Local group putting focus on work-study balance for students

September is an important time in students' academic careers, especially for the 69 per cent of young Townshippers aged 15 to 25 who are employed while they are studying. From the beginning of the school year, it is essential that these students opt for a lifestyle conducive to their educational success, by adopting strategies that better reconcile their studies and their work. With this in mind, the Project Partners for Educational Success in Estrie (Projet PRÉE) is sending a clear message to employers, students and their parents: studies are the priority throughout the school year.

From August 22 to September 7, efforts will be made to bring this important message to different audiences. This year, employers are at the forefront of demonstrating the active role they can play in the academic perseverance of their young student-employees and the importance of graduation for a qualified workforce. Projet PRÉE is also asking its school, community, and municipal partners, as well as the media, to take part in the campaign to spread awareness messages through their various means of communication.

Education is a crucial lever for our economy. It contributes to human development and sustainable social, cultural and economic enrichment of our society.

"We all have a role to play in valuing school perseverance and employers are no exception,” said Cégep de Sherbrooke Executive Director and Projet PRÉE Cochair, Marie-france Bélanger. “In the current context of labor shortages, young people are being solicited more and more by employers. It can be tempting for a student-employee to drop his classes to take a full-time job and earn a salary, especially if he / she has difficulty in school ... Employer collaboration in the work-study balance in the young becomes essential to ensure qualified, competent, and healthy succession,"

Several actions can be put in place to promote workstudy balance and encourage qualification and graduation. Allocating no more than 20 hours per week for full-time students is a basic undertaking for any employer

Employers can also be understanding and flexible during exam periods by offering staggered shifts to their employees, or supporting them with words of encouragement.

According to the PRÉE 43 per cent of young Townshippers between 15 and 25 who hold a job during their studies spend more than 15 hours a week on their jobs. 20 per cent of students hold two or more jobs. 33 per cent of young people have already thought of interrupting their studies because of the difficulty of reconciling studies and work, and young people work mainly to: pay for going out (83 per cent), to save (82 per cent), to gain experience (76 per cent), make payments (74 per cent), or buy a car (71 per cent).

"Here are some very eloquent statistics. School-work reconciliation affects a large number of young Townshippers. Generally speaking, in Quebec, close to one-third of retail trade workers are between the ages of 15 and 24, and this number reaches 43 per cent when only the specific sectors of retail trade and food is taken into account,” explained PRÉE Coordinator Josiane Bergeron. “Thus, it is essential to provide employers, youth, and parents with tools to allow a work-study balance that is favorable to student perseverance and the educational success of our youth,"

Projet PRÉE has created several video clips about work-study balance featuring individual employers who are meeting the needs of student-employees

Tas well as hints at how to choose a cooperative employer.