to worry that DD's chosen career can only earn a maximum of £27,000??

[soups1]

dd is clever. she has 3 a-levels in maths, psychology and law. She has a lot of potential for many areas. They are not amazing a-level grades, so uni is possible but maybe having to do 4 years or just a local uni, but there are lots of jobs she could do with those a-levels and go on to earn well.

She has decided she wants to do embalming/funeral work. I don't have an issue with the chosen career (although i don't get it!) but it doesn't pay well. A maximum of 27,000 and that is a lot of graduates starter money! she is hoping to go on an embalmer 2 year course soon and a lot of the time they can get jobs through there, as people contact that school and ask for people who are finishing. i am just worried about her choice.

aibu? 27000 forever isnt that much

Compared to city salaries it's not much (and I say city as in city law firms or banks). But if it's what she wants to do and will be happy then surely that has to count for something.

But she will always have work? It's not the kind of career where the work dries up so it's quite sensible in that respect. And that's not the worst salary in the world.

She is obviously happy she will have job satisfaction over a bigger wage. Sounds like she is a compassionate woman to have chosen such a job. My dd did fab at uni then decided she didn't want the stress of a career and just chose a regular office job instead. She is very happy, has a great bf and lovely home. Life isn't all about £££££££! I hope she knows you are proud not disappointed!

It's still a pretty good salary and there's other work she could do in future if she wants to. She would never be out of work

yeah i suppose i just worry, she really wants a family at some point and of course it is possible but i do think it will be a struggle and i really dont want to see her struggle with money

It's a better salary than a lot of people make, but surely the most important thing is that she is in a profession that makes her happy. Little joy working in a job you hate just because it pays more money.

• if she loves the work then imo that is more important than the salary

• it seems like area where she could potentially start her own business over time

• very safe job: death and taxes are the only certainty (a quote from I forget who) and accountancy is really boring!

She's young. She has years ahead until retirement. She might change her mind. But if she doesn't, it's what she wants to do.

She may also later choose to have her own funeral home/run her own business, which would make a difference.

That said, I agree with PPs. She'll never be out of work!

My parents deterred me from 2 professions that they thought would be hard work and would pay poorly. I now do something that, whilst I don't hate, I tolerate. It's well paid and I enjoy a nice lifestyle. However, as one spends so much time at work, I'd rather be doing something I enjoyed.

Yet, the grass is always greener and I could be in a situation where I was on low pay and disliked my work!

I would support your child's choices. A career for life doesn't seem to exist anymore and she can retrain if necessary.

Is £27K about the national average salary?

I don't get that 27k isn't much.... It's more than the national average salary (I think?) and is a decent amount of money to earn in a stable profession.

Also surely what someones earning potential could be is only a small part of working, our enjoyment and passion for a job which we could be doing for 40+ years is equally important.

If she's happy in her choice you would be unreasonable to discourage her.
Job satisfaction and happiness are more important that a high wage, imo.

And lots of people go to Uni, do a degree that they don't use in the slightest for their career, rack up a huge amount of debt and don't even end up earning much (I know so many people like this).

A head undertaker job was advertised round here for £40k (up north). She could also go on to set up her own funeral directors.

27k is a decent salary for many parts of the country, though, so it depends where you are.

If her a levels aren't great, she may run the risk of getting a mediocre degree from a mediocre university and with grad jobs being so competitive now...there are lots of people earning much less than they expected to be. Not saying this happens in all cases, but it would be a concern.

And, at the end of the day, better she does something she enjoys for slightly less money than something she's just not interested in and won't stick out in the long run.

If she has a passion for working in this field then I think you should support her. Once she's working in the industry, she'll be better placed to see if she wants to move to a different role with higher earning potential eg funeral home directory.

Also, similarly to Zampa my parents discouraged me from a particular relatively low paid career. I went into something much higher paid and was unsatisfied. Ended up quiting to follow my dream and am now much happier. If I'd done that from the start, however, I'd be in a much better place by now.

Where do you live?

start off wage is about 18000 so yes 27000 is small for a maximum wage.

i definitely will support her and am very proud its just a bit concerning i suppose. especially when i saw the thread about what jobs will you advise your children not to do and a lot said i would push for a higher paying one, so it got me really quite concerned anout it.

silent in essex

Director not directory stupid auto correct

It's more than minimum wage and unless you live in an expensive area it's enough for her to support herself.

Support her choice, she's chosen a career so not like shes planning a life of not working and being lazy. She may change her mind after uni and pursue something else, lots have two or three different careers.

Where do you live?
27k in Central London is crap, in Newcastle it is above average.

I think you are misleading yourself in thinking grads can earn £27k, many struggle to find work full stop and it's only those fortunate enough to be on a corporate grad scheme for one of the big companies that will get this. For that salary they will be expected to work hard, probably have to study and pass exams in that field, and get sent all around the country without any notice.

Well what opportunities are there once she's a qualified and experienced embalmer? Counselling, co-ordination and managing a chain of funeral parlours, managing a local crematorium, etc.

Richest person I know went into his family firm, learning embalming as the first step. Chain has grown and taken over others and employs a large number of staff, many on more than £27k I imagine.

OP I'm in a job that according to that thread no one wants their children to do. It's tough but I love it.

I am assuming she's quite young? So it's an unusual idea, I suggest she tries to get some work experience first. I would think it is exceedingly unglamorous and chilly not to mention difficult emotionally.

She could give it a go and then go to uni or another career later?