Studying and working – how to reconcile it?

60 percent of students, currently there are about 1.5 million of them in Poland, working or looking for a job. Some people want to work to gain skills and experience, others work because they have to make a living.

Anyway, reconciling work and studies, although difficult, is possible and desired by both parties – students and employers. Students are sought-after employees – employers do not have to pay insurance premiums for students under the age of 26 who cooperate on the basis of a mandate contract.

In absentia it is easier

Students of extramural and extramural studies have a comfortable situation, apart from selected weekends, they are completely available and can actually undertake any work and activities. They are often referred to studies by employers themselves in order to broaden their knowledge and gain new skills – and in this case their work schedule is adapted to student reunions.
Ideally, students of faculties whose graduates are in demand on the labor market are in an ideal situation. And it does not matter in what mode they study – full-time or part-time. Increasingly, universities, including state-owned, launch studies in line with the needs and specificity of the local labor market. This almost means a guarantee of employment after graduation, but also the possibility of working during classes. Employers very often offer internships, trainings or part-time jobs to first-year students, offering excellent employment and study conditions, hoping that it is with them that the graduate will become involved in the future.

You have to think about the daytime ones

The situation of full-time students is completely different. Some of them still ambitiously focus on learning during their studies, taking up – if at all – rather occasional jobs. This type of student wants to focus on studying, preferably in less and less frequent master-student relationships. In this way, some of them open the way to a scientific career and stay within the walls of the university after graduation – already as assistants or doctoral students. The vast majority of full-time students – although free at state-owned universities – have to reconcile work and study to earn a living at these studies. At the same time, students’ approach to employment is changing. Until a few years ago, many of them took up very poorly paid jobs, or even unpaid internships, to enrich their CV with new points. It is good if these experiences were followed by real skills that could be useful in later professional life. However, it also happened that during the internships and internships the student did not gain much experience, and the earnings did not bring great benefits. Today, more and more students are looking for a job that does not agree with the field of study and future career plans. It is only about earning as good money as possible to support yourself in your studies, often in a foreign city. Hence, it is no surprise that the greatest number of learners work in trade, gastronomy, sales or hotel industry – i.e. in classes that can be mastered quite quickly and do not require professional education and experience. Importantly – the work schedule can be adapted to the schedule of classes at the university. Every fourth student works in these industries. In many cities, students can find professional fulfillment in telemarketing and call centers. Employers in the industry are able to offer not only a good salary for those who will prove themselves in their positions, but are extremely flexible in adapting working hours to the needs of students. It is not surprising that many call centers work around the clock.

Good time organization is key

Virtually every field of study can be reconciled with additional work, not only during the summer holidays, when it earns the most students, but also during the academic year. It is enough to follow a few rules to make the combination of activities and work “painless”.
First, it is worth determining your monthly financial needs. Do we only need money for pleasures and small expenses or are we burdened with the necessity of living in the city and food and paying for the rent of a dormitory or lodging? The scale of the necessary involvement in the labor market depends on the answer to this question. You also need to consider how much we can afford to “let go of” studying. There is nothing to hide – after taking up employment, research work may suffer. It may turn out that after a night shift it will be difficult to find motivation to attend the optional morning lectures at the university. At the same time, it’s good to find a company whose boss understands the student’s needs and can offer flexible working hours. The student schedule is quite variable, even during one semester the hours of classes, exercises and lectures may change. It’s also worth rethinking your priorities. Is money or science more important to me at this stage of my life? Can I afford five years of study without taking up a more serious job? If the answer is negative, you can consider moving to studies that do not require such a huge commitment – extramural, evening or extramural. Currently, the situation of students on the labor market – compared to the situation of their colleagues from several or a dozen years ago – is simply perfect. There are no excuses here – every student who shows a minimum of willingness and has at least a minimum degree of self-organization will be able to find a job and combine it with studies.