With the prospect of heavy student loans to pay off after graduation and fewer maintenance grants available for students during university, many students look for part-time jobs whilst they are studying. Doing some kind of part-time work is a good way of gaining employment experience, boosting the CV and learning new skills which are often transferable to other work later on.

Retail – With extended retail hours, many shops take on part-time staff for weekend or evening work. If you are a fashion student, then working in a clothes store may give vital work experience. Students who are interested in technology may like to look for work in mobile phone shops or computer outlets. Most stores offer good discounts to staff (though you may find that you will need to be working for a minimum of 3 or 6 months first) and this may be a valuable perk.

Pub or Bar work may be especially suitable for those students who are particularly sociable. Going to work in a pub on a Saturday evening may almost feel like going out, rather than slaving away at work! That’s not too say, that bar work is easy and, with many bars staying open until the early hours, you may want to make sure that you are not working too many late shifts which may have a detrimental effect on your studies.

Many students find work in restaurants and cafes too. If you work in one of the more prestigious restaurants, then you may find the tips are particularly lucrative.

Another opportunity may come through tutoring. Many parents are willing to pay extra to make sure their child gains a good grade in maths, in particular. So, if algebra is your thing, then you could try sharing your knowledge and skills to help a child gain good GSCE grades. Music students may also find opportunities to teach musical instrument tuition. Hourly rates of pay for tutoring and teaching are very rewarding and students may find that teaching on a Saturday morning is preferential to working in a shop for 16 hours or more. If students do decide to go down this route then it is recommended that they apply for a DBS certificate (formally known as a CRB check).