Lots of young people either want or need to combine work with study.This might be because whilst studying you need to earn some cash or it may be that you want something more formal which actually offers you the opportunity to develop your work skills at the same time as studying for a nationally recognised qualification.Working part time whilst studyingManaging your time and keeping up with your study / revision while you work is a tricky balance. Most schools or colleges will recommend that you do not work too many hours whilst you are studying. This is for obvious reasons; it is difficult to keep up to date with your study when you are working too many hours.It is important to balance your work with taking the time to study and revise. Whilst it is good to have an income and to develop your employability skills through a part time job, it can have a negative effect on your results if you don’t leave yourself enough time to work on school or college tasks.Earnings as a studentMany people think incorrectly that as a student you don’t pay any income tax on your earnings. This isn’t actually true; students pay tax on their earnings just like everyone else. The difference is that if you only work through the summer or for part of the year / flexibly then you might not earn enough over the tax year to pay tax. Because you will pay as you earn (PAYE) you may over pay. You will be eligible for a tax rebate if this is the case.Combining work and study through an apprenticeshipA formal option for combining work with study is an apprenticeship. An apprentice is an employee of a company who also undertakes study for a qualification whilst working. The national minimum wage for an apprentice aged 16 – 18 or 19+ in their first year of an apprenticeship is £3.30 per hour, although many employers pay more than this.Seasonal work as a studentA great way of accessing a permanent part time job is to pick up seasonal work, do a good job and then your employer might keep you on. Christmas of course is a great time of year to do this as many jobs become available, particularly in the retail and hospitality sectors which get very busy at this time of year.
