Global hours: work while study in Germany

In this episode, we turn our attention to the job-seeking process of Chinese students in the labour market. By following the journey of Chinese students as they become student workers at a German factory, you will hear how citizenship can restrict access to other job opportunities. You will also see how they eventually start their work at the factory by taking advantage of 'being Chinese', including using Chinese social platforms and engaging with the Chinese community in Germany. Through both exclusion and inclusion, you will witness the vulnerability and subjectivity of these student workers.

In this episode, we unpack the phrase “I need money.” We ask why student workers, who often have enough savings to cover basic living costs in Germany, still experience strong financial pressure. Money, in this context, is not just about survival. It becomes a way to cope with social and cultural expectations, and a tool through which students redefine dependence, responsibility, and relationships with parents.

In this episode, we follow Chinese student workers during a full day on the shop floor. Starting at 8:30 a.m., we experience the rhythm of warehouse work as it unfolds: how tasks are assigned, how wages are calculated, and what the working conditions are like. Through these everyday moments and firsthand accounts, we see student work in the warehouse as a lived, embodied experience rather than an abstract job description.

What does it really mean to study and work in Germany as an international student? In this introductory episode of Global Hours, we explain why we started this podcast, the topics we’ll cover and how we hope to build a community around rarely discussed experiences.