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Executive Summary
Section A Introduction
Chapter One School Pupils' Part-Time Employment: introduction and context
1. This research, carried out between September 2003 and April 2006, was commissioned by the Scottish Executive in response to Recommendation 12 of 'Determined to Succeed'. This identified the need for research to consider the nature and implications of school pupils' part-time employment and opportunities for certification of appropriate part-time work.
2. Most pre-existing research has focused on the part-time employment of pupils aged under 16 but attention on the part-time work of post-16s has been increasing. This research covers both age groups and also considers the situation of those pupils who do not have part-time work.
3. The literature suggests that the traditional view of pupils' part-time work has been to see it as of limited value - 'children's jobs' - with a focus on working hours and their potentially negative impact on attainment. There is a need for a greater knowledge of what young people actually do in their jobs and of the 'quality' of their employment experiences.
4. Current educational trends suggest this is an appropriate time to look at the potential of part-time work to contribute to wider educational goals, in particular, employability skills and enterprising attitudes and behaviours. There are issues of both principle and practice: is it right that pupils' part-time work should be recognised in their schooling? How might it work, and what impact might recognition have on the experience for working pupils? This research considers these issues in later chapters.
Chapter Two Methodology
5. This research project collected data from a wide range of sources. Separate reports, summarising the findings from most of these sources are contained in Section G.
6. A national picture of the nature and extent of pupils' part-time employment was obtained through a random 10% sample of S3 to S6 pupils in both local authority and independent schools in Scotland. The survey covered 20,700 pupils, it achieved an 89% response rate providing a total of 18, 430 respondents.
7. Two surveys of all 32 local authorities were undertaken to identify policy and practice in legislation on child employment and to consider the current and potential use of pupils' part-time employment in their schooling.
8. A telephone survey of 42 employers was conducted, this covered their employment of school pupils, their views on part-time work and its possible recognition in schooling.
9. Focus studies in four local authority areas were conducted: these captured the views and opinions of teachers, senior school staff, careers advisers and parents while allowing for a more in-depth exploration of school pupils' views on part-time work.
10. Individual case studies of 12 working pupils were undertaken to provide in-depth information on their activities at work and the skills that they used.
11. Three desk studies were carried out: a review of the usage and recognition of part-time work in educational settings nationally and internationally; a study to develop models of recognition; and a review of enterprise in educational contexts and of measures to assess enterprising attitudes, skills and behaviours.
Section B Nature and Extent of Part-Time Employment
Chapter Three The Extent of School Pupils' Part-Time Employment in Scotland
12. This chapter includes a descriptive account of part-time employment among school pupils in Scotland and the extent to which this varies in relation to a number of personal and background factors.
13. Part-time work was a common experience for Scottish school pupils. 59% had had a part-time job (rising from 48% of S3 to 83% of S6): young women were more likely to have worked than young men.
14. Most rural local authorities had higher than average rates of pupils who had ever worked, a finding not simply explained by seasonal employment.
15. There were few differences in whether pupils worked or not depending on their level of study/attainment at Standard grade.
16. There was little difference in pupils' part-time work status in respect to either mother's or father's social class for the three main classes of managerial and professional, intermediate and working class. However, pupils whose fathers were in the 'unclassified' or 'don't know' category were less likely to have a job. Pupils with mothers or fathers who were unemployed or retired or looking after the home were less likely to have had a part-time job. Looked-After-Children, and those in boarding school, were also less likely to have had a part-time job.
17. Pupils from certain ethnic minority groups had a lower level of paid part-time work but this was not explained by any greater involvement in unpaid work. Young women from a Pakistani background were much less likely to have worked than young men.
18. Overall there were no significant differences in the employment situation of young people with a disability: however, more S6 pupils with a disability had not had a part-time job than those without a disability.
19. The research does not bear out the commonly held assumption that pupils who were less engaged with school would be more likely to have a part-time job. There was no clear relationship between having a part-time job and being a frequent truant. The relationship between having a part-time job and time spent on homework was not straightforward.
20. Pupils who had a less active social life outside of home and who reported more frequent home-based activities had lower levels of involvement in part-time work.
21. Pupils who described themselves as low in enterprising attitudes were least likely ever to have had a part-time job: those with a high enterprise score were more likely.
22. Pupils who had no clear idea of their career intentions had the lowest levels of part-time work; overall the rate of current part-time work increased with career certainty.
Chapter Four Predicting which Pupils are Likely to have a Part-Time Job
23. Chapter 3 used descriptive statistics to show which pupils had part-time jobs and which did not but this does not show the inter-relationship between the various factors or identify the most important ones. In Chapter 4 we used statistical modelling to identify the significant factors in predicting part-time employment when other factors are taken into account. The picture that emerges when each factor is considered on its own is sometimes qualified when we consider all the factors together in the statistical model.
24. We found, for example, that although the descriptive statistics had shown that the incidence of part-time work varied by pupils' ethnic background, when attainment, class and other background factors were taken into account in the statistical modelling, the effect of ethnicity largely disappeared with the exception of young people from a Pakistani background.
25. Similarly, pupils' level of Standard Grade study or attainment was not a significant predictor of part-time employment once attitudinal factors were taken into account.
26. But the statistical modelling confirmed that school stage was a significant predictor of part-time work after controlling for a range of other factors. Girls were more likely than boys to have a part-time job with the exception of girls from a Pakistani background.
27. After other factors are taken into account, pupils with fathers in the 'missing' or 'don't know' categories were less likely to work part-time. There was some evidence that enterprise in education inputs might help to compensate for not having a father active in the labour market. Pupils living with a parent and a step-parent were more likely to have a part-time job. However, for Looked-After-Children the key predictive factor was attainment rather than their living arrangements.
28. Pupils in rural areas were more likely to be currently working than those in urban areas; this remained a strong predictor of part-time work even after all the factors were taken into account.
29. The statistical modelling confirmed that disenchantment with school did not appear to be related to an increased probability of having a current part-time job.
30. Even after the effect of other factors was taken account of, pupils with higher levels of enterprising attitudes were more likely to have a part-time job.
31. Work experience was not significant in predicting part-time employment. However, those who had had the most work and career related enterprise in education inputs were more likely to have a part-time job, irrespective of all other factors.
32. A more active social life was a predictor of part-time work as was a moderate level of involvement in household chores and involvement in sport. Any level of involvement in a care role increased the chance of having a part-time job.
33. With respect to career-related factors, pupils planning to find a job or training place after school were more likely to be in a current job than those planning HE. This also applied to those planning to take a year out. And the extent to which pupils had a definite career focus increased the likelihood of working part-time.
Chapter Five Pupils' Decisions about Part-Time Employment
34. Financial reasons were central to why pupils worked part-time, primarily to fund their social life and to buy various goods. This applied equally to male and female, and to all age groups. Only 6% responded that 'earning money to contribute to the household budget' was a main reason for working.
35. The next most important reason for working was 'to gain independence', and this was given more weight by young women, by older respondents and by those rating themselves highly in enterprising attitudes. It is clear that for some pupils having an income of their own was a means by which they could establish their independence and develop an independent adult identity.
36. For most pupils, specific employment or career-related reasons were less important reasons for having a part-time job. But this did vary according to their post school plans, the type of part-time job they had, and how enterprising they judged themselves to be. Only a small minority of pupils indicated that they had worked part-time largely because their parent or carer wanted them to (12%).
37. Those pupils who had stopped working gave three main reasons for this decision: dissatisfaction with the job; time issues and the impact on other aspects of their lives, including their school work; and where their job came to an end.
38. Just over two fifths of pupils had never worked, but this was not a matter of choice for all of those. Over a fifth of them had unsuccessfully applied for jobs. Although a smaller proportion of pupils in rural areas had never had a job, a slightly higher proportion of them had unsuccessfully applied for work than those in urban areas.
39. Some pupils did not try to get a job. The main reasons for this were: wanting to concentrate on their school work; there were no jobs available; hobbies/sport/took up all of their free time; they 'can't be bothered'. Neither the disapproval of parents nor of teachers was a significant factor. There were small differences in why pupils did not work depending on social class, their location and attainment level.
Chapter Six Current Workers: The Nature of Their Part-Time Jobs
40. Current workers were mainly employed in retail (28%), catering (28%) and delivery work (18%). The rest of the pupils were employed across a range of job types: babysitting, hairdressing, office work, farming, manual trades and cleaning.
41. Delivery was predominantly a male activity while employment in both retail and catering was female dominated. Delivery work was mainly carried out by S3 and S4 pupils. The proportions employed in retail rose over the years, especially after S4. There was a trend away from 'less-structured' employment in S3 and S4 to more 'formal' types of employment among S5 and S6 pupils.
42. Those pupils in the lowest attainment group were less likely to be working in retail, especially in chain stores, and a higher proportion of them had delivery jobs. There was little variation in job type according to social class. Pupils in rural areas were less likely to work in delivery and in chain stores, and more likely to work in hotel/B & B and café/restaurants than those in urban areas.
43. The average number of hours worked per week increased by school stage from an average of 7.32 hours in S3 to 12.47 hours among the S6s. Average hours varied by type of work; location; and to a limited extent by attainment and social class.
44. There was considerable variation in the hours that pupils worked, from 1 to 30+ hours per week. Around two thirds were working between 1 and 10 hours per week. Previous research has identified critical thresholds for working hours beyond which they are likely to have a negative effect on school work. This research has shown that while the majority of current workers were employed for a reasonable number of hours, a substantial minority were working longer hours at a level that was associated with a detrimental effect on their schooling.
45. The average hourly pay rate of all current workers was £4.72, higher than the Minimum Wage level for 16 and 17 year olds (£3.00 per hour). Young men had a higher hourly rate than young women. While average pay rates in all type of jobs were above the Minimum Wage, a substantial minority of pupils (22%) were earning less, especially those employed in hairdressing. Average weekly earnings were £36.63 but this varied by stage due to the higher number of hours worked by older pupils.
46. While the majority of current workers did not receive holiday or sickness pay over half of S6 pupils did; this suggests that their employers were treating them in the same way as other part-time employees.
47. Pupils under the age of 16 who have a part-time job should have a work permit (issued by their local authority) but only 11% of current workers covered by this legislation had one.
48. Most pupils were working for an employer outside the family. A higher proportion of older pupils were employed by major employers. Pupils were very unlikely to have started their own business.
49. Parents and other family members were the most important source of information on part-time jobs, friends were the second. Where pupils' family and friends do not have the necessary contacts or where pupils lack a network of family and friends, then they are likely to face greater difficulty in gaining part-time work.
Chapter Seven Predicting Which Pupils are Likely to Work Long Hours?
50. The impact of pupils' working hours on their school work and attainment was a concern for many stakeholders, especially teachers. Previous research showed that working long hours tended to have a negative impact while working for a small number of hours might have a positive effect on attainment. Statistical modelling was used to identify significant factors in predicting which pupils worked longest hours: these factors were significant after taking account of the impact of a range of other factors.
51. The most significant factor in predicting longer hours was the type of job pupils worked in. Pupils working in farm work, fast food outlets, hotel/B & B and supermarket work were most likely to work longer hours, as were those who worked for a family member.
52. Pupils' school stage, ethnicity, living arrangements and social class each had an independent effect on likely working hours. Attainment, enterprising attitudes and attitudes to school also each had a small effect on predicting which pupils were likely to work long hours.
53. While some patterns of truancy were likely to predict working longer hours, this was complex and most pupils said they did not work when they were truanting.
54. Pupils who were unsure what they wanted to do, or planned to set up their own business, were more likely to work longer hours.
55. Pupils who were volunteers in addition to having a part-time job were likely to work for fewer hours in their paid job. Non-significant factors in predicting who worked long hours included location and most other 'out of school activities'.
Section C The Value of Work: Different Perspectives
Chapter Eight Perceptions of the Value of Pupils' Part-Time Work
56. Pupils, school staff, careers advisers, parents and employers were asked about the advantages and disadvantages of having a part-time job while at school.
57. There were few differences in opinion between pupils who had worked part-time and those who had not. While financial rewards and the ability to earn one's own money were a key advantage of having a part-time job for pupils, they were equally likely to see it as an opportunity to develop independence and confidence. The most common concerns were about negative effects on school work and social life.
58. Headteachers and Principal Teachers also noted a wide range of potential gains including confidence building and the development of skills, such as communication and time and money management. However, their main focus was on the perceived negative impact of part-time work on pupils' school work and this was seen as likely to outweigh any benefits. They were the group most inclined to perceive pupils' jobs as being of poor quality.
59. In addition to benefits in terms of personal attributes and skills, careers advisers noted a positive impact on pupils' motivation and on their awareness of the need for qualifications for their future plans. They suggested that the experience of the employee/employer relationship might create tensions in the pupil/teacher relationship. They also noted concerns about the effect on school work and social life.
60. The vast majority of parents thought that pupils should have a part-time job while at school, even those whose children had not had a job. Parents noted a variety of benefits: the chance to learn skills not taught in school; increased confidence and communication skills; meeting people from different social backgrounds; the development of good work attitudes and habits and respect for others. They were somewhat less sure that part-time work gave pupils a chance to practise what had been learned in school. The majority of parents did not think that part-time work meant less time for friends or sports/hobbies. Two thirds did not think school work suffered - there were differences in response depending on whether their children had worked or not.
61. Employers considered that part-time work was 'more real' than school work experience and that it was particularly valuable in that young people had found jobs for themselves.
62. Scottish Councils Education Industry Network ( SCEIN) members highlighted the potential value of part-time work to the development of core skills and understanding of the world of work as well as benefits in respect of self-esteem, independence and maturity. Negatives were related to the loss of time for other activities; long working hours; low pay; poor working environments; and health and safety issues.
Chapter Nine The Quality of Pupils' Part-time Work
63. What pupils did in their part-time work is likely to have a bearing on any recognition of their job in their schooling. The majority of pupils noted that they had to deal directly with customers and co-operate with others to get the job done. Young women were more likely to use computers than young men who were more likely to work with tools and machinery. Just under a quarter of pupils noted reading, writing and paperwork as part of their job, while 22% were involved in training or supervising other staff.
64. The extent of involvement in these activities varied by school stage, attainment, the type of job pupils did, whether or not they worked for a major employer and the extent to which they saw themselves as enterprising in their attitudes.
65. Pupils were generally positive about the chance part-time jobs gave them to learn new things, to develop their skills and abilities and to make decisions. Just under half felt their job was challenging to them and allowed them scope to organise their own work. There were some differences by year group, gender, attainment and level of enterprising attitudes.
66. Half of those who currently had a part-time job received training when they started their job. These figures were higher for females, older pupils, those with higher enterprise scores, and those working for major employers. Just under half of those who got initial training received continuing training. For most, training did not lead to a certificate.
67. Statistical modelling was used to examine the inter-relationship between the various factors that might predict having a 'demanding' job and to identify which remain significant after the others are taken into account.
68. As might be expected, type of job was one of the key predictors of being in a more demanding job, especially working in retail or fast food. Those pupils more likely to be in demanding jobs were: S6 pupils; those working in a family business; those who were self-employed (very likely to be doing demanding work); and pupils who classified themselves as Pakistani, Gypsy/Traveller or 'other' (with the exception of Pakistani girls). Pupils who were 'looked after' were likely to be in less demanding work, controlling for all other factors.
69. Other factors that were significant included certain attitudinal factors; level of enterprising attitudes; the extent of enterprise in education inputs; pupils' other time commitments out of school; and post school plans.
Chapter Ten Re-visiting the Quality Issue: Evidence from Case Studies
70. Case studies of twelve pupils in their part-time jobs were conducted by means of interviewing, timed event-recording and observation. The purpose of the case studies was to examine in more detail the tasks undertaken in each job and the skills and learning gained by the pupils.
71. In some cases, observation by the researcher identified extra tasks not reported by the pupil, for example the pupil might speak of 'serving customers' while the observer noted this also involved operating machinery or food preparation.
72. The greatest number of activities was recorded for catering, followed by retail. The lowest number was in delivery. Jobs varied with respect to contact with adults, with peers and with customers/clients. Communication skills, relationships with co-workers and confidence development were themes that were identified across the majority of case studies. The acquisition of job-specific skills was also identifiable in some case studies, for example health and safety, or tailoring coaching approaches to different learning styles of clients.
73. The case studies showed important variations between jobs within the same sector: because two jobs had the same title it could not be assumed that the activities carried out would be the same.
74. The case studies offered some support for pupils' views that their work provided the opportunity to learn and attain skills.
Chapter Eleven Part-Time Work and Being Enterprising
75. School and careers staff commonly interpreted questions about the link between part-time work and being enterprising in terms of being entrepreneurial (business start up) or employability. However, increased social skills and maturity, more enthusiasm, confidence and social responsibility (through supporting other pupils and getting involved in the life of the school) were seen as possible links between part-time work and enterprising attitudes and behaviours.
76. Pupils were asked to assess themselves on a series of statements associated with enterprising attitudes. More boys rated themselves as having a high level of enterprising attitudes than did girls. A high percentage of pupils with parents in the managerial and professional class viewed themselves as high in enterprising attitudes. A large proportion of pupils whose parents were self-employed also judged themselves as high in their enterprise scores. Pupils with higher academic levels tended to perceive themselves as higher in enterprising attitudes compared with the least academic pupils.
77. More pupils who saw themselves as high in enterprising attitudes had had a part-time job than those pupils who rated themselves low in enterprising attitudes. The pupils with the highest score for enterprising attitudes gave more importance to gaining independence as a reason for working part-time compared with those with low scores. Pupils' self rated enterprise score was also associated with the type of work done, how demanding it was, and working hours.
78. We used statistical modelling to identify the key factors that predict a higher level of enterprising attitudes.
79. Ethnicity was not a significant factor in predicting enterprising scores with the exception of Asian pupils who were likely to rate themselves as having lower enterprising scores.
80. Work experience was not a significant predictor of enterprising attitudes but other enterprise in education inputs increased the likelihood that pupils would rate themselves more highly in terms of enterprising attitudes.
81. This model confirmed that pupils who were currently in part-time work were more likely to perceive themselves as high in enterprising attitudes than those who had never worked. But current part-time work was only one amongst a number of significant factors.
82. If we view part-time employment as another 'out of school' experience, the picture that emerges from the statistical modelling suggests that pupils who were positively engaged with a range of activities outside of school were more likely to perceive themselves as high in enterprising attitudes. In this case, part-time work was another indicator of a pupil engaging with their social environment.
83. In addition those pupils who had positive attitudes to school, who had a high academic level, a definite career focus and whose post school plans involved going on to HE, were likely to have high enterprising attitudes. Not only was engagement with 'out of school' activities significant but successful engagement with school was also linked to enterprising attitudes.
84. In contrast pupils who had never worked, who came from lower social class backgrounds, who had less positive attitudes to school, who had any level of truancy, and had lower academic levels each were likely to have lower enterprising attitudes. They were also less likely to be engaged in out of school activity and to spend more time watching TV or on their computer. They were less likely to know their post school plans and more likely to have less experience of enterprise in education activities.
Section D Recognition
Chapter Twelve Current and Planned Use of Pupils' Part-Time Employment in their Schooling, and Related Legislative Issues
85. At the time of the research, there was very little structured use of part-time employment in schooling. Some subject areas appeared more likely than others to throw up opportunities to draw on part-time work but this seemed to be rather by default than design.
86. Staff who might have been expected to be more aware of vocational links to schooling, such as those responsible for enterprise in education in schools, were just as unlikely to make use of part-time employment in their work. Careers advisers were more conscious of trying to use pupils' part-time employment in their work with pupils.
87. Pupils perceived only a few links into the mainstream subject curriculum; PSE, individual pastoral care and guidance contacts appeared to refer more often to part-time employment. But pupils noted that they had also experienced discouragement about the impact of part-time employment on their attainment.
88. The potential for using school pupils' part-time employment in their schooling had already been considered by a small number of SCEIN respondents, most commonly to use part-time employment to support, enhance or replace work experience.
89. With regard to legislation and child protection, the general picture was one of confusion and lack of clarity from school level to Scottish Executive level on the principle and practice of protecting children at work.
90. More than half of local authorities had byelaws which set a minimum age for work that was not in line with current Scottish legislation. Nor did the number of term-time hours of work permitted under in Scotland, at the national level, conform to European Union standards. Few pupils in S3 and S4 had the required work permit.
91. The majority of respondents thought that the legislative position on child employment needed, as a minimum, to be clarified, irrespective of any initiative to recognise pupils' part-time employment. They also identified a need for clarity and guidelines on those aged over 16 who were employed while still at school. The idea of recognising part-time work in schooling made this more of a priority.
Chapter Thirteen Links between Part-Time Employment and Other Vocational Experiences, and the Certification of 'Out of School' Experiences
92. Both work experience and part-time employment were a 'majority experience' for school pupils but a small minority of pupils had had neither opportunity.
93. Work experience and part-time work were seen as serving different purposes. Opinion varied as to which was 'best'. Work experience was seen to have a more varied range of opportunities, a view supported by data from Careers Scotland work experience databases, but part-time work was seen to be more 'real'.
94. There is a question about how far part-time work and work experience are complementary or repetitive experiences. Certainly, for many young people, work experience was not their first exposure to the working world.
95. The potential to make use of pupils' part-time work within vocational pathways, whether directly or through a more generic link, had not been considered at the time of the research interviews.
96. There were few links apparent between part-time work and enterprise in education inputs. Pupils' involvement in the elements of this curriculum varied by stage, with involvement increasing for most elements from S3 to S6.
97. SCEIN respondents were able to note a number of existing approaches to certificating pupils' vocational or 'out of school' experiences. This represents the approaches known to the informants, and does not replace the need for a full feasibility study.
Chapter Fourteen The Principle and Practice of Recognition: The Response of Educational Stakeholders
98. The overall principle of making more use of pupils' part-time employment was generally viewed positively as a bridge between education and work and as a way of making use of a potentially positive experience for young people. But a variety of concerns about the principle were expressed by school and educational staff, some of them major. The following were key issues of principle, and questions, which arose when considering the use and recognition of part-time employment in schooling.
99. School and local authority staff ( SCEIN members) were presented with five models of recognising pupils' part-time work in their schooling:
- recognition of part-time work through full embedding in the curriculum
- recognition that part-time work can develop generic transferable skills
- formal recognition of the distinctive outcomes of part-time work
- recognition of the role of part-time work in personal planning
- recognition of the potential of part-time work to contribute to progression
100. The models are neither exhaustive nor mutually exclusive but were developed to reflect variations in approach to the issue of recognition.
101. The views of school and local authority staff on the different models of recognition were varied and it was difficult to see a clear pattern. There were, nevertheless, some common themes: the role of employers; responsibility for assessment and quality assurance; the legal position for schools if they recognised part-time employment; and resource implications for schools.
102. There was no consensus in favour of an approach to the recognition of part-time work which included formal discrete certification. The use of part-time work in personal planning or to contribute to progression constituted the least formal approaches to recognition and would require least change from schools. These were the models that received the least critical comment from school and local authority staff.
103. It was clear, however, that the educationalists in this study, particularly at the level of Principal Teachers, were still to be convinced that recognition of pupils' part-time employment (especially involving formal accreditation or embedding) was feasible. Some suggested that raising the profile of part-time work would be an important first step in any attempt to make use of part-time work in pupils' schooling.
Chapter Fifteen The Principle and Practice of Recognition: The Views of Pupils, Parents and Employers
104. Pupils were divided in their views on the principle of schools making more use of part-time work in their schooling and a substantial minority were unsure about the idea.
105. Pupils' views on whether part-time work should be used in schooling varied according to their school stage and also whether or not they had had part-time work. The latter were more in favour than those who had never worked. Nevertheless, a sizeable minority of pupils who had not had a part-time job supported the idea of greater use being made of it by schools.
106. Of the three approaches presented to them, pupils' were most positive about the certification of part-time work. There were some differences depending on school stage and whether or not pupils had had a part-time job.
107. Linking part-time work to personal review and planning was viewed positively by just over a half of pupils. A similar percentage were positive about an approach which would use part-time work in teaching, assessment and core skills but they attached more caveats to this: concerns about lack of relevance; the importance of keeping school and work separate; and possible problems for pupils who did not have a job.
108. Most parents thought that part-time work had educational value and agreed with the idea that schools should draw on pupils' part-time employment. But they were almost equally divided in their views on the desirability of part-time work being formally recognised, through certification.
109. The great majority of employers surveyed were positive about recognition and the availability of certification for pupils' part-time jobs. Most said they would take notice of an individual's part-time work certification when recruiting, many indicating that it demonstrated a good work ethic or that it would show the extent of previous experience and allow them to establish existing levels of training and identify skills. Some also saw certification as a way of recognising the commitment of those pupils who did work part-time. This view contrasted with concern expressed by educationalists about equity and the fairness of recognising an experience that not every pupil had.
Section E Discussion, Issues and Recommendations
Chapter Sixteen Discussion, Issues and Recommendations
110. This research is unique in that it draws on a wide range of information sources to provide us with an insight into school pupils' part-time employment. In doing so the research findings challenge a number of common sense assumptions and demonstrate that:
- the majority of school pupils combined full-time education with part-time employment;
- they worked in a range of jobs;
- pupils in rural areas were more likely to have part-time jobs than their urban counterparts;
- 'poverty' did not explain why school pupils worked part-time;
- pupils who had part-time jobs did not truant in order to work;
- there was no support for the idea that disenchanted pupils were more likely to have a part-time job.
111. Many of the adult stakeholders raised questions about the types of jobs that school pupils did, perceiving them as 'low skill'. The findings of this research have challenged the validity of these views by demonstrating the range of activities and opportunities for learning and skill development that were involved in school pupils' part-time work, while acknowledging variations between and within job type.
112. Paradoxically, while some stakeholders questioned the value of these part-time jobs they also acknowledged that part-time employment had the potential to contribute to learning. Many welcomed the idea of developing the link between education and pupils' part-time work.
113. No simple consensus emerged on the issue of recognising pupils' part-time employment in their schooling. Rather we saw a highly nuanced level of debate. This in part reflected the novelty of the issue under discussion and that a consideration of the issue challenged the traditionally negative views of pupils' part-time work held by educationalists (negative views which this research itself questions).
114. The evidence within this report has provided the opportunity to inform a debate about a neglected aspect of young people's lives. It is opportune that this debate is taking place against an educational backdrop where there is a willingness to view 'out of school' activities as potentially relevant educational experiences.
115. A number of recommendations arise from the research; these cover the following areas:
116. Awareness raising: Action needs to be taken to provide school and local authority staff with accurate information about pupils' part-time work. Pupils also require information about part-time work to enable them to make informed decisions about their possible participation. This awareness raising should be undertaken from school through to Scottish Executive level. Careers Scotland should consider strategies to encourage more structured use of pupils' part-time work in career education and guidance.
117. Employers: Employers need to be encouraged to develop good practice in employing school pupils. The Scottish Executive should consult with employer organisations on how to encourage employers to help develop the employability skills of their part-time pupil workforce.
118. Legislation: The current system for monitoring and controlling the part-time employment of under 16 year olds is ineffective and is not in line with European Union legislation; this need to be urgently addressed by the Scottish Executive. A radical revision of the legislation should be considered. Consideration should also be given to extending the National Minimum Wage legislation to working pupils under 16.
119. Recognition of part-time work: The research concluded that pupils' part-time work could contribute to some of the wider goals of Scottish education. However, in deciding whether it should be used in a recognised way in schooling, policy makers need to take account of the various consequences that any recognition system would have on the part-time work experience. The research highlighted a number of key points that policy makers should take into account in making their decisions, including the fundamental principle that any system of recognition should be voluntary. A full feasibility study of possible approaches to recognition would be required if a decision is taken to introduce recognition of part-time work.
120. Equity issues: Policy makers need to take account of pupils' unequal access to and/or participation in part-time employment in deciding whether or not it should be recognised within schooling. If it is to be recognised, clear guidance is required on whether or not education should play a compensatory role with some pupils.
121. Part-time work and the vocational curriculum: Other forms of vocational experiences, especially work experience, need to take account of pupils' participation in part-time work in the planning, organisation and delivery of their provision. If a policy decision is taken to recognise part-time work then the potential for links between part-time work and Skills for Work courses should be examined as part of the wider feasibility study into approaches to recognition.
122. Part-time work and enterprise: This research has shown a relationship between part-time work and the extent to which pupils think they are enterprising but further research on a longitudinal basis would be necessary to assess the impact of part-time employment on the development of pupils' enterprising attitudes, skills and behaviours.
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