For generations, part-time work has been an important rite of passage for young people. Whether it was stacking shelves, serving customers in cafés, delivering newspapers or working in local leisure facilities, these early jobs often represented far more than a pay packet. They were places where young people first encountered responsibility, accountability and the expectations of the workplace.
Yet across the UK, the number of 16-18 year-olds participating in part-time employment has fallen sharply over the past two decades. In 2000, around 40% of students in this age group held part-time jobs. By 2020, that figure had dropped to below 20%, with only a very modest recovery in recent years.
This trend matters because part-time work has traditionally provided an invaluable bridge between education and employment. Many of the capabilities employers consistently value most are developed through experience rather than instruction alone.
Through part-time employment, young people learn how to communicate with colleagues and customers, manage competing priorities, solve problems under pressure and contribute effectively within a team. They begin to understand professional expectations and workplace etiquette. They also develop confidence, resilience and a sense of financial independence.
Beyond immediate skill-building, this early immersion serves as a critical differentiator in an increasingly competitive labour market. For those pursuing apprenticeships or graduate schemes, a history of part-time employment provides the social proof that employers crave – a theme explored further in How to Land a Degree Apprenticeship. When a candidate can demonstrate how they handled a difficult customer at a retail job or managed a busy shift during exams, they move from being a risk to a known quantity. This early-career equity often dictates the trajectory of future progression, as students who have already mastered the unwritten rules of the workplace are far better equipped to navigate a successful career path.
It’s important not to frame this issue as a criticism of today’s young people. The pressures facing sixth form students are arguably greater than ever. Longer school hours, extensive extracurricular commitments and exam preparation leave little room for paid employment.
This raises an important question for educators, employers and policymakers alike: how can we reimagine part-time work opportunities so they better fit the realities of modern student life?
If we want students to leave education ready for the workplace, we cannot overlook the value of workplace experience itself. Without these early opportunities, we risk creating a generation that is academically qualified but less work-ready and less equipped with the employability skills businesses demand.
Ned Browne, Founder - Degree Apprenticeship Project
About the Author
Ned Browne is an educator, entrepreneur and writer whose career has spanned advertising, education, journalism and the non-profit sector. A qualified teacher with more than 20 years’ experience teaching economics and business. He was appointed a Specialist Leader of Education in 2012 and previously worked with leading London advertising agencies including Saatchi & Saatchi and TBWA. Ned is also the founder of the Degree Apprenticeship Project, a not-for-profit organisation focused on improving access to degree apprenticeships for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.