Incorporating the learning derived from part-time employment into undergraduate programmes: experiences from a business school

Students undertaking employment during term time is a growing phenomenon, and whilst there is an awareness that a large proportion of our undergraduates have part-time jobs, the type and extent of this work and the learning experiences gained is less clear. The purpose of this article is to outline research undertaken to determine the potential for students to gain academic credit for their learning from part-time, term-time work. This had involved an exploration of the incidence and the nature of this part-time work, the skills developed, learning derived and the students' ability to reflect upon this learning.

An exploratory approach was used, quantitative research providing the numerical data of the level of participation in term-time employment, with qualitative exploration to gain insight into the students' ability to understand, articulate and reflect upon the learning that is taking place within work and gain an insight into participants' ideas, views and motivations. The research provides substantial evidence of the engagement in part-time work and demonstrates a clear overview of the development of personal and social competencies along with key skills and job-specific knowledge. This has led to the validation and introduction of an intermediate-level Work Based Learning module within the University of Huddersfield Business School, available as an alternative to a current core module, and which was to be evaluated during the course of the academic year 2007/2008.