Fund yourself over the summer
Preventing unemployment, preserving skills as well as the valuable relationship between workers and employers has been key to the government’s “job protection” regime during the corona-lockdown.
That’s all well and good, but for students, the story has been very different.
Our own survey found that 40% of students have lost their job as a result of the pandemic. Unsurprising the shutdown of bars, restaurants and shops has largely wiped out the part-time jobs on which many students rely.
You can’t direct the global economy, or control a global pandemic, but you do have some control and there are still ways to generate income in these uncertain times even if the “usual” jobs are off the table.
Finding a job
There are still plenty of places to find a part-time or casual job.
Retailers: plenty of retailers are actively looking for thousands of new employees to cope with the massive surge in online shopping leading to huge demand for delivery drivers, packers and other support roles. There are stories of pilots now driving delivery vans so you would likely also meet all sorts of interesting people allowing you to build that valuable network for post lockdown!
Online tutoring: There are loads of companies through which you can put your skills and knowledge to use, make some money and also build some “real life” experience. You can sign up with My Tutor, Tutorhub, Scholar Hub.
Seasonal farmworkers: farms are in need of tens of thousands of workers to harvest the food the nation needs, so why not enlist. The Land Army is a register of UK workers ready and waiting to work on farms and over 200 farms have signed up to employ staff. It may not be how you saw yourself spending the summer, but if you care about the environment, healthy quality food for all and want to be outside in the sunshine then what better way to earn some dosh?
NHS: There has been a surge in applications to work for the NHS during the pandemic. The NHS is the heart of the crisis and they are hiring for loads of roles. You don’t need medical training or experience to show your support for frontline workers – the NHS is hiring for care assistants, porters, maintenance and catering.
Create your own job
With your downtime why not use it to focus some of your attention-getting that side gig you’ve been exploring off the ground or finally turning that passion you’ve been bottling into a business.
Think about what you want to offer. Do you have a service you have always wanted to provide? A skill you can leverage or perhaps there is a product you feel is missing from the market?
Once you answer the why, you can start to think about the how and next thing you know you’re on your way to creating your own job – maybe even business.
You can start small by exploring freelance opportunities, looking at project work or doing mini projects through sites like peopleperhour, Fivrr, Upwork, Freelancer, Toptal and Envato Studio.