Students’ view on applying for part-time work as an on-campus software developer

Abstract

A majority of students work while they are studying. Working will help them financially, but it may also provide other benefits, such as preparing them for work-life after finishing their studies. As academic institutions, we may offer students part-time work, and hopefully facilitate experiences that will have relevance for their further careers. Earlier studies have investigated how working while studying may impact academic success. There are also reports on how we may rig campus based part-time work so that it will contribute in a positive way in addition to the obvious economic benefit. Some institutions hire students to work as software developers to create or maintain applications of value to the institution. For IT students, this will provide them with valuable experience, and may also increase their confidence. Our contribution is to investigate how students view the possibility of working as a software developer for their own educational institution. Through interviews we try to understand what factors are important for them when evaluating such work possibilities. This will be of value to those who are interested in hiring student developers. It will also provide input to how we may organize such projects in order to keep the students satisfied throughout the project. Our findings suggest that the technology involved in the project is most important. Some students will value that the project involves technology that they already have experienced through their studies. But more importantly, the technology should be relevant for their further careers. Flexibility is also important. The students value the possibility of being able to work when it fits into their time schedule, and also to be able to work remotely. There will also be times when students will need to take a longer break from the project, such as during exams.