Working while Studying Can Increase Salary and Chances of Success
.jpg "Working while Studying Can Increase Salary and Chances of Success")
Research shows that working while studying increases the likelihood of employment after graduation by 19% and boosts salary by 14%. One in two students has worked for at least a month while studying full time. The greatest benefits come from being employed during the final years of study, when students have the opportunity to begin working in their chosen field. These findings come from a team of authors at the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences.
Combining work and study has become a common practice among students, with more than 50% having worked for at least one month during their studies. They rightly believe that work experience can make them more competitive in the employment market and increase their chances of securing a higher-paying position after graduation. While only 18% of first-year students balanced work and study, this proportion increased to 40% by their final year.
Drawing from comprehensive Graduate Employment Monitoring data on over 200,000 graduates who completed full-time bachelor's and specialist degrees in 2021, the authors analysed trends in balancing work and study in Russia, as well as its impact on post-graduation employment. It was found that among those who graduated with honours, a slightly higher proportion worked while studying. Students from more prestigious and highly rated universities are also more likely to balance work and study, with 59% employed compared to 50% at less selective universities. Students with qualifications in mathematics, information technology, and natural sciences are more likely to begin working during their studies, whereas humanities students are less likely to do so, with 58% versus 47%.
The likelihood of finding a job within a year after graduation was 19% higher for those who combined work and study. Moreover, the longer a student worked while studying, the greater their chances of finding employment after graduation, with each additional month of work experience increasing the likelihood of employment by 1%. Such graduates also earn 14% more, with each additional month of work experience boosting their salary by 0.7%.
Combining work and study during the fourth and fifth years of university appears to be significantly more important. Part-time work during the early years of university has little effect on the likelihood of employment, whereas internships in the final year increase it by 26%. Students in mathematics and computer science gain the most from this combination. Their chances of finding a job are 10% higher, compared to just 4% for economists. The university also plays a significant role; students who earn qualifications from top-ranking institutions have a 21% higher likelihood of finding employment.
The authors of the paper—Ksenia Rozhkova, Junior Research Fellow at the Laboratory for labour Market Studies, HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences; Sergey Roshchin, Head of the Laboratory, and Pavel Travkin, Senior Research Fellow—highlight a significant shift in perspectives on education. An increasing number of students are now shifting from balancing study with work to balancing work with study. Acquiring work experience becomes their primary goal, while academic performance takes a secondary role.
‘In our view, students are increasingly combining study with work because they value not only income but also the experience and competences they acquire. Being employed enables them to enter their chosen professional field. In contrast, internships provided by universities are often limited to formal introductory programmes that do not focus on developing applied skills,’ according to Ksenia Rozhkova. Given that universities aim to ensure their graduates are successfully employed, it would be beneficial to rethink their approach to educational processes by focusing on providing more practice-oriented skills and collaborating with potential employers.
See also:
Russian Scientists Demonstrate How Disorder Contributes to Emergence of Unusual Superconductivity
Researchers at HSE University and MIPT have investigated how the composition of electrons in a superconductor influences the emergence of intertype superconductivity—a unique state in which superconductors display unusual properties. It was previously believed that intertype superconductivity occurs only in materials with minimal impurities. However, the scientists discovered that the region of intertype superconductivity not only persists but can also expand in materials with a high concentration of impurities and defects. In the future, these superconductors could contribute to the development of highly sensitive sensors and detectors. The study has been published in Frontiers of Physics.
HSE Scientists Take Important Step Forward in Development of 6G Communication Technologies
Researchers at HSE MIEM have successfully demonstrated the effective operation of a 6G wireless communication channel at sub-THz frequencies. The device transmits data at 12 Gbps and maintains signal stability by automatically switching when blocked. These metrics comply with international 6G standards. An article published on arXiv, an open-access electronic repository, provides a description of certain elements of the system.
AI vs AI: Scientists Develop Neural Networks to Detect Generated Text Insertions
A research team, including Alexander Shirnin from HSE University, has developed two models designed to detect AI-generated insertions in scientific texts. The AIpom system integrates two types of models: a decoder and an encoder. The Papilusion system is designed to detect modifications through synonyms and summarisation by neural networks, using one type of models: encoders. In the future, these models will assist in verifying the originality and credibility of scientific publications. Articles describing the Papilusion and AIpom systems have been published in the ACL Anthology Digital Archive.
Acoustic Battles for the Harem: How the Calls of Siberian Wapiti Reveal Their Status and Individuality
Researchers at HSE University, Lomonosov Moscow State University, and the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences have studied the distinctive vocalisations of Siberian wapiti (Cervus canadensis sibiricus) stags during the peak of the mating season, when males produce rutting calls (bugles) to attract females (hinds) and deter rivals. The scientists have discovered how the acoustic parameters of these rutting calls reflect the stag's status—whether he currently holds a harem or is still attempting to acquire one—as well as his individual characteristics. The study has been published in Journal of Zoology.
Z-Flipons: How Specific DNA Regions Help Regulate Gene Function
Researchers at HSE University and InsideOutBio have applied machine learning to identify the location and functions of mirror-twisted DNA structures, known as Z-flipons, in human and mouse genomes. The scientists discovered which Z-DNA regions were conserved in both species throughout evolution and demonstrated for the first time that Z-DNA accelerates the process of creating RNA copies of genes. The findings will contribute to the development of new treatments for genetic diseases. The study has been published in Scientific Reports.
HSE Researchers Develop Python Library for Analysing Eye Movements
A research team at HSE University has developed EyeFeatures, a Python library for analysing and modelling eye movement data. This tool is designed to simplify the work of scientists and developers by enabling them to efficiently process complex data and create predictive models.
Scientists Identify Fifteen Key Motives Driving Human Behaviour
Researchers at HSE University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine have identified 15 key motives that drive human behaviour. By analysing people's views, preferences, and actions through an evolutionary lens, they demonstrated how these motives intertwine to shape habits and interpersonal relationships. The findings have been published in Personality and Individual Differences.
HSE Neurolinguists Create Russian Adaptation of Classic Verbal Memory Test
Researchers at the HSE Centre for Language and Brain and Psychiatric Hospital No. 1 Named after N.A. Alexeev have developed a Russian-language adaptation of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test. This classic neuropsychological test evaluates various aspects of auditory verbal memory in adults and is widely used in both clinical diagnostics and research. The study findings have been published in The Clinical Neuropsychologist.
Tickling the Nerves: Why Crime Content is Popular
Consumers of content about serial killers watch and read it to experience intense emotions that are often lacking in everyday life and to understand the reasons that drive people to commit crimes. However, such content does not contribute to increased aggression. These conclusions were drawn by sociologists from HSE University. The results of their study have been published in Crime, Media, Culture: An International Journal.
HSE Researchers Prove the Existence of Nash Equilibrium for a New Class of Problems in Game Theory
Researchers at HSE University's St Petersburg School of Economics and Management have been exploring methods for the efficient allocation of resources in systems involving multiple players. The scientists have proven the existence of strategies for optimal decision-making in competition for limited, discrete resources in four different cases. The developed mathematical model can be applied in various fields, ranging from education and medicine to managing networks and computing power. The paper has been published in Games and Economic Behaviour.