Part time jobs damage students' academic studies

According to a study of 1,339 students by student recruitment firm studentgems.com, a million students regularly miss lectures in a bid to work. Three in five  respondents said they worked part time, of whom, just 8% said they missed lectures because they were otherwise participating in relevant work experience. And more than nine out of ten (92%) said their job bore no relevance to their chosen education/career path.

The top part time jobs for students included working at the Student's Union, retail, restaurants, supermarkets, call centres and in catering, amongst others.

Of those who have done work experience placements, just 11% were paid for their time and effort. 86% of students were unaware that employers who offer unpaid work experience placements are operating illegally.

On average, students admitted to skipping 20% of lectures, with reasons ranging from part-time jobs through to hangovers. One in three students said they believed missing lectures to be detrimental to their studies.

Sue Harrison, co-founder of studentgems.com, said: "Businesses are always looking for talented people and provide opportunities for students to gain paid experience in relevant sectors doing one-off jobs and projects. Doing this sort of work gives students more money and flexibility to fit the projects into their timetable, avoiding the need to miss lectures.

"It's not a one-way street. Employers benefit from using bright, enthusiastic and well-motivated students who are learning the latest sector trends and developments. They also cost less than their qualified equivalent; a real bonus to cash-strapped businesses during the recession."