Career Decision-making and Career Development of Part-time Higher Education Students

A report to the Higher Education Careers Services Unit (HECSU) by Claire Callender (Birkbeck, London University) and Rebecca Hopkin and David Wilkinson (National Institute of Economic and Social Research)

The study explores the career ambitions, intentions and decision-making of part-time students in the UK, based on a survey of 3,704 part-time university undergraduates from 29 institutions, studying either the first or final year of one of four subjects: engineering/technology; social sciences; law; or business and education.

The issues addressed include:

• part-time students’ reasons for studying; 
• part-time students’ career plans and ambitions; 
• the careers information, advice and guidance sought by part-time students and their use of university/college career services; 
• the costs of part-time study and employer support; 
• government-funded financial support for part-time students; and 
• the benefits of part-time study.

Full report (PDF c. 173pp)

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