Part time and "work when needed" contracts for the 20 - 30 year old bracket is growing in the UK and has been cited as one of the ways the unemployment figure has fallen. It is concerning some workers groups according to some of the papers and the BBC.

I think if you want part time work in the UK it is easy enough to come by (engineers at many companies I know can go part time until management level if they wish) but there is a growing trend of only part time positions becoming available in some sectors and you either have to like it or lump it sadly.