The Benefits of Part-time Work for Students

Here at Cardiff & Vale Tutors we believe that studies should always be a priority, however, for older students it might be really beneficial to consider part-time work alongside their studies, or for some students it’s, unfortunately, a necessity. In this blog we will discuss the benefits of part-time work, how to manage part-time work while studying and, the laws and regulations of working while in full-time education.

What are the benefits of part-time working while studying?

There are many benefits such as honing communication, social and organisational skills, while also learning about the value of money and its management. Working part-time will enable young people to gain valuable experience which can make them stand out when they are looking for jobs in the future. Students will also gain their own spending power, which may be really helpful to parents and carers, and therefore gain an insight into how sometimes money is difficult to make, but easy to spend. It can also mean that students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds, that may not have money allowances from parents or carers, by having that a little bit of their own spending power are able to participate in activities – such as cinema outings for example – that they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to.

Who can start working?

According to the government website, the youngest a child can start working part-time is 13 years old unless they have a performance license and work within television, theatre or modelling. Children may only start working full-time when they have reached the minimum school leaving age – which is different across the UK and can be checked here School leaving age – GOV.UK 

How much can children earn?

School aged children aren’t entitled to the minimum wage and do not pay National Insurance, and they only need to be included on an employer’s payroll if their income is over their Personal Allowance. Once someone reaches 16 they are entitled to at least £5.28 per hour, and their employer needs to record and report their pay.

What types of restrictions are there?

There are various local bylaws and regulations about what times children and young people are allowed to work. For example, children and young people should not work within school hours, for more than 4 hours without taking a break for at least 1 hour and in places like factories or on industrial sites. For a full list of restrictions click here (Child employment: Restrictions on child employment – GOV.UK 

How to best manage part-time working while studying?

The key is to remember that the main job of a student is to be a student. Their studies are of vital importance and must be their main focus.

Here are some tips: