Introduction

The conception of professional consciousness is one of the main categories in study process. It consider higher education not only as the higher level of specialization, but also as the higher level of psychological special aspects and qualities development due to which specialists can perform their professional activity and become able to do it. “Mental” development and psychological “molding” of each and every person is happening to the extant and while this particular person is “entering”, “growing into” the professional activity, which this person is mastering by the study of activity’s subject-matter, form and methods in higher education institution. This is student’s professional “socialization” goal during university study process. In other words, “transformation” into specialist (N.N. Nechaev 2009).

S.Rigger [Riggert, 2006,p 63-92] student employment research is based on over the forty years statistics. Over 80% of students work while on a break, and over 50% of 24 years old and younger students work during whole calendar year says S.Rigger. R.Bozick [Bozick,2007, p261-285] analyzed how financial and economic conditions could influence educational and employment students’ path. From 1993 till 2000 Dunkan McVicar and Brian Mckee [2001, p 229-247] analyzed students employment in North Ireland. The studies show student employment growth to 80% and note connection between work hours and age, work hours and number of the study year. S. Hummond studied the influence of students’ employment to their level of success and future salary. Mr.Hummond research proves that students’ employment might be positive and negative. S.Hummond gives National center of educational statistics (NCES) data which shows more successful achievements by students who work from 1 to 15 hours per week oppose to those who work more than 16 hours and those who do not work at all, just studying.

The importance of sociohistorical and cultural context for professions has been highlighted in modern researches (Tracey L Adams Sociology of professions: international divergences and research directions // Work, Employment & Society February 2015 29: 154-165). There is a gender dependable work satisfaction factor which is a result of work variety between men and women, says Tracy L. Adams. 2006 research data analysis allows to come to three important conclusions. First of all, full or part employed women are more satisfied with their job than men. Secondly, job satisfaction is closely related to working day duration (full-time and part-time working day). Finally, the most important conclusion states that gender based work dissatisfaction differentiation could be eliminated by change of work area (Min Zou Gender, work orientations and job satisfaction Work, Employment & Society February 2015 29: 3-22, first published on January 8, 2015 doi:10).

Market economy replaced Soviet command-and-control one. As a result social status structure has been changed dramatically. In the past it was built on class position and proximity to political elite. Now, social status structure is based mostly on profession and education level, increasing their value. Full-time students in Russia once again face the problem of “surviving”. It becomes more serious topical problem from year to year. “Students” social group member becomes a member of another group – “working students”, by adapting certain set of social characteristics such as age, marital status, financial status, future specialty.

Full-time students’ employment issue became strained after some disagreements were found in education and labor regulatory documents: Education act, Labor law and educational institution code recommended by Ministry of Education.

Every young person from now on will have to balance between successful university education and obtaining high quality education. Besides, young person have to balance between financial success and professional competence and networking, which could be obtained in certain conditions while combining work and university study. The decision to combine full-time university study and full or part-time work is individual. Nowadays more and more students are making the choice to join university and workforce at the same time. It shows that students are changing their priorities. [4]

Zolotova I. K., Kolosova R.P., Polyakova N.V., Chizhova L.S. and others looked into the youths employment problem as a problem of a group with its own social, economic, age and education status. In Russia some research in area mentioned above started to appear in mid-90-s. It studied graduate students’ professional training and their adapting process within job market. At that time Gerchikova V.I., Radaeva V.V. and Konstantinova E.B archived some important results in their research, despite of research base being limited to one university only or in best case to one city.

Any job is considered to be a secondary occupation for full-time students, because university study remains their main occupation [Perova, 1999. p.31-34]. Sociological research showed that almost half of full-time students in the beginning of XXI century had relatively stable paid job. Research articles dedicated to this phenomena, reflect mostly secondary employment positive sides. It’s mentioned that having a job increases students’ chances to find full-time job after graduation by helping them to solve financial problems, gain necessary social and work experience and give networking opportunities. “Working student” portrait looks overall attractive: it is new social type with high work motivation, who is able to adapt well in modern market economy; it is active member of our (Russian) transformation society [Konstantinovskiy, 2002, p. 117-118]. After the detail consideration it is fair to say that secondary employment is an important element of students’ professional becoming in modern conditions.

During last several years it has been noticed that paid job have become a one of the most important factors, which determine students’ stance on education activity. Employment after university is among the main goals of studying youths. It is also considered by them as a socialization forms. These goals correlate with need to earn a living and pay tuition.

Besides secondary employment has the other side. Working students often perform low qualified jobs, which stays far away from their specialties. This does not help them to improve any professional skills. Furthermore, in a lot of cases students do not have a real need in earned money.

Most youths receive money from two sources: their parents and low qualifying jobs such as tutor, waitress, cleaner or helper. In most cases these jobs are irrelevant to students’ future professions.

Students’ job market paucity is partially determined by negative stance on physical labor. Those time students used to be upper class descendants who kept their prejudices towards physical work despite of experienced financial difficulties. Those youthss could not imagine themselves doing anything like carriage unloading etc. Post-graduation employment and its role as a socialization form stand out as studying youthss’ main goal according to data obtained by Konstantinovskiy D.L. and Cherednichenko G.A. These goal are closely related to needs of earning a living and paying tuition. Recent studies show that student body is formed mostly by middle to upper class youthss (Boyko, 2003). Such scientists as Sheregie F.E., Harcheva V.G., Gerchikov V.I., Vibornova V.V., Dunaeva E.A. and Konstantinova E.B. emphasize secondary employment spreading among modern student body (Sheregie F.E. 2010, Gerchikov V.I. 1999, p. 87-94, Vibornova V.V. 2006, p. 99-105, Konstantinovskiy D.L., Voznesenskaya E.D., Cherednichenko G.A. 2001, p. 101-120); Perova I.T.)

Tomsk region youthss’ problems specific character is caused by two main factors and their consequences. Firstly its necessary to mention that Tomsk and Tomsk region are highly populated by university studying young people and as a result by young professionals. Over 50% of them are come from another towns and regions. This provides an increase in youthss’ migration rate from less educationally developed areas of the country.

However, youthss and especially graduates development resources deficit is the other side of this situation. First of all it touches employments resources such as job, education, leisure time, political and social activity, creative activity, sports etc.

Two contradictions have arisen in this regard. The first one is between Tomsk region need to keep its own and attract young people from outside regions due to Tomsk population aging problem and possibility to provide those young people with all the necessary resources. The second contradiction is between existing powerful educational complex and its ability to meet modern social and economic needs. The result of these contradictions and resource deficit is very high level of competition and high “entry” price from financial and other points of view.

Recently higher education became a formality for youthss who changed their priorities to work instead of studying process. This has happened for several reasons one of which is an amount of scholarship students receive. Base Tomsk state university of control and radioelectronics (TUSUR) student scholarship during 2015 spring semester is equal to 1,400 rubles per month. The scholarship amount depends on students’ grades, academic and extracurricular activities and multiplying factor.

According to Tomsk governor order 2014 III quarter Tomsk region minimal cost of living per head is equal to 8,757 rubles (Tomsk region order №259-р from 23.10.2014). Working people it is equal to 9,275 rubles (8,208 rubles per head in IV quarter of 2013); for retired people – 7,035 rubles (6,391 rubles); for underage children – 8,935 rubles (7,922 rubles). It is clear that students who are not eligible for academic excellence scholarships or do not receive financial support from their parents will not be able to be financially independent with basic scholarship only. That is why increase in student secondary employment is very logical tendency.

A research has been held from March to May of 2014 in order to study mentioned above tendency. The research participants are ranged from age 20 to 22 years old full-time TUSUR students. Gender and age cluster sampling was applied to 262 people. Tomsk polytechnic university (TPU), Tomsk state university (TSU) and Tomsk state university of control and radioelectronics (TUSUR) professors were invited as the research experts (n-5 semi-structured interview method).

Motives which push students to search for the additional source of finance might be divided into two groups:

1.    Tactical. This motive is based on additional financial source need in order to fulfill students’ desires to have extra pocket money, money for leisure, electronic gadgets, clothes and accessories. Besides this motive also includes need to cover some other expenses such as every day spending, food, utilities and tuition.

2.    Strategic. This motive is based on desire to earn certain reputation, to have some work and network experience. This is motive to gain some starting social and professional capital and have some advantages on job market after graduation.

What sector of employment is in demand of students’ labor? This is one of many questions researchers were eager to answer. It appears that students labor in demand most of all in retail (62%). There are several reasons to that:

1.    Retail offers most vacancies.

2.    High turnover of staff.

3.    Considerably low new employees’ professional requirements.

4.    Flexible working hours.

Education is the other sector of employment where students’ labor is in demand (16%). It is very predictive tendency due high student involvement into camp guide, mentor and teacher practices. 12% of interviewed students mentioned logistic as their sector of secondary employment. It is very similar to retail but more energy consuming. Maybe for that reason logistic was chosen only by male research participants. Logistic sector employers in most cases are looking for candidates who have driver license and their own car, for example, for delivery person or driver vacancies. This is the reason why male candidates are more suitable for logistic jobs. At the end it is clear that students’ labor is in demand in economic sectors with high percentage of low qualified employees and low wages. Among research participants who in some point of their university study combined it with work 63% were never officially employed.

Employers benefit from unofficial employees. It gives them a way to avoid some taxes, don’t increase permanent staff, fire employees without paying a dismissal wage; don’t provide social benefits and vacations.   

It seems to be the reason for some serious dissatisfaction. However, 57% of research participants are satisfied with their current work despite of being in disadvantage position.

The research shows loyal university professors’ attitude towards working students. However, 33% or research participants mentioned negative treatment of students who underperform in class due to their secondary employment. These educators express the following opinion: if student wants to work, he or she should study part-time. This is probably fair but at the same time is not acceptable for male students. They, being part but not full-time students, are automatically under the risk of being drawn into Russian army.

The opinion mentioned above was examined by set of interviews which was held among different discipline university professors. Interviews result in opinion that educators are not against students’ secondary employment as long as it in some way related to pursuing future profession and allow them to gain professional experience. Educators agreed that this even might help students to perform better in class and help with future job search. Individual studying plan development was offered as an interesting way to solve working student-professor conflict. Besides, it was offered to change last year students studying process to distance learning instead free attendance. Such a change is legal and complies with last edition of education law. This solution might help students with full-time jobs to solve their problems.

Consequently, one can see quite loyal and normal educators’ attitude towards working students. They are ready to offer alternative studying process; however, student should be the one who shows an initiative.

Despite of the fact that Russian labor law allows students to be full-time employed it does not eliminate a conflict relationship between higher education system and job market.

The research held in Tomsk showed that it is wide spread among students to have a job.  It is mass phenomena. About 63% of student body has full-time job. The rest are most likely looking for job but haven’t found it yet. The percentage of working students is changing from university to university.

Operative motives analysis shows that 51,2 % of research participants are driven by financial factors. However, as motivation priorities structure indicates, work is not their main priority. Students spend earned money mostly for pleasure. Financial factor is not the only one that makes students work. They care about post graduate employment also (19%). This is one more students’ motive to work.

Students work to socialize more, gain some network, practice and social experience, which come very useful when entering a job market in general and is even a requirement in some companies. Interviews held among some companies show employers’ preferences towards candidates who worked while in university especially if this work was related to future profession.

Hence, there are provided some studying process improvements:

·         Increase offer of paid educational services for working students: extra studying hours for laboratory and other type work which should be performed with educator’s supervision or some staff presence.

·         Push back exams, tests and papers deadlines.

·         Increase flexibility and applied nature of educational process.

·         Bring back entering benefits for prospective students with related to chosen profession work experience.

Hence, there are provided some students organizational study condition improvements:

·         Set more flexible schedule for working students.

·         Apply students’ work experience, data and materials in their term and diploma projects and have students to do internship at their workplace aiming to get additional professional first-hand experience.

·         Cultivate freelance or contract students’ employment. In this case students will learn to work on their own and have flexible work schedule.

·         Create work groups in companies to develop perspective but risky business paths and take last year students to work in these groups.

·         Improve relation between universities and business. Encourage business which employs students with tax or other benefits.

·         Develop last year students’ internship practice where employer has no strict obligations to provide an intern with a job offer after graduation.

Students’ employment problem solution is required attention of all involved parties as well as material resources.

Young generation is not only the moving power of innovational changes. In case of social reproduction process destruction it might become social instability and disintegration factor. That is why students’ secondary employment process should be considered as a way to keep health stability of social and education systems.

2. Nechaev N.N., Ermakov V.G. Innovation education as an object of educational theory. // Education development psycho-educational aspects. – M. 2009. – p. 96–113. – (MSLU Bulletin; issue 539).

3. Dunkan McVicar and Brian McKee ,2001, p.229-247.

4. Gorshkov M.K., Sheregi F.Je. The youths of Russia: a sociological portrait.–M.:CSPiM, 2010.–254-255s, Sheregi F.Je. Harcheva V.G. Graduate School of sociology in the mirror//sociological researches. 1994. №12.; Merkulova T. P. Optimization of secondary employment students: Avtoreferat diss. … kand. sociol. nauk / Rossijskaja akademija gosudarstvennoj sluzhby pri Prezidente RF. Moskva, 1998.

5. Federal law ot 29 dekabrja 2012 g. N 273-FZ " The Education Act of the Russian Federation; [Jelektronnyj resurs]. Rezhim dostupa http://www.tusur.ru/export/sites/ru.tusur.new/ru/tusur/ustav-07-18.pdf

6. Orlova O.V., Volkova O.V., EDUCATIONAL TRAJECTORIES Of Youths In The REGIONAL Dimension. PART// Alma mater , 2013. № 10. С. 19-28.