Young people today face extraordinary challenges in making their transitions from education to employment. Job shortages, automation, and the pace at which skills become obsolete are some of the obstacles facing young labour market entrants (ILO, 2020).
More recently, the International Labour Organisation (2022) identified a range of additional difficulties in the form of COVID-linked disruptions to key developmental activities known to support transitions, namely education, volunteering and part-time employment. School closures and the move to ‘emergency remote’ learning affected the quality and quantity of education, young people found it more difficult to enter the labour market, lost jobs to a greater extent than adults, and failed to regain work after job loss (ILO, 2022).
Researchers have previously warned of the potential for a ‘lost COVID generation’ (Resolution Foundation, 2020), and early unemployment has been linked to long-term scarring effects, e.g., lowered wages (Gregg & Tominey, 2004), adverse psychological consequences (Mousteri et al, 2018), and lower chances of finding a new job (ONS, 2021). The ‘cost-of-living crisis’ places additional pressure on young people entering the labour market.
Both part-time work prior to leaving education, and volunteering have been shown to provide opportunities to learn a range of employability skills that are essential for work (Simpson et al, 2018; Krahn et al, 2002). However, the COVID-pandemic has disrupted both these key developmental experiences, placing youth transitions and SDG Targets 8.6 and 4.4 at further risk. Youth volunteering which was on the rise pre-pandemic (nfpSynergy, 2020), may be an alternative way to develop relevant skills for work.
Contributing to the literature on student employment and skills development, this project will explore student’s current experiences of part-time work and volunteering alongside employment expectations and aspirations to understand how future transitions might be impacted by early experience.
Application Deadline: 5th January 2023
Start Date: 1st April 2023
In the first instance, informal enquiries should be made by email to
Lead Supervisor Dr Amanda Simpson [Email Address Removed]
Successful applicants will be asked to submit the application through the UWS online system
Continue with Facebook
