The Student Room Group

Part time work and university

I am starting a new part time job next week, but I'm hoping to go to University of Birmingham in September and I live in Liverpool. I will hopefully get a transfer to a Birmingham branch as I know they will allow me to do this, but I was wondering what would I do when it came to Christmas and summer holidays. What have other people ended up doing. Did you get accommodation for over the summer or something? I can't just quit either as I need the income. I'm just a bit confused about how it would work so any advice would be great
Reply 1
For Christmas, your term time address is still yours so you're free to work then if you like. Even if you don't work Christmas, some companies realise that their employees consist of students and are happy to take on temp employees during holidays. Your employer may allow you to take your Christmas holidays and come back to work for them afterwards.

For Summer it'd be different as most first years choose to go to their home address until they find a flat for 2nd year. This length of time off may not be ideal for your employer.

Best answer? Ask your employer. They may not give a concrete answer but they will guide you.
I'm similar to you just the other way round, I live in Birmingham and go to uni in Liverpool. I found my easiest option (after struggling over Christmas with my hours in Liverpool and wanting to be at home) was get a job at home and just go back over the weekend, it's only an hour or two on the train(depending on where in brum you live) and then during the summer you have a job at home where you can go full time.


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Reply 3
Original post by Jackieox
I'm similar to you just the other way round, I live in Birmingham and go to uni in Liverpool. I found my easiest option (after struggling over Christmas with my hours in Liverpool and wanting to be at home) was get a job at home and just go back over the weekend, it's only an hour or two on the train(depending on where in brum you live) and then during the summer you have a job at home where you can go full time.


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Does that not get expensive? and what about going out with friends at Uni?
You can transfer between the two stores :smile: they'll let you do this :redface:


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Reply 5
Original post by ohhello92x
You can transfer between the two stores :smile: they'll let you do this :redface:


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I know, I did say it in the original post :P my question is what would I do when I need to come home at Christmas and summer :smile:
What the previous poster said, you can ask to transfer at Christmas and during the summer. You have to ask your employer if this is possible though.
Reply 7
Original post by kahinalouise
What the previous poster said, you can ask to transfer at Christmas and during the summer. You have to ask your employer if this is possible though.


I might see if I can do that, maybe not over Christmas as it would only be like 3 weeks off but over the summer holidays. Hopefully they are understanding :smile:
Original post by Becca.H96
I might see if I can do that, maybe not over Christmas as it would only be like 3 weeks off but over the summer holidays. Hopefully they are understanding :smile:


Fair enough, the summer at uni is nearly 4 months so I don't see why not, its better to have someone that knows what to do rather then train someone new. Good luck, hope you sort something out. :smile:
Reply 9
Original post by kahinalouise
Fair enough, the summer at uni is nearly 4 months so I don't see why not, its better to have someone that knows what to do rather then train someone new. Good luck, hope you sort something out. :smile:

Thanks :smile:



Thanks everyone else for your help :smile:
Original post by Becca.H96
I know, I did say it in the original post :P my question is what would I do when I need to come home at Christmas and summer :smile:


I think the only thing I can think of is let your manager know in your home town the dates you'll be home for the holidays and the dates you'll be returning to uni and to the store in your uni town


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Original post by ohhello92x
I think the only thing I can think of is let your manager know in your home town the dates you'll be home for the holidays and the dates you'll be returning to uni and to the store in your uni town


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Keep in mind they can only do this is they have a space at that store. for example if you're working at Waterstones and they don't have a space at the Liverpool Branch then you might not be able to
Original post by Jackieox
Keep in mind they can only do this is they have a space at that store. for example if you're working at Waterstones and they don't have a space at the Liverpool Branch then you might not be able to


True. I was thinking of my store when I posted it :redface: as there are people there who do transfer between stores. There's a couple of people who are in 3rd year at uni but haven't transferred back to my store, but I did speak to one of them a while back about it and at the time she wasn't sure if she was gonna transfer back due to uni work. But I'm at uni in my home town so obviously don't need to worry about transferring :redface:


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Reply 13
Original post by ohhello92x
True. I was thinking of my store when I posted it :redface: as there are people there who do transfer between stores. There's a couple of people who are in 3rd year at uni but haven't transferred back to my store, but I did speak to one of them a while back about it and at the time she wasn't sure if she was gonna transfer back due to uni work. But I'm at uni in my home town so obviously don't need to worry about transferring :redface:


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Fair enough. And yeah the transfers are permanent at m store and only if there is a vacancy in the store you want so I would have to go through the whole signing off contracts again each time and I can't be doing that all through Uni :P
Original post by Becca.H96
Fair enough. And yeah the transfers are permanent at m store and only if there is a vacancy in the store you want so I would have to go through the whole signing off contracts again each time and I can't be doing that all through Uni :P


Ah that's effort haha :tongue: at mine you can either get a transfer or get put as inactive until you go back for the holidays :redface:


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Reply 15
Original post by ohhello92x
Ah that's effort haha :tongue: at mine you can either get a transfer or get put as inactive until you go back for the holidays :redface:


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That would be very handy :P
Original post by Becca.H96
That would be very handy :P


Yup :tongue: :biggrin:


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Original post by Becca.H96
I am starting a new part time job next week, but I'm hoping to go to University of Birmingham in September and I live in Liverpool. I will hopefully get a transfer to a Birmingham branch as I know they will allow me to do this, but I was wondering what would I do when it came to Christmas and summer holidays. What have other people ended up doing. Did you get accommodation for over the summer or something? I can't just quit either as I need the income. I'm just a bit confused about how it would work so any advice would be great


Work at your original store in liverpool during the holiddays?
Reply 18
Original post by Emma:-)
Work at your original store in liverpool during the holiddays?


Like I said above I can't do that due to there needing to be vacancies and I would have to transfer every time I moved back and forth as each transfer is permanent.

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