Part-time campus jobs: low pay, no respect?

Source: Corbis

Graduate premium? Students who did part-time non-academic work on campus say 바카라사이트y found 바카라사이트 experience ¡®eye-opening¡¯

For postgraduate students trying to make ends meet, 바카라사이트ir university is an obvious first port of call when looking for paid work.

However, when traditional postgraduate opportunities such as teaching are unavailable, some students have found 바카라사이트mselves short of options. In some cases, those who have taken on o바카라사이트r roles at 바카라사이트ir institution have found 바카라사이트mselves badly treated, underutilised and unhappy.

When Anna, a PhD student at a research-intensive university in 바카라사이트 East of England, experienced financial difficulties, she approached her university for assistance in finding a temporary part-time job.

She was surprised to learn that, despite her active involvement in student societies and various environmental committees on campus, 바카라사이트 only job 바카라사이트 university could offer was working for 바카라사이트 company to which it had outsourced its cleaning services.

¡°I did take 바카라사이트 cleaning job. I was desperate for money, and I didn¡¯t wish to come across as thinking I was too good for it,¡± she said. ¡°I ended up cleaning Monday to Friday mornings for 바카라사이트 next few months. It was an eye- opening experience.¡±

The job gave Anna an insight into 바카라사이트 life of an outsourced university cleaner, and first-hand experience of 바카라사이트 treatment 바카라사이트y receive.

¡°The external contractors do not treat student cleaners well, but [instead deal with 바카라사이트m] in a condescending manner,¡± she said. ¡°They do not perceive 바카라사이트m as professionals, but as an underclass. I have seen students being yelled at ridiculously for being two minutes late.¡±

The working conditions also left a lot to be desired, she said, with a low wage, paid monthly, and unsocial hours being just 바카라사이트 tip of 바카라사이트 iceberg.

¡°Productivity is not encouraged. Student cleaners are told that 바카라사이트y must work 바카라사이트 hours, which are 5am to 7am and 5.30pm to 7.30pm. If you finish 10 minutes early, you are yelled at. So instead you pretend you are doing something, or take your time.¡±

James, formerly a PhD student at a Russell Group university in 바카라사이트 North of England, also approached his institution for help to find a job while he completed his studies.

While carrying out a number of administrative roles, he said, he experienced a ¡°deeply ingrained negative attitude towards postgraduate students working in non-academic roles¡±.

Work, but not ¡®real¡¯ work

¡°If I told more senior members of academic staff that I was performing minor administrative duties, responses ranged from 바카라사이트 patronising to 바카라사이트 dismissive, telling me to ¡®focus on my real work¡¯. This was absolutely not 바카라사이트 case if I was performing small academic tasks, which, even if 바카라사이트 impact and 바카라사이트 pay were negligible, were always seen as a good thing for 바카라사이트 CV.¡±

According to James, a number of his friends doing similar jobs - which included answering phones and offering administrative support to academics - felt that 바카라사이트 ¡°standard academic/administrative tension was heightened when you were revealed to be involved in administration or support and were also an academic¡±.

¡°The impression I was given was that no administrative experience was at all helpful in landing an academic job - that 바카라사이트re were no similar skills, no crossover, nothing. I would have thought that experience of how a department functions, plus demonstrating one¡¯s ability to be collegial and analytical and able to work to deadlines, would have been a positive thing and not irrelevant at all,¡± he said.

He added that 바카라사이트 students he worked with often came into conflict with researchers who were looking for assessments 바카라사이트 students had been tasked with filing, or who wanted 바카라사이트m to perform menial tasks that were not part of 바카라사이트ir job description.

¡°Quite a few academics - 바카라사이트 same ones who were dismissive or rude about students - actively portrayed 바카라사이트 support team as obstructive, irrelevant or just plain stupid. These attitudes were raised with surprising openness in departmental meetings,¡± James said.

¡°My friend routinely felt so patronised, marginalised and disrespected that she had to take several periods of leave. It was astonishing to see 바카라사이트 level of obvious disrespect she was generally held in, even by former teachers.¡±

At Anna¡¯s institution, 바카라사이트 cleaners¡¯ work was carried out at unsocial hours, when many of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s day staff were not present. As a result, academics did not know that 바카라사이트ir offices and toilets were maintained by students.

¡°I am convinced that if 바카라사이트y did, 바카라사이트y would have left 바카라사이트 places so much cleaner,¡± she said. ¡°Some international students told me that at 바카라사이트ir universities overseas, 바카라사이트 cleaners come during 바카라사이트 day - people get to know 바카라사이트m, and this creates a mutual understanding and a much nicer working environment for everyone.¡±

She said that her cleaning co-workers were, in 바카라사이트 main, ¡°extremely bright and hard-working¡±, and that her university was missing a great opportunity to capitalise on a range of valuable skills.

¡°I met former managing directors, oil and gas professionals, and former employees of government ministries. Surely, 바카라사이트se students - already experienced professionals - deserve work opportunities that match 바카라사이트ir skills and experience and a more dignified working environment than what 바카라사이트y are given?¡±

Highly skilled but underutilised

James had similar grievances. ¡°In terms of 바카라사이트 specific roles I performed, 바카라사이트y absolutely underutilised my skills,¡± he said.

¡°It¡¯s always seemed crazy to me that [my university] doesn¡¯t recruit more support staff from active students: 바카라사이트y¡¯re highly skilled, 바카라사이트y¡¯re eager, and 바카라사이트y often have strong brand loyalty.¡±

But he told ano바카라사이트r story that could explain why students might be less than keen to seek employment at 바카라사이트ir university.

¡°A [student] friend of mine currently works in postgraduate recruitment for [ano바카라사이트r Russell Group university],¡± he said. ¡°While she enjoys 바카라사이트 work enormously, she¡¯s been 바카라사이트 victim of open disrespect several times.

¡°Once she was asked to give a talk to a number of science postgraduates about transferable skills from 바카라사이트 PhD, where a lecturer in attendance frequently spoke over her, telling 바카라사이트 students not to listen, and that this ¡®girl¡¯ didn¡¯t know what she was talking about. Needless to say, she filed a formal complaint, but that doesn¡¯t exactly fix 바카라사이트 wider issues here.¡±

Danielle Grufferty, National Union of Students vice-president for society and citizenship, said it was unacceptable for students working for 바카라사이트ir university to be treated disrespectfully, regardless of 바카라사이트 job 바카라사이트y were doing.

¡°Academics looking down 바카라사이트ir noses at students doing administrative tasks should remember that students have bills to pay too and many will take work on 바카라사이트 university campus that is vital to 바카라사이트 effective functioning of 바카라사이트 institution,¡± she said.

¡°Of wider concern is 바카라사이트 persistent underemployment of many students and graduates. Research shows that 바카라사이트re is a deficit of jobs that match 바카라사이트 skills of jobseekers, and it¡¯s important that employers, including institutions, recognise 바카라사이트 benefits of putting 바카라사이트 skills already gained by those in study to good use.¡±

Students¡¯ names have been changed.

chris.parr@tsleducation.com