STUDENTS FEEL EXPLOITED IN SUMMER HOLIDAY JOBS

Almost three quarters (72 per cent) of students claim they are exploited by employers during summer holiday jobs, according to new research from Pertemps, the country’s leading independent recruitment agency.

Many of the students aged between 16 and 25 questioned felt employers took advantage by paying low wages, asking them to work long, unsociable hours and giving them boring, menial tasks.

Forty three per cent felt that employers had little respect for them and 17 per cent claimed their safety was put at risk by undertaking potentially dangerous tasks in unsafe environments.

Although they were concerned about exploitation, only eight per cent of the students questioned knew the minimum wage, which is £3.20 for 18-21-year-olds and £3.70 for people aged 22 and above.

Other key findings were:

• Only three per cent of the students chose not to work during their summer holiday. The rest took on jobs ranging from making fireworks to packing quiches.
• Shelf stacking, data imputing, house painting, picking tomatoes and binding books were listed as the most boring jobs.
  
• Women particularly disliked outdoor jobs, including manual labour, and men hated factory work.
• Travel-based work, including summer camps in America, holiday reps and a Kibbutz, were among the most popular jobs for both sexes.
  
• Eighty five per cent of the students believed a summer job enhanced their CV.

Tim Watts, chairman of Pertemps, said: “Students have long been an easy target for unscrupulous employers and it is important that they know their rights, particularly regarding health and safety, and the minimum wage.

"When searching for a summer job, students should not feel obliged to take the first one they see. There are lots employers looking for temporary workers and it is best to try to find a job that will benefit your future career.

It's also worth remembering that although tasks such as filing and data input may feel boring they show you are hardworking and can stick at a job – qualities which employers look for."

Pertemps offers the following advice to students looking for a summer job:

• Ask for a job description.
• Establish the working hours.
• Clarify the rate of pay and any overtime available (be aware of the minimum wage).
• Ask about the working conditions.
• Remember that all workers aged over 16 are entitled to a break of at least 20 minutes if they work more than six hours a day.
• Check that your employer has personal injury insurance.