TWSS’ Emily Jordan talks about the difficult task of balancing a job and a degree, recounting her own personal experiences and discussing the many obstacles that come with finding future employment.

Arriving in Bristol from a small town in the Fens, I had once prided myself on my understanding of a wide range of social backgrounds, and yet, I was wholly unprepared for the extent of the class divide at university. Growing up in the countryside, virtually all of my friends had a part-time job in sixth form, whether that be as a barmaid, in a corner shop, or working in retail like myself. This is the universal experience back home, so when I came to Bristol I was surprised to find that for some of my friends part-time employment had never been necessary.

Students, particularly those from international backgrounds, travel the country to attend open days under the guise of needing them to secure future employment in the UK. However, once on the course, those paying international fees are not allowed to work more than 20 hours per week, despite their loans being extortionate in comparison to the UK’s already ridiculous home student fees. 

Internships can be another option to earn money; however, they are not offered on every course ran by the University, and even if they are they’re inexplicably competitive. The degree pathway I’m on is one of three different intertwined undergraduate courses ran by the Business School. They ran a module where students got to have real world experience within our field, and yet on a course of well over 200 people, less than 30 places were available. Now it is understandable that this course required close supervision and support, but this was one of the most popular module choices.

Unpaid internships have also come under fire and for good reason. The company benefits from free labour and have no obligation to give any extra benefits that would be otherwise offered under paid-employment conditions (i.e. health insurance and paid sick days). Through pursuing an unpaid internship, students can often work under the false pretence of guaranteed employment and, therefore, are more willing to put up with exploitative practices. However, if an opportunity is paid, the power dynamic is more diligent, minimising the risk of exploitation.

When studying alongside your job, you’re likely to be less attractive to a prospective employer as your flexibility is limited. Students who are financially secure can focus purely on their studies. Those who aren’t, however, need to find time in their changeable academic timetable to make sure there are no clashes with their work schedule. Additionally, when some students spend hours in the library during exam season perfecting assignments, others simply accept that they may not submit their best work as they rush off to their minimum-wage bartending gig on the other side of the city. The culture fostered by some students – particularly at UoB, an academically rigorous institution – seems to encourage bragging about studying assiduously, undermining the experiences of those who are worked to the bone both by their degree and employment. Burnout is a real issue for all students, and it can be much worse when you’re also balancing a job.

First-generation university students are more likely to work alongside their degree than those whose parents have gone on to study in higher education. Unfortunately, they are also more likely to drop out. UCL looked deeper into my fellow ‘first-in-the-family’ students, and learnt that the subjects they chose to study tended to be rooted in securing future employment as opposed to studying a subject for the love of its contents. 

The lacking confidence of first-generation students also comes into play when discussing  how exploitative business practices fly under the radar. They may have the grades to have secured themselves a place at a leading UK university, but emotionally they are more likely to feel inferior to those around them. In my experience, I felt inadequate in my classrooms and always seemed to be playing catch-up. I’ve spent my whole life working hard to get into these rooms, and yet I was waiting for the rug to be pulled out from beneath me.

My time working in second year increased my self-confidence and that ultimately translated into my feelings when in the classroom. Despite the struggles associated with navigating simultaneous employment and education, there are also many rewarding factors that have enriched my life – even if I’ve learnt these things whilst dressed up as a tiger working at children’s birthday parties. I came to University with interview experience, money management practice, and self-discipline. I also felt at ease upon starting my first Bristol-based job, which I may not have done if I hadn’t dealt with management and resignations in the past.

It’s important to remember that one experience does not reflect everyone’s encounters with employment. Some may have found that they didn’t need to juggle work and studying, whereas others may have ended up dropping out due to the pressure they were under. The ultimate lesson to learn is to know your employment rights and that you have value both in and out of the classroom.