Esquivel 1 Jairon Esquivel Prof. Purugganan College Composition II 13 February 2023 Student Labor Pains The working student has much to lose in their pursuit for education and employment. Emma Kerr in her article, “The Pros and Cons of Working While in College” examines the benefits and drawbacks of working a job in addition to being enrolled in an institute of higher education. In the article, Kerr also briefly highlights that the amount of students working is growing and that there seems to be a growing expectation for this from schools. This is similarly corroborated in the studies on undergraduates examined by Sarath Nonis and Gail Hudson in the article, “Academic Performance of College Students: Influence of Time Spent Studying and Working.” As well as in David Robotham’s report “Combining study and employment: a step too far” which surveys the growing population of working students in the United Kingdom and the effects of working while in college. All of these articles clearly state that this “trend” is not going away any time soon. Students looking to pursue a higher education will have to decide whether working is in their best interest or not. By looking at the potential advantages and disadvantages of working while in college, it can be determined that students should work while enrolled in college because it will benefit them financially and teach them responsibility. Completing a degree is difficult enough on its own, with all the studying and various credit hours one must complete, that working alongside this may make it seem impossible to earn Esquivel 2 a degree. There is a common idea that having a job may distract one's studies, impairing their ability to perform well in school but there is evidence that does not validate this claim. According to a study exploring the effects of time spent working and studying on school performance of undergraduate students, it was found that time spent working actually held no direct correlation to grade point average (Nonis & Hudson). This information indicates that the concern for students being able to perform well in school while working on the side are unfounded. Instead emphasis should be placed on ensuring that students practice effective study habits along with a healthy work ethic. In the same study, it was found that work ethic and study habits proved to be greater indicators for academic success than time spent away from school (Nonis & Hudson). This makes sense as with enough motivation and a willingness to excel a working student can set aside time for both their job and studies. It is not necessarily working alongside attending classes that can deter a student from doing well but the ability and behaviors that the student exhibits in relation to their education. Since the number of working students is increasing regardless of the support, there should be more focus on teaching these studies to manage study habits and motivate them to succeed. A big issue with higher education is debt, so holding down a job while also attending college can help students financially. Working students are able to use their earnings to pay for tuition, additional fees, or even other necessities for living. In a survey conducted on working students in the UK, when asked why they had taken on a job in addition to school “38 per cent explained that it was for financial reasons; principally that it enabled them to maintain a desired standard of living” (Robotham). Though thirty-eight percent may not seem like a lot, that is still a significant number of responders who require a job to sustain themselves. Paying tuition here Esquivel 3 in the United States has become more and more difficult, with it being almost impossible to acquire an education without also acquiring debt. It makes sense for students to desire additional income than just from financial aid or parental involvement. Additionally, there also seems to be a connection between working during college and the amount of money you earn after college (Kerr). Working students are more able to develop their resumes and connections compared to their unemployed counterparts (Kerr). The main goal for getting a higher education for most students is to be in a better position to get the career and finances they want. Working class students additionally want to be able to support and help their family economically, so working while studying can help accomplish this goal by allowing them to continue school and later on earn a high paying job. If a student were to be in debt later in life, having a high paying job will surely help to pay off what they owe. Balancing work and school encourages students to learn responsible traits. A skill important and applicable to most areas in life is time management. Working students being put into a situation where they need to be organized and plan out their various responsibilities allows them to pick up time management and adapt. To be able to effectively balance different tasks and responsibilities is of the utmost importance for working students who must plan their time spent on school tasks and their work schedule. Just being placed in this situation can give them the leg up on other students who otherwise would not have to deal with all the responsibilities that come with working as a student and an employee. It has been shown that students who tend to do well academically are employed, showing that they must be adept at managing their time (Nonis & Hudson). In addition to time management, working students acquire skills from their jobs that can allow them to succeed. The skills students can pick up while at work are beneficial to future Esquivel 4 employers who are looking for people who can balance responsibilities and the initiative to work hard (Kerr). This is even more beneficial if a working student chooses to work a job that aligns with their desired career choice, as they will earn more experience and be better equipped for their future. Though having a job that relates to a student’s desired career is rare at only six percent, with it actually having been found that most students are employed in the retail and human service job sectors (Robotham). These jobs provide the students exposure to different groups of people allowing them to increase their communication skills which can help them grow. By interacting with customers, workers can learn problem solving skills and active listening. Most retail and human services jobs have workers be put in a team or crew, which can promote being able to take direction as well as give it when necessary, allowing them to become comfortable with working with others and leadership. The option to work in addition to being a student is a choice left to the individual who must make the best decision for themselves. It is important to acknowledge the stress that may come with being a working student and the inability of said student to cope could potentially decrease performance ability in both school and work. Not all students function the same, many have different strengths and weaknesses that makes being a working student easier or difficult depending on their situation. Though the time a student spends working has no direct effect on their ability to perform as a student, behaviors must be managed and focused on in order to succeed at both working and studying, as being a working student can benefit your finances, present and future, and teach you important life skills. As higher education becomes increasingly more expensive and competitive, so will the need to work and develop new skills to increase the ability to continue school and hireability. Esquivel 5 Works Cited Kerr, Emma. “The Pros And Cons of Working While in College.” U.S.News, 30 Dec 2020, https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/weighing-th e-pros-and-cons-of-working-while-in-college. Accessed 3 Feb 2023. Nonis, Sarath A., and Gail I. Hudson. "Academic Performance of College Students: Influence of Time Spent Studying and Working." Journal of Education for Business, vol. 81, no. 3, 2006, pp. 151-159. ProQuest, https://eznvcc.vccs.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/academic -performance-college-students-influence/docview/202820944/se-2. Accessed 12 Feb 2023. Robotham, David. "Combining Study and Employment: A Step Too Far?" Education & Training, vol. 51, no. 4, 2009, pp. 322-332. ProQuest, https://eznvcc.vccs.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/combinin g-study-employment-step-too-far/docview/237072457/se-2. Accessed 13 Feb 2023.
