Is it possible to study and work at the same time?

Studying and working at the same time needs flexibility and commitment and preferably a supportive employer. Nevertheless, the government is encouraging employers and educators to collaborate on ways to deliver further education to employees, to help close the ‘skills-gap’.

Presently, if you are 16 or 17 years old and have not yet achieved a GCSE level of education or equivalent, you are entitled to time off work to study for that level. The time off should be paid at your normal hourly rate. 18 year-olds may finish a course of study, if they started it before being employed.

Apprenticeships can be sought in many types of business, such as:

·         Accountancy

·         Administration

·         Construction

·         Leisure

These work-based training programmes are offered to new and existing employees who are under 24 years old. Apprenticeships, which offer nationally-recognised qualifications, are on the increase in the economic downturn. However, you may only be paid a National Minimum Wage of £2.60 an hour while you are studying.

Your employer may sponsor you to take a full-time course at a college, where you return to work during the institution’s holidays or at weekends. They may pay a certain amount to you as living expenses whilst you study, and keep your job open for you. Equally, many University or college courses incorporate a year spent working in the relevant business or industry as part of the learning process.

Some large companies offer programmes of employer-funded undergraduate degrees. The employer will fund fees and tuition expenses, generally for business degrees, while paying a small salary to the undergraduate. In turn, the undergraduate will work for the company while spending one or two days a week at University.

If you work in a company of 250 or more, you have the right to request time off for further education, called 'time to train'. The training must lead to a recognised qualification that develops relevant skills. In order to qualify, you must have given 26 weeks’ continuous service to your employer. If you make a proper request and this is refused by an employer who does not follow the proper refusal procedure, or if you are dismissed for asking for ‘time to train’, you may be able to make a complaint to an employment tribunal. If this is the case, you should consult a specialist employment solicitor.