Learning from Futuretrack: the impact of work experiences on higher education student outcomes

[Higher Education Careers Service Unit] HECSU was commissioned by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to undertake an analysis of the paid and unpaid work undertaken by students while studying using data from the Futuretrack study. Futuretrack is a longitudinal four-stage study of all people who applied in 2005/06 to enter university in the UK during the autumn of 2006. Data has been collected at four stages, the first as prospective students made applications to higher education (HE) in 2006, the second approximately 18 months later, a third in 2009/2010 as most were approaching their final examinations and the fourth in 2012 between 18 and 30 months post-graduation, when most of the study cohort had either entered the labour market or were undertaking postgraduate study or training. The main objectives of this project were firstly, to examine factors associated with respondents’ participation in paid and unpaid work and secondly, to examine the effect of different forms of work experience on respondents’ development of social and technical skills and progress into the labour market following HE. The study was not designed specifically to examine factors associated with work experiences during higher education. The study has, however, collected information on the paid and unpaid work undertaken by students during both term time and vacations while enrolled in full-time HE.

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