Secondary employment of students as a factor in the professionalization and social integration of young people

The relevance of research on the secondary employment of students is emphasized by the necessity to study its mixed impact on the professionalization and social integration of young people in the Russian society. The goal of this article is to clarify the meaning of secondary employment for the professionalization and social integration of young people in modern Russia on the basis of empirical data analysis. Originality of the problem statement and its solution are due to the fact that we consider students’ employment motivation in relation to the results achieved, realization of employment expectations, identification of possible outcome from combining studies and work, including the description of studies-work combination results for social and personal development of students and selection of several functions of young people’s secondary employment. Empirical basis of the research is complied from the results of author’s interviews with working students (2011 and 2017). The research showed the hierarchy of students’ secondary employment motives: financial motives are on the top and professional ones are less important. We note relative permanency of this hierarchy and a decrease in importance of the early start of professional carrier for working students. Division of pragmatic and professionally oriented motives of students’ secondary employment is explained. We point out that many working students have implemented their financial expectations, which reveals the leading role of the economic function in students’ employment; devaluation of secondary employment experience as a competitive advantage in social and labor relations; non-productivity of performed work for professionalization of the majority of working students. At the same time, we reveal the significant impact of work on the formation of common labor culture in students. Necessity to strengthen professionalization function within students’ secondary employment is revealed, and practical recommendations are given. The results of this research may help develop theoretical models and accumulate empirical data in the sphere of economic sociology, labor sociology, and youth sociology. It can be used by public authorities, employment services, and vocational education institutions.