Student part‐time employment : Implications, challenges and opportunities for higher education

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the pattern of part‐time working amongst a cohort of full time hospitality and tourism students studying at a university in Scotland. Design/methodology/approach – Students studying hospitality and tourism management were chosen due to the vocational nature of their program and the part‐time opportunities available in the hospitality industry. A questionnaire was developed to investigate the extent of part‐time employment amongst hospitality and tourism students. The questionnaire solicited demographic information, level, type and extent of part‐time employment. The questionnaire also explored students' impressions of the benefits of part‐time working, their likes and dislikes in their part‐time employment and what they felt might be done to develop the relationship between the parties involved in part‐time work. Findings – Evaluating responses from 150 students, the study found that almost two thirds of this cohort were engaged in part‐time employment and had been with their current employer for an average of 14 months. Focussing on aspects of gender and nationality the study identified that females were more likely to have a part‐time job and students from Eastern European countries worked significantly longer hours than their peers. Practical implications – It is suggested that educators more fully recognise the constraints of contemporary student life and consider the provision of flexible teaching methods, part‐time contacts and formal credit for students' part‐time work. Originality/value – The paper concurs with previous research into the extent of part‐time working amongst students and it found that students from Eastern Europe were more likely to work part‐time and that all students would like more recognition of their employment commitments.