Students Hard at Work

By Gloria Lee

Singapore Polytechnic student Kevin Tan, 22, finishes school before 3p.m., but gets home in the wee hours every day. As a result, he finds it hard to wake up in time for early morning lessons.

A freelance sound technician in charge of setting up sound systems for concerts and functions, Tan usually ends work after 2a.m. He is often misunderstood by his tutors who think he is out gallivanting. It is surprising that they do not show more understanding when he explains his situation.

“My teachers always haul me over the coals when my grades drop, blaming it on my work even though it’s not the case. Some even asked me to apply for financial aid so that I can stop working. But I like my job, and this is the industry that I eventually want to settle down in,” said Tan.

Initially, his mother was not supportive of the idea of him working while studying. But she came to accept it after she observed how he became more streetwise and responsible since working.

This is a scenario that many tertiary students will find familiar. It is common belief that students work because of financial problems. However, some students work during their vacation or even during term time for extra money to spend or to plump up their resume for enhanced employment prospects.

This rising phenomenon is boosted by the adoption of flexible work schemes by employers that are “especially suitable for students or adults pursuing further study”, as retired NTUC Income chief executive officer Tan Kin Lian noted on his blog.

Educators however appear divided over this new trend.

“If their families don’t need the extra money, they should not work part-time because it takes up their time and energy. School life is already busy and stressful enough without that extra load,” said Geraint Wong, a teacher at the School of Science and Technology.

Andrew Ng, programme executive for student life and services at the Singapore Institute of Management, disagrees.

“Many SIM students juggle work and studies. I think it’s good training because it will be something they have to do when they start work soon. It teaches them to manage their priorities well,” Ng said.

In a speech to Parliament last month, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower and Health, Hawazi Daipi, reiterated the government’s support of flexible workplaces. He noted that “employers in Singapore increasingly recognize the value of flexible work arrangements in attracting and retaining employees.”

Victor Lee, managing director for Vohringer Singapore, agrees. “Our corporate policy is not to hire part-timers. However, we have been looking at hiring students for freelance jobs, because it complements the skill sets of our permanent workers,” Lee said.

According to the Ministry of Manpower’s Employment Act, those who work fewer than 35 hours a week are considered part-time workers. Some students are coping so well that they even take it a step higher by entering the workforce proper.

This trend seems set to continue, as work and study programmes such as the National University of Singapore Overseas Colleges are gaining popularity with tertiary students, with a record sign up in its recruitment this year.

Starbucks store manager, Joan Lim, 24, has been with the café since she was 16. At the time, she was a full-time student working part-time. When she proceeded for further studies, she decided to switch to full-time work and part-time studies. The Tourism Institute of Australia graduate believes her decision has molded her into a stronger person, even as she admits it was not an easy path.

“You need determination and perseverance every step of the way, along with the ability to prioritize. You also have to forego your social life. But I have grown so much that if I had to choose again, I know I would do the same thing,” Lim said.

The economy today is a very challenging one, and it is not surprising that some students are proactively looking for part-time jobs because of post-graduation career concerns. It is not easy, but a good way to get ahead.

Benjamin Ng, 24, certainly thinks so. A full-time sales executive with a construction firm, he is enrolled in a part-time degree course in Murdoch University. Ng said, “This is the best way in which you can gain working experience as well as paper qualifications at the same time, while getting a pay check every month.”

This trend seems set to continue, as work and study programmes such as the National University of Singapore Overseas Colleges are gaining popularity with tertiary students, with a record sign up in its recruitment drive this year.

21-year-old Evelyn Lim, an undergraduate from that National University of Singapore School of Business, is among those who have successfully applied for the programme.

“I chose to come to [the National University of Singapore] mainly because I wanted to take part in this programme. I am sure it will broaden my horizons and make me more successful in my future career,” she said.