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IJCHM
21,2
140
Received 25 October 2007
Revised 16 May 2008,
30 October 2008
Accepted 5 November 2008
Abstract
International Journal of
Contemporary Hospitality
Management
Vol. 21 No. 2, 2009
pp. 140-153
q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0959-6119
DOI 10.1108/09596110910935642
Student part-time employment
Implications, challenges and opportunities for
higher education
Paul Barron and Constantia Anastasiadou
Napier University, Edinburgh, UK
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the pattern of part-time working amongst a cohort
of full time hospitality and tourism students studying at a university in Scotland.
Design/methodology/approach – Students studying hospitality and tourism management were
chosen due to the vocational nature of their program and the part-time opportunities available in the
hospitality industry. A questionnaire was developed to investigate the extent of part-time employment
amongst hospitality and tourism students. The questionnaire solicited demographic information, level,
type and extent of part-time employment. The questionnaire also explored students’ impressions of the
benefits of part-time working, their likes and dislikes in their part-time employment and what they felt
might be done to develop the relationship between the parties involved in part-time work.
Findings – Evaluating responses from 150 students, the study found that almost two thirds of this
cohort were engaged in part-time employment and had been with their current employer for an
average of 14 months. Focussing on aspects of gender and nationality the study identified that females
were more likely to have a part-time job and students from Eastern European countries worked
significantly longer hours than their peers.
Practical implications – It is suggested that educators more fully recognise the constraints of
contemporary student life and consider the provision of flexible teaching methods, part-time contacts
and formal credit for students’ part-time work.
Originality/value – The paper concurs with previous research into the extent of part-time working
amongst students and it found that students from Eastern Europe were more likely to work part-time
and that all students would like more recognition of their employment commitments.
Keywords Hospitality management, Gender, Scotland, Students, Part time workers, National cultures
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Working part-time has long been a part of the university student experience. However,
various changes that have recently taken place regarding the student funding
mechanism have resulted in increasing numbers of students undertaking paid
employment during term time (Watts and Pickering, 2000). Although exact numbers of
students working part-time are difficult to determine with a degree of accuracy, several
studies have found that between 50 and 60 per cent of all full-time university students
currently engage in some form of part-time employment (Australian Bureau of
Statistics, 2002; Berkeley, 1997; Curtis and Williams, 2002; Lashley, 2005) and that this
figure is forecast to grow (Curtis and Lucas, 2001).
University students involved in part-time employment have been the focus of
studies in the UK for a number of years (Curtis and Lucas, 2001; Kelly, 1999; Lucas and
Lammont, 1998; Watts and Pickering, 2000). This interest is due mainly to the
relatively recent introduction of student loans that took the place of means tested
grants, which provided, to a large extent, government funding for university fees. The Student
introduction of student loans gave rise to concerns regarding student hardship (Curtis part-time
and Williams, 2002) and the negative effects on academic progress of full time students
having to engage in part-time employment on their studies (Watts and Pickering, employment
2000). While it is recognised that only a minority of students will begin to pay off
students loans whilst they are still studying, it has been argued that that the concept of
obtaining debt as a direct consequence of studying will encourage students to become 141
involved in part-time employment. In addition to contributing to their educational
experience, students must also pay rent, buy books and food, pay for transportation
and social activities.
This study aims to develop an understanding of part-time employment amongst
hospitality students. Specifically, this paper aims to determine the extent of part-time
employment amongst a cohort of hospitality; to determine the reasons for engaging in
part-time employment and to evaluate the impact of gender and nationality on the
likelihood of engaging in part-time employment.

Employment whilst studying

The concept of domestic students engaged in part-time and sometimes full-time
employment whilst studying is increasingly commonplace in countries such as
Australia and the UK. Indeed Barron (2006) found that almost nine out of ten domestic
students studying hospitality and tourism management at an Australian university
either worked part-time or were actively looking for employment. These findings
accord well with Anyanwu (1998) who identified that almost all Australian students
work up to 30 hours per week in order to support their studies. In the UK, Watts and
Pickering (2000) found that working part-time whilst studying full-time was an
increasingly common phenomenon among students and while there were a variety of
positive outcomes of working part-time, respondents generally viewed part-time
employment as a necessity to survive in the contemporary higher education sphere.
Manthei and Gilmore (2005) found an overwhelming majority of students they
surveyed were involved in part-time employment with eight out of ten students
holding at least one job during term time for an average of 14 hours per week. The
necessity for part-time employment whilst studying was emphasised in this study,
which found that money earned was typically spent on essential living expenses.
It would appear that students tend to work in industries such as retailing, hotels and
restaurants where the demand for labour has shown steady growth in western nations
(Incomes Data Services, 1999). Employers in these industries need cheap and flexible
labour in order to remain viable (Curtis and Lucas, 2001) and students wishing to work
part-time fulfil this requirement. From the perspective of the student, part-time work is
often an introduction to the world of work and their experiences assist with both
personal and career development. However, it has been argued that the world of work
should be more closely linked with higher education, through both formal periods of
supervised work experience or more informally through students’ part-time
experiences (Beard, 1995). When discussing the latter, the Dearing Report on Higher
Education specifically states that higher education institutions should “identify
opportunities to increase the extent to which programmes help students to become
familiar with work, and help them to reflect on such experience” (Dearing, 1997:
Chapter 9, Recommendation 18). The underlying thrust behind this report is the
IJCHM requirement for universities and industry to work more closely together as a means of
21,2 developing a link between students’ part-time experiences, their educational
experience, careers guidance and, ultimately, employability (Watts and Pickering,
2000).

The necessity for part-time employment

142 The issue of financial necessity has been mentioned elsewhere in this paper and there
is a plethora of research that concludes the students’ requirement to contribute to the
cost of their higher education has required students work part-time (Australian Bureau
of Statistics, 2002; Callender and Kempson, 1996; Curtis and Lucas, 2001, Curtis and
Williams, 2002; Ford et al., 1995; Hesketh, 1996; Lashley, 2005; Sorensen and Winn,
1993). However, there are other, perhaps less immediately noticeable, reasons for
working part-time while studying. Over 20 years ago Steiberg (1981) found that
working while studying provides, quite naturally, students with an indication of the
requirements that will be needed to function effectively in one’s later career.
Specifically, it has been found that students working part-time develop team working,
communication, customer care and practical skills (Lucas and Lammont, 1998). The
development of these skills appear to be more important for students who are studying
a vocationally specific program and McKechnie et al. (1999) considered that such
students can directly relate the experiences of working part-time which, in turn,
enhanced and improved their academic knowledge, academic motivation and
employment prospects. It might therefore be suggested that students involved in
programs which are vocationally specific and who work part-time in the specific
industry would, in addition to earning money, experience a range of academic, future
career and skill development benefits. Consequently a number of researchers have
concluded that a combination of financial need and the opportunity to gain experience
and ultimately enhance career opportunities has prompted students to seek
employment during term time in addition to the more traditional vacation
employment (Curtis and Lucas, 2001; Harvey et al., 1998; Lucas and Lammont, 1998).

Balancing education and part-time work

A variety of studies have examined the impact that part-time employment might have
on full time students’ studies. For example Manthei and Gilmore (2005) considered that
working part-time left less time than desired for study and Jogaratnam and Buchanan
(2004) found that new students who were balancing a full time academic load along
with a part-time job were likely to suffer from stress. Indeed it has been suggested that
a combination of studying full time, working part-time and being in debt can have a
detrimental effect in the physical and mental heath of students and that the common
method of addressing debt (i.e. increase hours worked), can create the perception of a
negative effect on academic performance (Carney et al., 2005). Curtis and Shani (2002)
determined that those students who worked part-time were more likely to miss lectures
and felt that they could have achieved higher grades had they not been working.
However in later research, Curtis (2005) found a majority of her (admittedly small)
research sample considered there to be wholly positive outcomes of working part-time
and that there was no conclusive relationship between the students’ marks and their
perceptions regarding their academic performance.
 A clearer appreciation of the extent of students’ part-time working commitments is Student
a common finding amongst research projects and there is a suggestion that part-time part-time
employment is not always detrimental to students’ academic efforts, particularly if the
hours worked are manageable given their course load (Manthei and Gilmore, 2005). employment
Several researchers (e.g. Barron, 2006; Curtis, 2005) have argued that universities
should be more aware of contemporary student life and introduce an element of
flexibility as a means of structuring assignments and course requirements to recognise 143
this, perhaps by flexible scheduling of class times and the offering of study support
services, especially so given the increasingly non traditional students common in
modern universities (Moreau and Leathwood, 2006).
The previous notwithstanding, the issue concerning the impact of part-time work on
student performance is relatively under researched and the effects of part-time working
have been viewed from both a positive and negative perspective. Positively, it has been
found that students might acquire personal transferable skills, enhanced employability
and increased confidence in the world of work (Watts and Pickering, 2000). From a
negative perspective, reporting from a relatively small study in the UK, Lindsay and
Paton-Saltzberg (1993) found a majority of their sample worked during term time and
concluded that those students who worked part-time achieved poorer marks than those
that did not. Other identified impacts include missed lectures and tutorials, reduced
time for study and fatigue (Leonard, 1995), and the development of a conflict of interest
between employment and academic responsibilities (Watts and Pickering, 2000).
However, this conflict of interests does not appear to unduly influence the attitude of
academic staff to their students and Curtis (2005) found that support for working
students is arbitrary and accidental and stated that “(academic) staff were largely
unaware of the difficulties students face in juggling their dual roles” (Curtis, 2005,
p. 501). Given that part-time working by students is commonplace, Jogaratnam and
Buchanan (2004) consider that universities have a moral requirement to more
effectively understand and manage the stressors experienced by students studying full
time and working part-time.

Hospitality education and part-time employment

Curtis and Lucas (2001) contend that employers’ demand for students centre on their
desire to control their employees. This control manifests itself in three ways. First,
students working part-time afford employers an opportunity to control wage costs
(Walsh, 1990) due to lower levels of pay (Arulampalam and Booth, 1998) and a
reduction in employee benefits (McMullen, 1995) compared to full time, permanent
employees. Second, students provide employers with a highly flexible workforce
(Lucas and Ralston, 1996): numerical flexibility through increasing or decreasing hours
in line with business demands, or indeed laying off part-time workers should business
be poor; and, functional flexibility where part-time students might undertake tasks for
which they were not originally employed (Lucas, 1997). Finally, it has been found that
students working part-time bring certain qualities to employment that might be
lacking in other employees. For example Lammont and Lucas (1999) considered that
employers perceived students to be intelligent, articulate, good communicators, easy to
train and willing to follow instructions.
It therefore might be seen that full-time students deciding to work part-time provide
employers with a variety of advantages over other full- and part-time employees. It
IJCHM might therefore be suggested that the advantages these employees bring to the
21,2 workplace is particularly valuable to the service sector in general and the hospitality
and tourism industry in particular. The opportunity to closely control employee costs
through pay rates and employee levels, coupled with employees that are able to multi
task and bring certain qualities to the workplace would appear attractive to many
employers.
144 Consequently the most common source of part-time employment for students is
found in the general service industries with students being commonly employed in
retailing, and hotel and catering establishments (Curtis and Lucas, 2001). Indeed
Lashley (2005) found that 65 per cent of all students working part-time were employed
in the retail or hospitality sectors; industries, argues Milman (1999) that possess
relatively low entry thresholds and the opportunities for unskilled positions. It might
therefore be concluded that students would be particularly welcomed by the service
industry, which is characterised by high labour costs and extreme fluctuations in
demand. In addition, students provide the service industry and particularly the
hospitality sector with a ready supply of young employees who assist the industry in
portraying a youthful image. It is not surprising therefore to recognise a coincidence of
needs. On the one hand students wishing to work part-time enjoy the opportunities
afforded to them by the hospitality and tourism industry, while on the other hand, the
industry appreciates the flexibility and other benefits students bring to the workplace.
The popularity of the hospitality industry coupled with the attractiveness of
hospitality students as part-time employees might present an opportunity to fill an
increasingly common gap in hospitality management curricula. Evidence would
suggest that in some higher education institutions less emphasis is being placed on the
practical aspect of hospitality management education and it has been found that
universities are either contracting out the practical element of their program (Baker
et al., 1995), or removing it altogether from their curricula (Raybould and Wiliins, 2005).
However, practical skills, while perhaps enjoying less emphasis as part of hospitality
and tourism curricula, are still felt to be important and it is generally felt that
graduates should have some experience of the world of work, preferably in the
hospitality industry upon graduation (Baker et al., 1995; Ladkin, 2000; Raybould and
Wiliins, 2005; Riley, 2005).
A number of key themes emerge from the above discussion. It has been suggested
that, increasingly, students who are studying full-time are becoming involved in
part-time employment as a means of providing income, gaining experience and
developing links with industry that may be useful in subsequent careers. It is however,
suggested that universities have been slow to recognise the necessity for students to
become involved in part-time employment and consequently make adjustments to the
provision of education. It seems appropriate and timely for educators and industry to
take the opportunity to make part-time employment more formal and better controlled
and subsequently provide students with personal and practical skills that might be
useful in their future careers. It is suggested that advantages might accrue to the three
parties involved in the education of hospitality and/or tourism management graduates.
Firstly, it has already been argued that the hospitality industry requires a steady
supply of young, cheap, flexible and intelligent employees; one might assume that
students attending programs in this area would be most attractive. For hospitality and
tourism students, part-time employment in the hospitality industry, in addition to
providing reasonably regular work and financial reward, will assist in personal Student
development and the development of contacts that might result in the possibility of part-time
brighter employment prospects in the future. Finally, universities who are struggling
with the debate regarding the cost or validity of practical skills training might be able employment
to take advantage of the synergy that exists as a means of solving these tensions.
Consequently it is the purpose of this study to develop an understanding of part-time
employment amongst hospitality students. Specifically, this paper aims to determine 145
the extent of part-time employment amongst a cohort of hospitality; to determine the
reasons for engaging in part-time employment and to highlight the impact of gender
and nationality on the likelihood of engaging in part-time employment.

Methods
The notion to identify students’ part-time working patterns was brought about as a
consequence of the results of a number of other studies examining the student journey
(see, for example, Barron, 2007; Barron et al., 2007a,b; Barron and D’Annunzio-Green,
n.d.; Barron and Watson, 2007) which the researchers have approached from a
post-positivist perspective. From a practical viewpoint, it is held that the post-positivist
conducts research in a well controlled environment, such as the classroom or within the
framework of a focus group (Fischer, 1998) and thus uses more natural and
comfortable settings (Dias and Hassard, 2001). Sparks (2002) considered that the
post-positivist researcher conducts both individual and group research but solicits the
emic, or insiders’, viewpoint. Consequently, the postpositive researcher aims to
produce recommendations that assist in the general improvement of an issue rather
than develop definitive results.
The sample and setting for this research were all undergraduate students enrolled
on courses offered by a tourism and hospitality management school at a Scottish
university. Based on a detailed literature review, a questionnaire was developed
specifically to investigate the extent of part-time employment among the sample and
separate questionnaires were devised for students with and without part-time jobs.
The first section of each questionnaire asked respondents to answer demographic
questions concerning age, gender, nationality and ethnicity. This section also asked
questions that attempted to determine motivations for current area of study and
reasons for choosing their particular program at the university. The second section
consisted of a variety of questions regarding employment such as: type of organisation,
length of service, job title, nature of duties, level of responsibility and hours worked.
The last section contained questions about benefits of working, their likes and dislikes
in their part-time employment and what they felt might be done to develop the
relationship between the parties involved in part-time work. Those students without
part-time jobs were asked about intention to work in the future and subsequently,
different questions were asked of this group. The majority of questions required a
Yes/No response but also presented respondents with the opportunity to provide
qualitative comments as a means of elaboration.
In order to achieve a maximum response, and to answer questions students may
have had during the completion of the questionnaire, the questionnaire was
administered in the controlled environment of formal class time and under the
supervision of the researcher. The controlled nature of the questionnaire
administration resulted in a total of 232 useable questionnaires being completed by
IJCHM students studying courses within the school. The sample population comprised a
21,2 majority of students (81 per cent) under 24 years and a majority of females (63 per
cent). Of the 232 completed questionnaires, it was determined that 150 (65 per cent)
students in this cohort currently had some form of part-time employment. While
mention shall be made of those students without part-time jobs, students currently
working are the focus of this paper and results from this group of students shall be
146 discussed in the following section. Initial results indicated that this cohort of students
comprised 28 per cent (65) in their first year of study; 20 per cent (46) in the second year,
37 per cent (86) in the third year and 15 per cent (35) in the fourth year of their four year
undergraduate degree. No significant differences were found as a consequence of
undertaking cross tabulations as a means to determine the extent of part-time
employment dependent on year level. The data collected from the questionnaire were
analysed via SPSS and a range of frequency tables and cross tabulations were
generated, which allowed for the development of bar charts. These charts will be
presented in the next section along with a selection of appropriate qualitative
responses made by students.

Results
Initially, this research identified the reasons for becoming involved in part-time
employment. It was found that financial concerns were the most frequently indicated
with 60 per cent of respondents identifying this as the main reason for becoming
involved in part-time employment whilst studying. Gaining experience (12 per cent)
and developing practical skills (9 per cent), developing career contacts (8 per cent) and
developing personal skills (7 per cent) were also articulated reasons. Students would
appear to be aware of the growing importance assigned to employability as well as
academic skills in the workplace and the need to have work experience by the time they
graduate (Baker et al., 1995; Ladkin, 2000; Raybould and Wiliins, 2005; Riley, 2005).
These findings would indicate that while financial rewards appear to be the main
motivation for the majority of this cohort, non-pecuniary reasons for part-time
employment also appear important. Respondents were also asked to indicate the type
of employment undertaken whilst studying. It was found that the hospitality related
employment was the most common with 62 per cent (93) of respondents. A further 20
per cent (30) worked in the retail industry.
Students were asked to indicate the length of tenure with their current employer.
Figure 1 details an element of polarisation regarding months employed. It can be seen
that the majority of respondents had either been with their current employer for a very
short or relatively long time. This research found that the average tenure with current
employer was 14 months; however a significant number of students had also been with
their current employer for more than 30 months (22 per cent). In addition, a number of
participants stated that they were still employed with the company in which they
undertook their student placement in their second year of study. Similar employment
patterns were reported in previous studies (Barron, 2006).
There were a higher number of female participants than males in the study sample,
which is an accurate representation of the student population of this cohort. Results
indicated that more female students (69 per cent) than male students (57 per cent) in this
cohort held part-time employment. A series of cross-tabulations were undertaken to
determine if there was a statistical significance between gender and part-time
 Student
part-time
employment

147

Figure 1.
Length of employment
with current employer

employment. A t-test was used and while it was shown that a greater proportion of
females than males are working this difference was only marginally significant
(p ¼ 0:39).
Next the relationship between gender and hours worked was examined and Figure 2
indicates the breakdown of hours worked according to gender. It can be seen that the
most common number of hours worked for both genders was between 16 and 20 hours
per week with 39 per cent of males and 30 per cent of females regularly working this
number of hours per week. However it can be seen from Figure 3 that a significant
number of female students (25 per cent) worked 21-25 hours per week and 14 per cent
of male students worked 26-30 hours per week. However, it was not possible to
ascertain from the data if there is any statistical significance between gender and hours
worked (p ¼ 0:606).
The relationship between nationality and P/T work was also explored due to the
diverse student population. In Figure 3, students are aggregated in groups according to
geographical areas and depending in their presence in the cohort. For instance, Polish
students appear on a group of their own because of their large numbers. It is evident
that the large majority of Eastern European (92 per cent) and Polish students (88 per
cent) were involved in part-time employment, followed by UK students (67.8 per cent).
The t-test showed that Eastern European and Polish students were more likely to work

Figure 2.
Hours worked per week by
gender
IJCHM
21,2

148
Figure 3.
Part-time work by
nationality

than other student groups (p ¼ 0:001). Both male and female Eastern European
students also worked longer hours than other student groups (21-25 hours per week).
It should be noted that overseas students are subject to legislation that restricts the
amount of hours they are allowed to work per week (not more than 21), which would
affect their employment possibilities. It is interesting to note that European (50 per
cent) and rest of the world students (56 per cent) are much less likely than other groups
to become involved in part-time employment. Indeed, even more surprising is the
notion that according to this data, Indian students are more likely not to have a
part-time job. However this might be explained by the fact that the Indian students in
this cohort entered directly into third year of the four year Hospitality course so they
had only been in a new university and a new country for a few weeks and subsequently
might not have found part-time employment yet. Nevertheless 44 per cent were
working part-time and it is suggested that more students from this group will seek
part-time opportunities in the following weeks.
Students were finally asked to suggest how the University could become more
involved with their part-time employment. Figure 4 shows their responses and while it
can be seen that 9 per cent of respondents felt that the university should not be further
involved, a significant portion of this cohort (42 per cent) wished to see the University
get more directly involved with their part-time employment by building a direct link

Figure 4.
Student ideas regarding
how the university might
become more involved in
the part-time employment
process
with the employers and mediating with them on behalf of the students. A point that Student
was clearly articulated by one female UK student (19 years) who suggested that the part-time
university should:
employment
. . . help students find suitable employment which pays well and doesn’t detract from studies.
It is worth mentioning at this point that the school already has strong links with the
hospitality and tourism industry through the supervised work experience placement 149
offered in the second year of the degree. The link between supervised work experience
and part-time employment was clearly made by students who participated in this
research stating that they continued to work with their placement employers. This fact
demonstrates the value and importance of placement in terms of gaining skills and
experience and in linking employers with suitably qualified employees. Indeed, when
considering how the university might become more involved in the part-time
employment process one student felt that:
It could be done in a similar way as the supervised work experience I did in year 2 (UK male,
21 years).
A significant number (40 per cent) of students suggested that the university might
become indirectly involved in part-time employment through providing greater
flexibility in course delivery and assessment. A male Polish student (24 years)
suggested that:
I don’t expect [the] university to be involved, but [a] more condensed timetable would be most
appreciated.
Other comments indicated a desire for a greater understanding from academic staff
would help them manage their work-study balance. Typical of these were:
When we speak to them they have little time for when we say we have to work. But [we] can’t
afford university if not working. While we know university is the most important we can’t
just write off working as we need money for rent, etc. They should be more understanding
(female, rest of Europe, 20 years).
These findings also support Watts and Pickering (2000) findings that working
part-time is a necessity for students rather than just a matter of choice.

Conclusion
Concentrating on gender and nationality, this study aimed to analyse part-time
working amongst a cohort of students studying hospitality management at a
university in Scotland. The extent of part-time employment amongst full-time students
identified in this study are in accordance with findings from other Scottish and
overseas universities. Similarly to Barron’s study (2006) of hospitality and tourism
students at an Australian university, 83 per cent of the respondents were in
employment or were actively seeking employment, the majority in the hospitality and
tourism industry. This research has found a polarisation in length of tenure of
part-time employment with the majority of students either just commencing
employment or, demonstrating commitment to an employer, at least in terms of
length of time employed. This research also found that similar level of employment
between genders, but significant differences based on nationality with home students
IJCHM and those from Poland and other Eastern European countries more likely to become
21,2 involved in part-time employment.
This research also found that students who took part in this study were keen that
the university become more involved in their part-time employment. Indeed it might be
suggested that as a means of responding to the increased emphasis placed on
developing students’ employability skills, the skills gained through part-time
150 employment might be acknowledged. This research would indicate that there is a
need to formally recognise the part-time experiences of the students and consequently
that universities address any apprehension in becoming involved in students’
part-time work.
Based on this study, it is possible to make several recommendations as to how this
might happen. First, it is contended that as an extension of the supervised work
experience element of the degree, the university provides information on part-time
opportunities and essentially acts as a broker, agency or intermediary between the
student and the part-time employment provider. Second, this research would suggest
that students demand more understanding from the university regarding their need to
be involved in part-time employment. This understanding might manifest itself in
several ways; through merely encouraging a more sympathetic attitude to the demands
of part-time employment by lecturers and tutors, to the provision of a more flexible
education experience. The concept of increased flexibility brings with it
associated-implications in terms of curriculum design and delivery along with
student assessment. The growing number of students and the significant number of
hours that students work, will create pressures for universities to make their courses
more flexible. Universities might adopt flexible approaches to the number of subjects
studied, the mode of delivery, the provision of subjects out with office hours and choice
regarding methods of assessment. Finally it is contended that as a minimum,
universities should provide more guidance to their students regarding part-time
employment. This might take the form of general guidelines for appropriate hours,
types of work, expected remuneration and conditions and information regarding
appropriate employment legislation.
Part-time employment would appear to increasingly be an essential element of the
overall student experience. Given the increasing costs of becoming involved in higher
education and the potential benefits of part-time employment, universities might more
fully recognise and support their students in achieving their educational and career
goals. It is the aim of the researchers to continue this study as a means of more fully
recognising the relationship between the student, the university and the part-time
employer. It is hoped that universities are willing to recognise their responsibility to
students and industry and positively respond to the realities of contemporary student
life.

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Corresponding author
Paul Barron can be contacted at: p.barron@napier.ac.uk

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