More NI students taking on part-time work – BBC News

More and more students are taking up part-time jobs to support themselves, according to data from the Department for the Economy.

According to the department, 13,000 students over the age of 16 were in part-time work in 2012 – that figure increased to 22,000 in 2022.

Niamh Murray was one of those receiving her A-level results and is going to study at St Mary’s University College in September.

She is going to rent a house with her friends at a cost of £300 a month each.

Niamh said she will continue to work part time in order to pay her bills.

“It’s hard being a student – rental prices have shot up and it is tough for students,” she said.

Niamh said that there is a real lack of education in school regarding finances.

“There are people that advise you to take a student loan – but you are never really taught how to keep your own finances in check and how to save.”

Ken Gibson, the director for student support services at Stranmillis University College, said finance is a big concern for many students,

“Accommodation costs are high and living costs are high and it’s important that students learn the art of budgeting,” he said.

“I think it’s important to find the balance between working part time and studying full time.”

Mr Gibson added that many students end up spending more time working than completing course “to earn enough money to survive”.

Ana Desmond, an Assistant Economist at The University of Ulster, said that employers are competing against each other to secure students as part-time workers.

“We are still experiencing pressures within industries such as hospitality and retail,” she said.

These are prime areas for students to find work, according Ms Desmond.

“Students with a little bit less experience can go in – in their first role and make a difference, learn and build up their skills within the workplace.”

One of those employers is Michael Nugent, managing director of Nugelato ice cream, who employs a lot of students due to the seasonal nature of his product.

“Our business kicks in – in the summertime whenever students are widely available,” he said.

Mr Nugent said that, for many, this is their first job, with a lot of the students working for his business until they complete their degrees.

“We see it as a positive because they come with a blank slate, and we can train them up in our systems and processes to work for our business,” he added.

Andrea Hanna started working at Nugelato when she was 16 and has recently graduated with a degree in business.

She described working part time while studying as a positive experience.

“There are many benefits from working part time as a student when you are looking to start your career after university,” she explained.

“I’ve made lifelong friends through working part time as a student and it has developed my interpersonal skills and social skills.”

Dr Michael McCord is a reader in real estate valuation, investment and finance at Ulster University.

He said the rise in students taking on part time work is not surprising, given the onset of the cost-of-living crisis.

Dr McCord explained that student rent was on the rise, costing an average of between £750 and £1,000 per month for a two-bedroom property in traditional student areas.

“HMOs” – houses in multiple occupation – remain the cheapest source of rental accommodation for students, with an average rent per room of around £320-350 per month, according to Dr McCord.

However, he said a number of these properties remain poor in terms of their energy efficiency, which invariably means they will cost more to heat.

Meanwhile, purpose-built student accommodation has average weekly rents ranging between £170 and £185 per week, translating into £8,055 to £9,384 per annum depending on the duration of the lease

Although this includes all other housing costs, Dr McCord said “this is a significant amount, especially for students from low-middle income backgrounds”.