Getting a higher education may not be the best option for absolutely everybody, certainly not in some countries, but remains a proven route to success for young people in Kazakhstan, with many hundreds of thousands pursuing study at this level into their 20s.
The economic reality of millions of young people going to university is far from identical in every country, but few places offer free tuition and even fewer are able to provide generous scholarships or grants to more than a handful of highly talented students.
Those lucky few whose parents can meet all the costs may be able to devote themselves full-time to their studies, or at least get essays written and enjoy their leisure time literally.
The cost of living can be lower for students than it is for those in work, certainly if discounts are available and the individuals are smart enough to manage their finances, but the bottom line for the vast majority of those passing through uni is that unless they find an income from somewhere, they are going to struggle.
This is not a uniquely Kazakhstani reality, of course. It is very much the same everywhere, and has been since the late 1990s in the UK when grants were replaced with loans, and later on when institutes started taking tuition fees directly from the learners.
Back in my day (the 1990s, for those curious among you), student debt was actually (and sadly) some kind of ‘badge of honour’, even ‘cool’, and leaving university owing money was seen as a sign that you’d enjoyed your three years beyond simply getting essays in on time. It was just for show, in fairness. Nobody really wanted to end up needing to pay back a fortune.
But back then, the very most that anybody owed when tossing their mortar board hats into the air with the time-honoured cheer was a couple of grand, something that could be paid off in a few years, even on a modest income.
The students of today don’t have it as easy as we of UK Gen X did (not nearly as easy), and debt now is in no way seen as positive, meaning that avoiding it is the best way to go.
Part-time jobs are, therefore, very useful.
saqtimes.kz met some students, or recent graduates, in both Almaty and Astana whose time learning has been balanced with hours devoted to making it financially more viable. To their credit, they reported other benefits, all of which embellish their time as students and enhance their employability.
Hospitality Jobs: Eternally Popular
The main port of call for students needing money is to take a job in the enormous hospitality industry, be this as waiting staff, kitchen staff, admin, or in hotels somewhere. Overwhelmingly, cafe and restaurant clientele are waited on by the younger generation, and although not all of them are students, most are, including Zhuldyz, who has worked part-time as a waitress in a restaurant throughout her degree.
“My classes usually last from 8:30 a.m. until about 2 p.m., which works out to 35-38 hours a week. For some of my student years, I lived in a dorm. I was embarrassed to ask my parents for money every time. So, I went out with other classmates to work part-time. My working hours were varied as I did shifts.
“I worked part-time as a waitress because I could get paid every day. Ideally, I wanted to work part-time in television or a newspaper, but due to the number of students, even that was highly competitive.
“I don’t think anyone dreams of working as a waiter; for me, it was just a part-time job to partially cover my expenses.”
The ideal outcome for students would be to find work in an area which directly complements their education and provides skills which enhance their career prospects, sadly not something immediately available to the waiters, couriers, and manual workers who combine duties with studies.
The IT Sphere: Good Work if You Can Get it
Yerkanat is one of those lucky enough to secure work in an agency which will enable him to learn vital skills as well as earn some cash. He studies Information Security at the International University of Information Technologies (IUT) with commitments topping 15 hours a week, but he doubles up as an IT manager in a medium-sized company and enjoys both equally.
“I am engaged in research on network security. This is my university focus, but I feel that I gain a lot from my job, as I have a lot of creative freedom and freedom of speech in the workplace; my time is mainly devoted to designing posters, but I think I do a dozen other things to help the company, too.
“I have met a lot of great, nice people in this job, and I really like talking to people. I also did some hours as an administrator at a darts academy before it closed, and I still help to organise local tournaments.”
Some courses of study lend themselves more readily to finding student jobs in their area than others, so some people can walk into a relevant position while their counterparts in other faculties need to make do with something that helps keep them out of debt.
Online and Sales Work: Can Bring in Good Money for the Right Applicants
Gulnaz is one of those who couldn’t quite land the perfect student job, something that would aid her in improving her international journalism skills, but she impressed her new bosses enough to land a neat little earner as a sales manager.
After her 30 hours a week of study, she topped that up with about the same commitment to honouring the part-time contract she’d signed, giving up her weekends in the process but with no regrets.
“If my class ended at 15:00, I would work an average of five hours from 16:00 to 21:00. And at weekends I would work all day as a sales manager.
“I started working in the summer. It was not a menial job; you worked in the office, talking to people. It was a very cheerful, warm team, I felt comfortable. The pay was good and they allowed me to schedule my work to fit alongside my course.
“You could say that it was a job unrelated to my specialty, but since I was a student, I needed an additional source of income. Even though it’s not what I originally wanted, I was able to gain a lot of experience by learning communication, gaining people’s trust, and other skills.”
Karina graduated from the same university as Gulnaz, and was quick to land a good job in the sphere she had studied to enter. This largely owed to a very productive spell as a student, top marks and all, but becoming a journalist herself was helped in part by the devotion she showed to working while studying.
Making the Most of Opportunities
Because of a flexible timetable, which she and her peers managed themselves, it was possible for her to take some hours at an online education centre, and she worked as a curator at an online exhibition as well.
“This was an interesting experience and an opportunity to earn additional income while studying. Furthermore, throughout my studies, I happily participated in internships and projects related to my speciality. This not only helped me gain valuable experience and become financially independent, but also helped me prepare my CV upon graduation.
“None of my jobs had a fixed schedule. I usually worked another 4-5 hours after returning home, and dedicated my weekends entirely to work-related tasks in order to complete my entire weekly assignment. I also completed internships at editorial offices and worked as a PR manager on several projects.”
You can possibly see how Karina was chosen from hundreds of applicants when applying for her first post-graduation role, given how she was so willing to take things on even when her formal studies were such a commitment.
Students, take note!
“I tried not to turn down projects or jobs. I made the most of every opportunity for professional development and employment that arose. Of course, I wasn’t able to give my all and demonstrate my full potential in all of them, but I gained a lot of good experience from each.
“I love communicating with people and am always happy to try something new. Throughout my studies, I accepted various job offers. Of course, balancing work and studies was sometimes challenging, especially considering I was also quite active in student life. However, I always saw it as an opportunity to gain new experience and develop.
“Of course, financial independence throughout my studies was a big advantage. But even more valuable were the skills, professional experience, and new contacts I acquired through work.
“The most important thing is to properly assess your strengths and make sure your time management is up to the job. In my opinion, during your student years, you shouldn’t turn down new opportunities. This is the best time to try different fields, figure out what truly interests you, and determine where you can best realise your potential.”
Now, if only I’d taken notice of wise words like that in 1992.
