The bar chart illustrates the percentage of Australian students in different age groups who had part-time jobs in 1983 and 2003, while the table presents the average weekly working hours and the time required to complete a degree in those years.
Overall, part-time employment among students increased substantially across all age groups over the period. In addition, students in 2003 worked longer hours and generally took more time to finish their degrees compared with those in 1983.
In 1983, the lowest proportion of part-time workers was among 17-19-year-olds, at about 35%. This figure rose to around 55% for students aged 20-24 and about 50% for the 25-29 group. By 2003, participation rates were much higher, peaking at roughly 73% among 20-24-year-olds, while all other age groups also exceeded 50%.
According to the table, average paid work increased from 5 hours per week in 1983 to 14.4 hours in 2003, while the average time to complete a degree rose from 3 to 4 years.