Date of Award

1994

Document Type

Thesis

Publisher

Edith Cowan University

Degree Name

Bachelor of Education Honours

School

School of Education

Faculty

Faculty of Education

First Supervisor

Dr Anna Lichtenburg

Abstract

A large number of full-time secondary students of all types have part-lime jobs although research shows that these jobs are not sought or shared proportionately amongst the student sub-groups. Previous research suggested that social class or socio-economic status (each defined in different ways by different researchers) had an effect on whether or not students engaged in part-lime work. However none suggested why this might be so. The purpose of this study was lo investigate the factors which influenced the decisions which students from different socio-economic backgrounds made about paid part-time work and to determine whether there were differences amongst these groups. A sample stratified by high, middle and low socio-economic groups was selected. The socio-economic status of the school neighbourhood, rather than that of the family of the individual student was used. This decision was based on Kannel's (cited in Ross, Farish & French 1985, p.2) finding that the values and actions of the child were subjected to greater influence from the neighbourhood, acting as an extension of the family, than from the individual home background. The socio-economic status of a neighbourhood was defined according to the latest available census data. To achieve a sample of Year 11 students, six schools were selected; two in a High socio-economic neighbourhood (SEN), two in a Middle SEN and two in a Low SEN. A final sample of 131 students made up the respondent population. All students were surveyed using a branching questionnaire which stratified the sample into those who had had a part-time job during 1992 or 1993, workers, and those who did not have a part-time job during this period, non-workers. Following preliminary analysis of the questionnaire data, 12 students were randomly selected to be interviewed using a Semi-structured Interview schedule. This sample comprised 2 workers and 2 non-workers from each SEN. Students were surveyed on the reasons for having or not having a part-time job, the effects of having a part-time job, job search strategies and on possible relationships between school and part-time work. Descriptive statistical methods of ANOVA and the Scheffe test were used to identify significant differences (p

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