Case study: Sam Uppal

Sam Uppal, a Second Year Psychology student shares her tips on how to earn while you learn.

Sam currently earns money at the University by supporting young people in schools (with Widening Participation), and working as an Ambassador with the Communication and Development Department. Sam also has a retail job for 8 hours per week. She was Chair of the Student Council 2010/11, and is working towards the Worcester Award.

  1. Set yourself a maximum number of hours you can work per week during the semester (this will vary between different students, I set my limit at 12). Fit earning around study, not the other way round. The university opportunities listed in this booklet are great as they are so much more flexible than general work.
  2. Be straight with employers from the start about which hours you can and can’t manage, and don’t be afraid to say no to hours which clash with lectures.
  3. If you think that an employer is being unreasonable, go and see the Students’ Union for advice.
  4. Keep checking the University of Worcester’s Personnel and the Students’ Union web pages for job vacancies as they can have quite short advertising periods.
  5. Do try to take advantage of as many of the job opportunities provided by the University as you can. There are so many different roles, you will find something which suits you.
  6. Working part-time will earn you money and look great on your CV.
  7. Getting involved with university and SU activities, roles and elections is a brilliant way to not only enhance your CV with experience, but also to build confidence which will help with study, work and your future employment.