Earning While Learning -Earning While Learning -Student Paid Employment in Student Paid Employment in

the Current Higher the Current Higher Educational LandscapeEducational Landscape

Lynette CavillLynette Cavill

Expansion of Further and Expansion of Further and Higher Education Higher Education

Since the advent of globalisation Since the advent of globalisation developed nations have moved away developed nations have moved away from manufacturing industry into the from manufacturing industry into the information and knowledge service information and knowledge service sectorssectors

This has created a requirement for a This has created a requirement for a ‘knowledge based’ economy serviced ‘knowledge based’ economy serviced by ‘knowledge workers’(Adnett 2006)by ‘knowledge workers’(Adnett 2006)

Educated WorkforceEducated Workforce

Dearing Report of 1997 – ‘good Dearing Report of 1997 – ‘good investment for individuals as well as investment for individuals as well as society’society’

Recent research shows link between Recent research shows link between adult learning and social cohesion adult learning and social cohesion and inclusion within communitiesand inclusion within communities

UK Government ObjectivesUK Government Objectives

Government aim to widen Government aim to widen participation in further and higher participation in further and higher education – 50% by 2010education – 50% by 2010

Aim for inclusion for all levels of Aim for inclusion for all levels of society, both in educational society, both in educational opportunities and employment, to opportunities and employment, to promote meritocracypromote meritocracy

Implications of widening Implications of widening participation:participation:

Elite system to mass system of Higher Elite system to mass system of Higher Education (HE)Education (HE)

Public funding for HE moving to individual Public funding for HE moving to individual funding, involving both students and their funding, involving both students and their families via parental contributionsfamilies via parental contributions

There is a new funding structure of grants, There is a new funding structure of grants, loans and feesloans and fees

These mean students often find a gap These mean students often find a gap between what they receive and what they between what they receive and what they require to live on require to live on

Implications continued:Implications continued: This has impacted on students’ This has impacted on students’

attitudes to debt and an increased attitudes to debt and an increased incidence of students undertaking incidence of students undertaking paid employment alongside full time paid employment alongside full time studiesstudies

Also within a consumer society there Also within a consumer society there are expectations around lifestyle - a are expectations around lifestyle - a dichotomy of needing ‘paper dichotomy of needing ‘paper qualifications’ but the desire to qualifications’ but the desire to maintain a certain standard of livingmaintain a certain standard of living

Why is the increase in Why is the increase in students undertaking Paid students undertaking Paid

Employment important?Employment important? There are concerns seen within the There are concerns seen within the

financing of higher education, around financing of higher education, around student retention and dropout rates, and student retention and dropout rates, and student indebtedness. student indebtedness.

There is also disquiet as to whether There is also disquiet as to whether there will be selective inequality, if some there will be selective inequality, if some students have to work while others do students have to work while others do not. not.

This leads to questions being asked This leads to questions being asked around whether there is an impact to around whether there is an impact to academic potential when paid academic potential when paid employment is undertaken alongside employment is undertaken alongside full time studiesfull time studies

Research has identified 58% students Research has identified 58% students work in term time, these are mainly work in term time, these are mainly from poorer families and this has a from poorer families and this has a negative cost to academic negative cost to academic achievement and the experience of achievement and the experience of being a student (Student income and being a student (Student income and expenditure survey 2002/2003)expenditure survey 2002/2003)

Effects identified by the institutionsEffects identified by the institutions Attendance affectedAttendance affected Failures to meet deadlinesFailures to meet deadlines Underachieving studentsUnderachieving students

Students identified:Students identified: TirednessTiredness rushed assignment work, rushed assignment work, missed classes missed classes failure to meet deadlines failure to meet deadlines These were being associated with These were being associated with

having to workhaving to work

What are the perceptions, in What are the perceptions, in retrospect, of graduates regarding retrospect, of graduates regarding

the effects of engaging in paid the effects of engaging in paid employment while studying full time employment while studying full time in education. Is there an impact on in education. Is there an impact on

potential achievement and the potential achievement and the student experience?student experience?

Research question for my study:

The study considered:The study considered:

How was the degree was financed?How was the degree was financed? What motivations were there to What motivations were there to

participate in paid employment?participate in paid employment? What type of job was undertaken and What type of job was undertaken and

what patterns of employment existed?what patterns of employment existed? What work life balance and time What work life balance and time

management strategies were used? management strategies were used? Was there any impact to Was there any impact to

studies/student life from the paid studies/student life from the paid employment?employment?

A major factor in the decision made A major factor in the decision made on whether to take on paid on whether to take on paid employment and how many hours employment and how many hours would be undertaken was the would be undertaken was the amount of financial help parents amount of financial help parents were able to give the student.were able to give the student.

Parental Contributions

Parental /student Parental /student relationship:relationship:

Within this study, informal ‘contracts’ or Within this study, informal ‘contracts’ or negotiations, whether implied or stated, negotiations, whether implied or stated, were identified to exist between the were identified to exist between the graduates and their parents. graduates and their parents.

These appeared to be negotiated around These appeared to be negotiated around perceptions within the parental and family perceptions within the parental and family sphere on the amount paid employment sphere on the amount paid employment might affect achievement levels. might affect achievement levels.

The parents appeared as active players The parents appeared as active players within the graduates’ education, providing within the graduates’ education, providing financial support but using this as a financial support but using this as a negotiation tool.  negotiation tool. 

Status of DegreesStatus of Degrees

Today it is suggested the status that a Today it is suggested the status that a degree had within the labour market is degree had within the labour market is being eroded with inflation of degreesbeing eroded with inflation of degrees

(Brown 2003, Ashworth 1997).(Brown 2003, Ashworth 1997).

Parent/student agreements were identified Parent/student agreements were identified for five graduates, connected to ideas that for five graduates, connected to ideas that today, to obtain graduate employment a today, to obtain graduate employment a high level of achievement within selective high level of achievement within selective courses, preferably from a prestigious courses, preferably from a prestigious university, are necessary. Levels of debt university, are necessary. Levels of debt were also a consideration.were also a consideration.

‘ ‘When I had to repeat a year I was eligible When I had to repeat a year I was eligible to pay my tuition fees but my parents paid to pay my tuition fees but my parents paid these for me on the condition I would keep these for me on the condition I would keep my hours down that I worked as they were my hours down that I worked as they were concerned I would not be able to cope with concerned I would not be able to cope with too many hours working as well as too many hours working as well as studying.  They did sort of monitor how studying.  They did sort of monitor how many hours I worked really but were many hours I worked really but were limited on how much they could help out.  limited on how much they could help out.  My mother in particular did not like me My mother in particular did not like me working nights and encouraged me to go working nights and encouraged me to go back to a day shift on a Saturday by back to a day shift on a Saturday by helping out with money a bit.’helping out with money a bit.’

‘ ‘In my second year though I worked a lot In my second year though I worked a lot more hours and that did make me so tired I more hours and that did make me so tired I was missing tutorials in particular.  I still got was missing tutorials in particular.  I still got good grades but my father was concerned good grades but my father was concerned so when I got to my final year he made an so when I got to my final year he made an agreement with me that he would help me agreement with me that he would help me more if I agreed to only do one shift because more if I agreed to only do one shift because he was worried I would get a lower degree he was worried I would get a lower degree than I was capable of getting, so he gave me than I was capable of getting, so he gave me more money but I was to spend it on living more money but I was to spend it on living etc and not as extra money and still do long etc and not as extra money and still do long shifts.  I agreed with what he was saying so I shifts.  I agreed with what he was saying so I did then just do the one shift.’did then just do the one shift.’

‘‘My uncle made sure I got my work My uncle made sure I got my work (studies) out of the way or had time (studies) out of the way or had time to complete them after I worked.  My to complete them after I worked.  My parents had made this very clear to parents had made this very clear to him.’him.’

‘ ‘I was lucky that my parents paid for all I was lucky that my parents paid for all my tuition fees and paid for my rent but my tuition fees and paid for my rent but then I paid for food and electric etc out then I paid for food and electric etc out of the money I earned or had saved....... of the money I earned or had saved....... they (my parents) were prepared to they (my parents) were prepared to help as they didn’t want me running up help as they didn’t want me running up huge debts from student loans and, put huge debts from student loans and, put like that, I am very lucky to have come like that, I am very lucky to have come out of university with a lot less debt out of university with a lot less debt than other students.’than other students.’

This whole area illustrates the This whole area illustrates the importance parents are placing on importance parents are placing on continuing education. Some are continuing education. Some are happy with their children being happy with their children being employed for a certain number of employed for a certain number of hours. Others appear to have hours. Others appear to have concerns that there could be a concerns that there could be a detrimental impact to studies. detrimental impact to studies.

However, there is not much in the However, there is not much in the literature about informal ‘contracts’ literature about informal ‘contracts’ and negotiations between students and negotiations between students and parents. Research, since the and parents. Research, since the numbers of students ‘earning while numbers of students ‘earning while learning’ have increased, does learning’ have increased, does identify informal contracts between identify informal contracts between universities and students.  This gives universities and students.  This gives information and set guidelines on information and set guidelines on hours of paid employment regarding hours of paid employment regarding what is considered to impact on study what is considered to impact on study (University of Huddersfield 2007, (University of Huddersfield 2007, Durham University 2007).  Durham University 2007). 

UK Degree structure:UK Degree structure:

Full time is 3 years for an Full time is 3 years for an undergraduate first level degreeundergraduate first level degree

Other western societies such as USA, Other western societies such as USA, Canada and Australia have longer full Canada and Australia have longer full time courses.time courses.

Thus time management issues impact Thus time management issues impact more on students in the UK due to the more on students in the UK due to the time demands of the degree course. time demands of the degree course.