Professional associations – or trades unions – work to improve conditions for their members in the job market.
What should you choose?
Trades unions look after the interests of their members with regard to conditions of work and pay. Trades unions will, for example, provide advice and guidance about pay, employment conditions and in-service training. You can choose yourself whether you wish to be a member of a trades union, and nowadays there is in principle freedom of choice as to which union you choose. There are, however, professional links to individual unions that it may be relevant to consider, if you want to be in receipt of various benefits that might strengthen your professionalism and allow you the best possible individual advice.
Unions and unemployment funds are two independent instances. So you can easily be a member of an unemployment fund without being a member of a union.
If you are doubt as to the professional organisation that you wish to join, you are welcome to contact the CareerCentre to seek guidance and advice.
Trades unions and students
It is a good idea to join a trades union while you are studying. Most professional organisations that cater for the highly qualified provide the opportunity for a student membership. Student membership often has a range of practical benefits as regards, for example, cheap student insurances and reduced prices on books.
See the list to the right for links to various associations’ homepages.