago, similar models operate from most larger colleges and universities. “Some 25% of students work through term time,” she says.
Nationally, the percentage is much higher. Hardwick offers two possible reasons for Leeds falling short of the national average: its high public school intake (the implication being more affluent applicants whose parents fund them) and the relative low cost of living in Leeds.
The NatWest student living index – an annual report on the cost-effectiveness of the UK’s major university cities and towns – looks at student spending habits and how these are offset. One of its principal findings shows that more than a quarter of all students (28%) receive less financial parental support than in previous years, while nearly half (46%) receive none. In terms of government assistance, student living costs are theoretically funded through a maintenance loan of up to ?4,950 a year, with some also eligible for a means-tested, non-repayable maintenance or special support grant.
Individual colleges may offer bursaries to those from low-income families. But with student rents rising on average ?312 a year, many maintenance loans no longer cover even basic costs.
Halls of residence (the preferred option for most first-years) differ in price significantly, even within areas. Oxford Brookes University, for instance, has nine hall sites with around 3,400 single study-bedrooms, of which 420 are catered. They range from ?91 to ?132.87 a week – some charge over a 50-week period rather than 38, which means costs vary between ?3,458 and ?5,958. The increase in privately built and managed halls, with state-of-the-art amenities such as integrated internet access and en suites, enable higher prices to be charged irrespective of area.
While living costs have risen, maintenance loans have remained fairly static and, as highlighted by the student living index, the “bank of mum and dad” is quickly drying up for many, making part-time working a necessity rather than a top-up luxury.
However, Hardwick feels that getting the work/study balance is crucial and offers some sound advice: “Once you know your timetable, map out your week, down to the hour. That way you will see how many hours you can realistically work.”
Non-EU and international students are prevented, by law, from working more than 20-hours a week and Hardwick sees this as a good guideline.
Jack Cheyette, welfare officer at Leeds University union, thinks 20 hours might prove a struggle for some. He worked at an on-campus bar 10 hours a week while studying theatre and performance. With his employer’s agreement, he was able to reduce this to five hours during his final year to enable him to complete practical course work and revision. But many of his friends working in city bars, “struggled around exam time as they were still expected to work the same shifts”.
Some national employers, particularly those in the retail and service industries, have tried to meet the growing demand for student working by introducing more flexible hours around the academic calendar. Waitrose, Tesco and Sainsbury’s all offer student branch transfer schemes. Sainsbury’s “dual store” programme, running since 1999, enables a student to work term-time at an outlet near their place of study, returning to their home store during the holidays.
It has more than 500 students working across two locations, with stores near university campuses proving particularly popular. Helen Webb, Sainsbury’s retail HR director, says this type of arrangement is mutually beneficial. “Many of our stores are in vibrant student communities. By allowing them to work in two locations, we are ensuring that their skills are not wasted when term ends.”
Webb also supports a commonly held view amongst the students I spoke to: the importance of doing a job that does not impact negatively on their studies, adding that, if possible, students should also opt for jobs that might help their future career development.
This, says Gail Hardwick, is not always straightforward as many are lured by the “sexy appeal” and easy money that certain promotional or marketing jobs offer. Her advice is to steer clear of commission, or cash-in-hand jobs, many of which are exploitative. “If something seems too good to be true, it probably is,” she says.
“That said, don’t treat your job just as a cash-cow, either. Make the best of any opportunity because, if you’ve progressed, whatever the position, it always looks better when you come to apply for graduate positions”.
Job hunting
¦ Target jobs with extended opening hours.
¦ Chose national or big employers.
¦ Get at least the minimum wage.
¦ Ask around – other students may know of vacancies where they work.
¦ Say no to commission-based or exploitative jobs.
¦ Don’t put yourself in danger – and make sure you can get home safely.
¦ Get the student union to check out a job.
¦ Tell an employer you’re a student with other commitments.
¦ You may get paid more if you are prepared to travel out of the town centre.
The benefits of shelf help
Andrew Leyland, a 21-year-old business studies student at Trent University, has worked for Sainsbury’s between 12 and 20 hours a week for four years. He’s now starting his third year under the “dual store” scheme.
“I’d been working part time at Sainsbury’s for about eight months when I was offered a place at university. I approached them, and they arranged that, during term time, I work in Nottingham and then return to the Solihull store during the holidays.
“Usually, I just call each of the stores a few weeks before I switch to let them know when I’ll be back. As long as I do my committed hours, they’re happy. It’s very flexible, and they have been sympathetic towards shift changes to accommodate my study and exam leave. I recently increased my hours to 20, but I think this is a bit much during my final year so I’ll be changing back to 12, which is more manageable.”