Part Time Work and the HSC
Many young people begin working while at school. Students are more likely to combine study and work as they progress in their schooling years and at St Patrick’s College, we see that many senior girls are electing to take up part-time work. The Preliminary and Higher School Certificate Years (11 and 12) are a full-time job and juggling paid or volunteer part-time work in addition to school work can be a challenge. This short article aims to explore some of the advantages and disadvantages for students choosing to work part-time.
Advantages of part-time work
Working while in school can be beneficial. Students like the independence their job gives them. Employability skills developed through activities undertaken outside of school may help with gaining employment later in life. Part-time work can improve organisational skills associated with balancing the competing demands on student’s time. There are benefits for young people who are exposed to new experiences and part-time work requires a level of maturity, commitment to task completion and the need to turn up to work on time.
Disadvantages of part-time work
Part-time work can adversely affect school performance – particularly Year 12 results. Too much work can lead to inconsistent study patterns and this can impact academic achievement. Studies have shown that students who worked intensively in Year 12 reduced their chance of securing the university position of their choice because of lower marks obtained in Year 12. Part-time work may affect sleep patterns when students take on weekday shifts that run late into the evening. The knock-on effect is that students are not fully alert the following day, and this impacts on engagement in classroom activities
Take-aways
Part-time work offers students opportunities to save money, experience financial independence and develop life and employability skills. However, school performance deteriorates as work demands increase. It is not easy to say at which point work can turn from a benefit into a negative because this can be highly variable depending on the circumstances of each student. As a guide, part-time work hours during term time should be restricted to one shift or two short shifts per week so that work commitments do not impact on study or class time. A few additional shifts during the term break can support students in their goals associated with financial independence.
Further reading/viewing
Follow this link to Dr Michael Carr-Gregg's article - Surviving the Final Year that includes interviews with an expert panel.
Debra Bourne - Assistant Principal Learning and Teaching
This article draws on several sources of information:
Commonwealth of Australia (2009) Adolescent overload? Report of the inquiry into combining school and work: supporting successful youth transitions.
Australian Council for Educational Research (1999). The effects of part-time work on school students.