To read this content please select one of the options below:

School students’ introduction to the world of work

Jim McKechnie, Cathy Howieson, Sandy Hobbs, Sheila Semple

Education + Training

ISSN: 0040-0912

Article publication date: 4 February 2014

769

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to investigate the type of activities carried out by young people in a range of jobs that are typically undertaken by school students. The research examines opportunities for skill development in these jobs.

Design/methodology/approach

The research consisted of a nationally representative survey of school students. Multivariate analysis was used to examine the variables which predict the likelihood that a school student will be employed in a job which has a higher “job activity score” as measured by the frequency and number of activities undertaken.

Findings

In total, 38 per cent of school students were working at the time of the survey. The survey demonstrates the diversity of the employment experiences and the opportunities it provides for skill development. The analysis supports the view that this first exposure to employment may offer opportunities for skill development. Unlike previous research in Britain the study is able to explore the extent of variations between jobs.

Practical implications

The data demonstrates the extent to which school students combine full-time education with part-time employment and the value of this experience. This raises questions about whether schools should engage with naturally occurring employment experiences.

Originality/value

The paper uses a unique British data set to investigate what school students do in their part-time jobs, extending the hitherto limited research in this area. By addressing this issue the paper contributes to the debate regarding the value of this early exposure to the world of work.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This paper is based on the research project “The Nature and Implications of the Part-Time Employment of Secondary School Pupils” commissioned by the Scottish Executive.

Citation

McKechnie, J., Howieson, C., Hobbs, S. and Semple, S. (2014), "School students’ introduction to the world of work", Education + Training, Vol. 56 No. 1, pp. 47-58. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-04-2012-0043

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Related articles