A new survey of more than 20,000 Canadian college and university students has found that 51% are working to support themselves while in school full-time. Remarkably, more than 40% of those are working more than 16 hours per week. The report, a summary of which is being released tomorrow, was conducted in 2004 and surveyed students at virtually all post-secondary institutions in all years of study across Canada.

"If tuition continues to rise there will be even greater need for students to work while in school," says Eric Meerkamper of D-Code, one of the co-authors of the report. "What we are seeing is that increasingly school IS work. On the positive side, students are graduating with more work experience," Meerkamper states. "However, there are a whole array of leadership opportunities, extra-curricular activities, and other valuable experiences that these students are likely missing out on while in school."

The report, which was commissioned by 9 of Canada's largest employers including 4 of the major banks, analyzed students' career aspirations and expectations.

The findings have far-reaching implications for how employers recruit students. "More than ever, employers need to look beyond students' academic acheivements in order to assess the potential of applicants," says Graham Donald of Brainstorm Consulting, another of the report's co-authors. "The increasing need to work part-time, or even full-time to pay for school school means that academic success in school may be compromised and thereby great candidates may go unnoticed."

Other trends identified by the report:
- 62% of respondents would like to find an employer with which to spend their whole career; this appears to contradict the common wisdom of disloyalty among young hires;
- When asked if they would be willing to accept a job that is not ideal, but may be a good starting point for their career, less than 2% said they would not;
- Less than 17% of students know the company for which they want to work.

Roy Whyte is a political journalist based, he works regularly on CDM.