Part-time jobs gaining traction

Part-time job concept is common in developed and many under-developed countries but it was not so familiar in Bangladesh just a few years back.

Recently, many corporate houses are offering part-time jobs as they are drawing benefits of full-time employees at the cost of part-time ones due to available human resources.

A significant number of students are involved in job market beside their study in many developed countries but the scenario is not the same here in Bangladesh due to lack of collaboration between industries and educational institutions.

According to the annual report-2020 of University Grants Commission (UGC), a total of about 46 lakh students are studying at the graduation level in different types of education institutes.

But a very few of them can manage to get part-time jobs or internship. As a result, the country is lacking skilled or semi-skilled workforce during recruitment process.

With the development of the country the business is getting organised opening up great opportunity for students to involve in job market during their study.

Mousumi Akter, a student of Social Welfare Department at Eden Mohila College, was looking for a part-time job after she had been enrolled for her graduation exam to meet her educational expenses by herself.

She dropped a curriculum vita (CV) to EORTH END Coffee Roasters, one of the biggest coffee suppliers of the country.

She was recruited as a barista without any earlier experiences for TK15, 000 per month salary. This made a big opportunity for her to support her educational expenses.

“Now I am self-reliant and can support my family too with my income. And the experience that I have gained will be effective to get a better job as experience is a big factor in the country,” she said.

Like Mousumi Akter thousands of students are working in different enterprises as part-time service providers especially in retail sector.

Though it is a very popular trend in foreign countries it is not so popular yet in Bangladesh. But gradually, the trend is gaining popularity in the country with businesses getting organised.

Super shops, delivery coaches, call centres, clothes and footwear shops are mainly offering part-time jobs for students.

Besides, the retail sector of the country that includes clothing and footwear businesses, supermarkets, hypermarkets, groceries, convenience stores, shops of electrical and electronics and food products, mobile phone and mobile accessories etc. also witnessed a significant growth creating a big opportunity for students to have part time jobs.

The enterprises prefer to hire students as they can be recruited for low salary and have huge potential in the industry due to their young talent.

SM Kazim, Regional Manager of Shwapno Super Shop, said currently they have 238 super shops in operation across the country where more than 7,000 employees are working.

Out of them, a significant portion is students from different colleges and universities.

“We are hiring students mostly as they have potential to offer best service and handle a situation in a very smart way. We have two shifts. If they have classes in the morning they can join the evening shift and vice versa. We also offer leave before the exam to continue their study smoothly,” he added.

Local fast food brand Takeout HR Tasbir Ahamed said they want educated employees for the best service.

Students can take responsibility easily. Their presentation is much better. They can deal with customers smartly and can represent the brand value of the company to consumers, he said.

“We have nearly 150 employees in some 13 outlets where 20 to 30 per cent are students. We are offering leave during examination and offering convenient schedules taking into consideration their classes.”

Students prefer jobs beside study

Students prefer jobs during study as it can help them to be self-sufficient and at the same time they can build their career easily because of experiences. Moreover, they can gain practical knowledge which they cannot have from classrooms.

A research was conducted on part-time job titled ‘Why students prefer part-time job besides study’ where 25 students of many colleges and private University in Shagbag, Uttara and Tongi area were interviewed.

Of them, 19 students said they were doing part-time jobs to reduce family burden while six students said they were doing jobs for practical experience before completing their studies.

Nahidul Islam, a 3rd-year student of Political Science Department at Siddheswari College, joined the supper shop - Shwapno.

He started the part-time job as a salesman for TK5,500 per month salary and later he was promoted to the post of Operation Manager of the outlet for a salary of TK 35,000.

“Now I am experienced enough and this will be very fruitful in my future career. Most of my classmates will join job at entry level with poor salary. I joined the jobs as my family was unable to bear my study cost,” he said.

How part-time job hampers academic life

Part-time jobs help students in many aspects but it has some disadvantages too. Many students said they couldn’t concentrate on study after joining jobs. Most of the students do not attend their classes regularly and this ultimately hampers their academic result.

The research study titled ‘Why Students prefer part-time job besides study’ says part-time job kills study hours of students. Sometimes it is very hard for them to squeeze out time for study ultimately affecting their academic results.

Mohammd Kawser, a third-year student of Joypurhat Government College at Marketing Department, said he was working as a delivery man in Pathao food delivery as his family was needy.

“Now, I can support my family but my study is being hampered. After joining the job I cannot participate in classes. I have nothing to do and I am the victim of situation.”

Part-time job scenario outside the country

In the developed country there are many options for students to have a part-time job. Even the universities and colleges arrange job for students.

Restaurants, companies, cleaning industry, Google, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Amazon mostly take part-timers.

The company offer a handsome salary against a part-time job and make them permanent after intern period.

This is why no students remain jobless. On the other hand, the recruiting companies maintain a standard and this is why students can continue job beside their study smoothly.

Alif Ahamed Sunan, a student of University College Dublin at the Media and Communication Department, said when he reached Ireland he worked for a health care pharmacy for 20 hours in a week.

“I was offered a handsome salary which was enough to lead a luxurious life and the company maintained a standard work hour that didn’t hamper my academic life. Besides, people respect all kinds of jobs there,” he said.

Industry-academy collaboration needed to help student get jobs

There is huge gap between industrial and academic sectors in Bangladesh creating obstacles in the way of students to get jobs. Again students have to face labour discrimination in workplaces as part-time job holders.

Besides, people are yet to take the concept easily which is another big challenge for part-time job holders in the country.

Sumaiya Tanim, a MA student in Development Studies at Erasmus University Rotterdam, said, “Companies deny paying salary for the intern students in Bangladesh. Besides, the society has not accepted the concept yet and the fast objections come from parents.”

But the scenario is different in Netherland. The university and the corporate houses have collaboration between them for students’ job market. Besides, the university hold job fair to help student get jobs.

Academician Syed Manzoorul Islam said the current education system is just producing graduates only and there is lack of job-related departments that developed in the western world 100 years ago.

The method of education must be changed to boost job market. It is not enough to produce graduates only but they must be made efficient as per the demand of the industry and world competition.

The industry and academies need a strong collaboration to help students to have access to job market.

Dhaka University Vice-chancellor Professor Dr Md Akhtaruzzaman said collaboration between the industry and educational institutions is a must to boost job market. But the culture has not grown yet in the country.

We are working to develop collaboration between industry and educational institutions as we are involving students in many of our mechanism and have communication with the alumni to get students recruited in the job market, the VC added.