‘Tell me why my hourly wage was less than one of their croissants. I’m sorry; that is actually insane’ - Ariana, research participant

On Tuesday the 3rd June we will host a webinar to discuss the importance of Earning while Learning to students and employers. We will present the research findings, and will share recommendations for the education sector, employers and trade unions. Sign up here: earningwhilelearning.eventbrite.com

“We were really surprised to find that young women are 50% more likely to be working while studying than men. We don’t know why that is the case yet, but it does mean that making it hard to combine study and work puts a higher burden on young women”, says Professor Kim Allen

In this context, and given that internships are particularly valuable as a route to professional careers, it is vital that social mobility agendas also consider how access to internships is shaped by gender as well as class, place and ethnicity.

Our own research shows that women are statistically more likely then men to engage in paid employment while studying.

It may be that undertaking these (low-) paid jobs leaves women students with less opportunity and time to accrue experience and networks through unpaid internships

We note that as well as the stark class and regional differences in who undertakes internships, the research also reveals that gender is salient, with men more likely to undertake these than women

And many more! Get in touch with us, and sign up to join our research here: shorturl.at/xynwx

You can read more about the project, including our emerging findings, the project team, and upcoming events on our website

ywworking.co.uk

The study is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council as part of the ‘Transforming Working Lives’ initiative – a broader scheme of research projects investigating changes in working lives and power in the workplace.