IELTS about the growing popularity of part time jobs

Essay topic

A large number of students now prefer to work part time. Is this a positive or a negative development?

Sample response

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of youngsters who work part time. This working arrangement has several benefits and hence I believe that it is a positive trend.

Part time jobs give financial independence to young people. In western countries most university students take up part time jobs to fund their education. When students work part time, they can take care of their personal expenses such as food, accommodation and clothing on their own.

Part time jobs help students coming from both rich and poor families, but they are particular beneficial to poor students. It is not uncommon for students to drop out of school/college because of financial problems. Part time employment will help prevent this situation. Part time jobs also help youngsters to become responsible and independent. Students who work and earn do not have to depend on their family for financial assistance. They also learn the importance of spending money wisely.

It is true that part time jobs have some disadvantages as well. Students who start working at a young age may show a greater tendency to drop out of school. This is particularly true in the case of students coming from poor families. Many of them will take up a full time job and discontinue their studies. This has a negative impact on their long term career prospects. However, I feel that parents and teachers can prevent this situation from arising.

To conclude, part time employment has more advantages than disadvantages. The negative aspect of this kind of employment can be controlled by taking adequate preventive measures. In my opinion, every youngster should take up a part time job to fund their studies.