Start a career in high school. How Law Students Combine Work and Study

In the capital, the action “Marathon of employment of student youth” is held. The meeting of students with the leadership of the faculty and a representative of BRSM took place at the Law Faculty of BSU on September 8, the correspondent of the Minsk-Novosti agency reports.

The action as part of the “Learn and Work” initiative is held from 1 to 18 September. In total, about 150 urban enterprises take part in job fairs, which offer about 500 jobs to students, taking into account their future specialty.

About employment opportunities while studying at the university was told by Deputy Dean for Ideological and Educational Work of the Law Faculty of BSU Irena Lapina.

- It is clear that students are not ready specialists, but they are often smart, talented and literate people. Many were excellent students at school and came to us, having scored a maximum of 400 points at the entrance tests, said I. Lapina. In the process of learning, it is important to learn how to apply theory in practice. To do this, after completing each course, there is a summer practice where students can demonstrate their knowledge and skills. After the first one, lawyers get acquainted with the activities of the executive committees. At the end of the second, they try their hand at enterprises to study the work of a corporate lawyer and legal adviser from the inside. After the third, we propose to consolidate their knowledge in the courts, the prosecutor’s office, the bodies of the Investigative Committee, so that students can understand what is closer to them. So, by the fourth year, when the pre-diploma practice begins, the students have time to study all branches of law, including procedural. After passing through the internship stage, they make informed choices and lay the foundation for their future career.

The “Learn and Work” initiative allows lawyers to prove themselves even more at the very beginning of the path to the profession.

- Our direction is multidisciplinary: you can get a job in government bodies, in a private firm, work for yourself and not only. But to make a choice, you have to try. And four years of study at the faculty are given just so that the student had time to get different experiences, said I. Lapina.

However, an important nuance: work should not come at the expense of education. Only in-depth knowledge gained at the university will become the foundation that will allow you to take serious positions in the future.

Separately dwelled on the activities of the department "Legal Clinic". This is a structural unit of the Center for Educational Innovation of the Faculty of Law. Among its main tasks: educational, career guidance, social (providing free assistance to those in need) and information and educational.

The Clinic was established in 2000. Today, work is carried out in seven areas. Among them are oral and written advice to citizens, responses to letters (including from those who are in prison) and to appeals received by our faculty, and others, explained Alexander Fedorovich, Deputy Head of the Center and Head of the Department “Legal Clinic” of the Center for Educational Innovations of the BSU Faculty of Law. Recruitment of students is carried out at the beginning of the academic year on the basis of applications that can be submitted from the second year. At the same time, all the main participants undergo mandatory training under the guidance of mentors, teachers and curators.

Other employment opportunities were told by the secretary of the primary organization of the BRSM Faculty of Law of BSU Vasily Shamatulsky. He stressed that the student squad movement is a good launch pad where you can get your first work experience and new skills.

- The Youth Union organizes student teams of various profiles: construction, agricultural, pedagogical, service, environmental, medical and production, said V. Shamatulsky. Every year more and more people want to join the movement. For example, as of September 9, 2025, 2,558 soldiers worked in 119 detachments. And at the same time, but in 2026, already 3,160 fighters in 171 detachments. This experience offers many opportunities. So, there is a chance to get a place in the hostel outside the general queue, as well as a request for a discount for training or transfer to the budget. Among other advantages are preferential taxation, free medical commission.

Students also spoke about the first steps in the profession. Arthur Demchenko is studying in the fourth year of the Faculty of Law, but began to build a career in the second year.

- My experience includes practice in government agencies, the National Center for Legislation and Legal Information, and the Bar. However, the basis of my professional experience is working in law firms. Together with his colleagues, he advised commercial companies on non-standard legal issues – he helped solve complex problems that their internal legal departments could not cope with, Demchenko explained.

According to the student, combining study and work, of course, is not easy, but much depends on the desire. We'll have to find a balance.

- If we talk about recommendations, first of all, we need to build a competent system of priorities and apply a flexible approach. You don’t always have to focus on college or just work. It is also critical to be able to communicate with people – both employers and teachers. Our faculty teaches many practicing lawyers from different fields, and they understand everything perfectly. The most important thing is to openly communicate, show initiative and show that even if at a particular moment something does not work out, you are ready to look for a solution to the problem and cope with it.

Diana Kapanets also moved to the fourth year. She has diverse work experience, and not only in her specialty.

- Practiced both in private organizations and in state bodies, for example, in the Investigative Committee, the student said. The application of theoretical knowledge gained during training helps to gain tremendous experience. Without it, it is impossible to consolidate the material studied well, learn to look for the right solutions. However, without theory to take place as a specialist will not work. In our activities, it is very important to be able to analyze information, build a strategy step by step. Only by practicing can you fully master such skills.

Photo by Diana Shabala