Study: Part time, full time, any time

I couldn’t study straight out of high school as finances were not freely available to me, but having gone the long route to graduation, I can share with you some of the merits of studying part time while working.

Since 2001, when I matriculated, I have gained nine years’ worth of work experience. I have been taught many things that are often missed or not taught at varsity. I have worked my way from the filing room to advising clients on their investments.

I still believe today (even more strongly than I did when leaving high school) that one should study and finish a degree as soon as possible.

Full time varsity students enjoy a lot of time off during the year, with long spells of holiday time during the middle and at the end of the year. With the amount of time available to you, you could easily spend a month or two working and gaining experience without missing out on the fun and freedom of having a holiday.

A prospective employer will be highly impressed with the discipline you’ve shown by working during your vacation time, and these days experience adds a lot of weight to your CV.

When working during your vacation time, try to find a job that is in the field that you are studying. This will not only enhance your experience in the specific field, but it may give you a larger understanding of what you will be in for when you join a firm of that nature. Plus you’ll have the opportunity to put what you’ve learnt into practice.

You may find out whether you’re really going to enjoy working in that field. There must be nothing worse than slaving away for more than four years to get your degree, with honours, only to find out that you would prefer being a Greenpeace envelope-licker than whatever you’re now qualified to be.

A degree is a powerful thing to have behind your name. The sooner you have it, the better. But a degree without experience is not attractive to many employers.

If I could do it all over again and the circumstances were different, I would go for my degree first while gaining experience at the same time. But in the end, you have to live with your own decisions, so find the option that works for you.

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