The influence of part‐time work on student placement

An increasing amount of research now relates to students who work part‐time during third level study. The advantages and disadvantages of this situation have been widely discussed in the literature and positive aspects of part‐time work relating to graduate employment are given in several recent reports. Almost nothing has been done, however, to view part‐time working as a preparation for placement, either from a student or employer perspective. This paper attempts to rectify this failing and reports on surveys of pre‐ and post‐placement students in the academic year 2002–2003. In addition, many of the employer partners who take our placement students were questioned about their attitude to part‐time work appearing on curriculum vitae and their comments have proved both interesting and revealing.