Develop your skills

as well as your tan.
Making the most of your summer holidays

The summer holiday for some is a time to relax and recuperate after a grueling exam schedule. However for others it’s a chance to earn some extra cash before following the skintville road into the land of studentdom. But, as you'll discover, there's more than money to be gained from working over the summer.

Work Skills
Summer work experience can help you develop the important soft skills graduate recruiters look for in prospective employees. Your ability to work as part of a team, your communication and organisational skills, your ability to make effective decisions are just a few examples of these.

Life Skills
If you're one of the lucky few who doesn't need to work over the summer, then why not try travelling? Learning about other cultures and meeting different people is another good way to develop skills, particularly interpersonal and social skills, and you may never have an opportunity to spend so much time abroad again.

So, whatever you're doing this summer, whether it's temping, working in sales, looking after children, teaching English or voluntary work, make the most of it and, above all, have fun!

Minimum Wage
If you're concerned about wages, here are some guidelines to help you. As of October 2001, the minimum wage in the UK is £3.70 an hour for those aged 22 and over and £3.20 an hour for those aged 18-21. But there are some cases in which the minimum wage does not apply - if the worker's under 18, for example, or if they're working for a family business.

If you'd like further information about wages, call the National Minimum Wage Helpline on 08457 600 0678.

If you are seeking employment Join Xcel now for free, Job information please fill in the Career Information form

The College Information service is your free, Study information service, helping you find out about study opportunities at colleges and universities