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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not allow DC to go on work experience?

105 replies

image001 · 27/03/2017 18:20

One of my dc is 14 and is year 9. Because of the school set up (first year they have had year nines and only a handful of them) all year nine and year 10 are all being sent on work placement the same two weeks. DC will do work experience twice again due to school set up.

They have been told ten weeks before the work experience date about it (we did not think dc would do it until next year) and it is blooming nightmare as they are NOT helping them find anywhere or even helping with contacts, the kids have to do it themselves.

I have NO issue with this apart from the fact that from experience you have to apply months and months in advance for anywhere decent and dc knows what they want to be so I resent sending them somewhere irrelevant when dc is struggling academically in some core areas at the moment due to endless supply teachers in a couple of core subjects and some sen.

Soo is it a right of passage to be sent somewhere crap and miss two weeks of school or should I stand my ground and help her find somewhere proper for next year?

OP posts:
mymatemax · 27/03/2017 19:26

All work experience is relevant. Support them to write to potential employers.
Even rejection helps teach resilience.

mymatemax · 27/03/2017 19:26

All work experience is relevant. Support them to write to potential employers.
Even rejection helps teach resilience.

Starlight2345 · 27/03/2017 19:27

My Friends DS did a clothes shop... He wanted to work in Fashion..It like previous posters let him know if he wanted to work at a higher level in fashion he needed to work hard.

Starlight2345 · 27/03/2017 19:28

Also I did mine a very long time ago in a nursery.

I left wanting to work in a shoe shop as I really enjoyed helping them all put there shoes on !!!

Trifleorbust · 27/03/2017 19:31

image001:

No, you didn't but someone else did.

ahamsternest · 27/03/2017 19:32

I spent a week in a bookshop for mine and was basically free labour.

I didn't realise people set up proper work experience things months in advance nowadays. Surely it is just a flavour of the working day, and how to work with adult colleagues?

Original poster
image001 · 27/03/2017 19:34

Ah apologies I thought you meant me Trifle.

OP posts:
Allthebestnamesareused · 27/03/2017 19:34

Lots of places won't even take year 10 or 11 (or 6th formers) so year 9 will be a nightmare.

It doesn't really matter if it is not in the field they want to go in. Even if they go to a law firm they may only be filing or photocopying. I think the idea is to get used to a working day etc at this young age.

My friend's son ended up working at a bike shop (he is very academic and will probably not work in one eventually) but he is now a dab hand at fixing his own (and our) bikes. My son didn't manage to sort anything out and ended up at Pizza Hut. He was allowed to keep tips. He soon learnt the value of customer service in that he said the old dears tipped well if he was chatty and nice to them. When I asked what he meant by old dears - he said like you - I was 43 at the time!!!

Onceuponatime21 · 27/03/2017 19:38

Just pointing out employers don't need special insurance to take students on wexp. You are covered by employers liability and public liability insurance. (Best to have both, although public not essential). See ABI guidance. Don't want any potential employers being put off taking someone.

I'm a wexp coordinator for my sins. But the students do get so much from it: that is the only thing that makes me able to cope with the whole thing.

Agree Yr 9 is young. Go back to primary school as a TA? Somewhere they are used to younger children. Plenty of time to do a specific placement in year Ten or twelve.

Joinourclub · 27/03/2017 19:40

All work experience is relevant! They gain organisational skills, experience interacting with unknown adults, being respectful and polite and consequences if they aren't, dressing smartly/ appropriately, learn importance of punctuality, plan bus journey to work, see the reality of working life starting at the bottom, following instructions, fitting in, completing tasks on time, receiving criticism etc etc even 'crap'placements have some value.

Original poster
image001 · 27/03/2017 19:41

Yes dc has already contacted their old infant school, they are used to their needs, know them well and have smaller children in school and their sen needs won't be an issue there.

OP posts:
PeridotPeridot · 27/03/2017 19:49

I did my Year 10 work experience at a very high end law firm...there was an interview process and I was one of 3 chosen out of a couple of hundred applicants.

I spent my fortnight making tea, sorting through and delivering mail to the correct person and filing, with strict instructions not to open the files. A couple of times when they run out of things for us to do, they sent us off to the local magistrates court to sit in the viewing bit and watch...that was the best because at least it was interesting.

Other than that, I think I would have got just as much out of working in any shop or office. Some of my friends went to various restaurants and shops and impressed them and this led to part time work through A Levels and Uni which was much more useful in the long run!

Leeds2 · 27/03/2017 19:51

Year 9 is very young, so I don't really see the point of it as for many places their age will automatically disqualify them (when my DD was doing it, you had to be 16 for many places). Unless of course a parent/relative/friend can help.
Schools are a good choice though, and even if her old school can't accommodate her, she may be offered something at a different school.
Good Luck to her.

PyongyangKipperbang · 27/03/2017 19:53

We have had a real problem finding one for DD. Its seems that unless you have a contact somewhere, you have no chance. I know that this isnt just DD, her friends are having the same issue, her friends mum rang me to see if we were getting anywhere as they are desperate too.

Its all very well saying that the kids need to sort it themselves but the amount of schools in this area all doing WE at the same time, versus the places availabe means that some will inevitably not be able to find anywhere.

It isnt always a case of CBA!

DorotheaBeale · 27/03/2017 19:55

year 9 is TERRIBLY young.

It was the age when many, if not most, young people left school and entered the workplace for real, not that long ago.

BillSykesDog · 27/03/2017 19:55

Why do you think going somewhere 'crap' would be a bad thing? I imagine 3 weeks stacking boxes would be a great motivator to do well at school.

TripTrapTripTrapOverTheBridge · 27/03/2017 19:58

YABU. Work experience is work experience! I know you tend to want to do something related to your possible future career choice but it doesn't have to be to gain from it.

The main thing is you get a taster of adult life. You have to be on time, suitably presented and engage in a work environment and a million other things. To prevent your DCs from doing so is like telling them they don't have to bother with life and expectations and only do what perfectly suits their not particularly informed opinions and desires. Not very helpful is it?!

I also think that such an age is actually too young to be set on a specific career. Most of us change our minds over what we want to do, at some point. Why try insisting upon experiences that are only relevant to current ideal, for a school child? Madness.

I loved my work experience. I worked as a TA in a primary school and enjoyed every second, especially the 1-1 reading with the kids. It was my first choice as I wanted to be a teacher but that changed within 2 years!!! Whatever ypu get will be a valuable experience. Although the roles can be sucky if you leave it too late, i remember a couple of lads litter picking/street sweeping and working with the councils refuse department!

ThreeLeggedHaggis · 27/03/2017 19:59

Surely worst case scenario is she goes to work with you/your partner/another relative? If you don't want to bother giving her work you could sit her on a computer to study the areas she's struggling with.

TripTrapTripTrapOverTheBridge · 27/03/2017 20:01

*Meant to say too young to be deciding everything has to be specific to a potential future career

palebluesky · 27/03/2017 20:01

I have to say I don't like work experience for school kids.

I don't think you are being unreasonable but is there something like helping in a charity shop she might like?

WinterWander · 27/03/2017 20:02

We never did WE when I was at school - sounds like a good idea for the students but must be a complete pain in the arse for all the local small businesses. They probably get hundreds of letters/e-mails to sift through.

DorotheaBeale · 27/03/2017 20:02

I find that as a general rule, what you get out of life is pretty much equal to what you put in. So if you go into something with the expectation that it will be crap and useless and not worth bothering with, it probably will be.

turbohamster · 27/03/2017 20:03

YANBU

I know very few people who were allowed to experience anything resembling work during placements. I would have been quite happy to make tea, photocopy etc. anything to be useful, rather than just watching someone else do things and being a hindrance.

I worked full time in a factory for 10 weeks after my GCSEs so the idea that doing work experience at 17 was just an insight into the world of work seems a bit mad

Devilishpyjamas · 27/03/2017 20:07

Year 9 seems ridiculously young. Ds2 (year 10) struggled finding voluntary work for d of e. His school has dropped formal WE (you can do it if you want & it will be authorised) until the 6th form because of the difficulties finding placements for under 16's.

Somerville · 27/03/2017 20:09

I'm with the others who have pointed out that it's very hard to find a placement for a 13/14 year old. In fact, my 15YO's school only do WE in year 11 because otherwise young-in-year year 10's who aren't yet 15 really struggle to find somewhere. I have the impression it's due to some legislation or child labour laws (and yes, I know they're not paid).