Prosperity Atelier: How to get more out of your student job
The Prosperity Atelier took place on the VUB Main Campus on 10 May. During the workshop, several recommendations were made to ensure that students can get more out of their jobs. A first suggestion is to offer flexibility in teaching and at work or to improve the teaching interface. In addition, it was suggested that VUB should try to employ as many of its own students as possible – if possible linked to their subjects. Consider, for example, hiring a part-time law student to help with legal administration or finding ways to accommodate students who need to combine work and study.
1. VUB Support: How can VUB better support working students to reduce the impact of their job on their studies, private life or social life?
Students who work while studying often experience a negative impact on their performance, in both their private and social life. To support these students, reduce the impact and promote the balance between work and study, the following was discussed:
- Flexibility in teaching:
Participants suggested including classes for students who are unable to attend due to circumstances including work. One consideration here is that the student must meet certain conditions before they are entitled to the recorded teaching material, such as illness, health problems or work commitments. This way, we avoid having empty lecture halls
- Flexibility in the job:
Instead of fixed working days and hours, the suggestion was made to look for cooperation between the student and the organisation based on intended outcomes or objectives. From this, an estimate of the hours required can be made, with the aim of increasing flexibility for the student. However, it is important that the assignment is clearly defined and that there is confidence in the quality of the work. The possibility of flexible working hours can be included in the job description of internal VUB vacancies.
- Study groups & tutors:
According to participants, there is a need for better development and communication of existing tutor initiatives towards (working) students. One suggestion is to organise study groups on Canvas so they are not dependent on external channels such as social media. In addition, master’s students can be used as tutors for bachelor’s students, for a fee.
- Flexibility of professors:
Students should be given the opportunity to have fixed contact moments with professors outside class hours and within office hours. One suggestion is to organise Q&A sessions through Teams where students can ask questions.
Exams on weekends and/or evenings could also be an option, but the mental health of professors should not be compromised.
2. VUB Organisation: How can VUB employ more working students to optimise its operations and improve student services?
Within our university, there are both central and faculty departments that perform a wide range of tasks. The pathway to employing more working students to optimise operations and improve services to other students was explored during the workshop. Several options were discussed to make this feasible. However, an audit is needed to determine which students can be employed in which departments. VUB may also have to adopt a different culture to fit students into its operations
- Not always a win-win:
Hiring students is not always an optimal situation. They need time to be trained before they can start working efficiently. The turnover of students and their availability were also considered. Replacements must be sought if they are not employable.
A new student should be sought and trained or a reserve list should be used.
- VUB Ambassadors:
The importance of user-generated content and the role students can take in motivating other students about VUB initiatives were also discussed. Certain students can be recruited for both profiles.
- Paid engagement?
It will be important to have a clear policy on whether or not to make this kind of engagement paid, particularly as several student associations are working for free to help fuel VUB student engagement.
3. Jump Start Career: How can VUB offer both internal and external student jobs that better match students’ education?
One of the biggest challenges for students after graduation is finding a job that matches their education and/or interests. VUB could develop several initiatives to offer student jobs that better match students’ education, both within its own operations and with partner organisations. This provides students with practical experience, expands their network and facilitates the transition from academia to the professional world. During the workshop, we focused on existing professional networks and partnerships with VUB such as internships, alumni and job fairs. These are opportunities students can take advantage of to launch their careers, as a voluntary internship or as a first paid work assignment. This provides a first work experience and initial networking with professionals. It could be, for example, a law student in the legal department or a computer science student at a start-up.
4. English allowed: How can we make student jobs in Brussels more accessible to students who do not speak Dutch or French?
VUB is putting more effort into internationalisation, which leads to an increase in international students and consequently more demand from this student segment for a job. VUB could take this into account when creating internal vacancies and indicate whether knowledge of Dutch is an absolute prerequisite. VUB can also help identify an ecosystem of organisations in Brussels that could use the help of international students.
In the search for a way to improve matching between students and organisations offering student jobs, the idea of developing a Tinder-like app for student jobs came up. VUB could also consider joining an existing app like NowJobs