To expect DS to find a job on top of attending college?

[PoppingBubbles]

I'm unsure if I am or not. DS hasn't said he won't, however is only taking a cursory glance at job websites each week.

He attends full time college, and does well there. I think he ought to have some kind of work too. He tells me that none of his college friends work (which has been confirmed by a couple when they come here)

I just think he ought to, even a Saturday job would be fine, though weekend or evening would work well too. It's not for any money into the household, I just think it would benefit him in many ways.

At the moment, I'm not pushing the matter, as unsure if IABU

Am I expecting too much? Do your DC work as well as attend full time education?

My daughters sixth form are very much against the pupils working as it affects their achievements.

Saturday jobs are few and far between. It'll also affect his chances of good grades.

Would you want another part time job in addition to working full time?

My DS works part time as well as studying full time, although his college full time is three days per week. He likes the extra money it gives him. He is also doing very well at college, but I do appreciate every child is different.

My d is at sixth form and works. Her school recommend that they don’t do more than six hours a week. She has a bar/restaurant job and does three evenings per fortnight- she runs her car, has a social life and saves up for tickets etc from this. I think about 1/3 of the students where she is have jobs, and quite a few of the questions she was asked at her medical school interviews were answered using examples from her job. She enjoys the work and enjoys the independence that earning her own money gives her. And she’s on track to get good grades.

I used to work every Saturday and Sunday when I was in sixth form. I really enjoyed it! It helped me understand money for when I went to uni. I used to go out a lot during this time too and swim a mile a few times a week. Am exhausted thinking about it now

What hours is college? My sixth form was 9-3 so I had plenty of time to do coursework etc in evenings. I appreciate things may have changed but this was on 2002/2003 so not decades ago.

I see AIBU so far

If it makes any difference, the full time course is over 3 - fairly long -days. They don't often get work sent home, unless it's not completed in class, which hasn't happened yet for DS.

Ah, crossed posted with the last 3 post. That balances things out a bit more

So he has four days a week free? What's he doing during those? He can definitely work on at least one!

It's worth noting like pp unis ask about this stuff. I was lucky enough to have a job on reception in a health club, they paid for me to do my lifeguard certificate so that was something good to put on my application.

I used to work 20 hours at college and 30 hours at uni and came out with a 2.1 but I was a mature student and I think that helps to manage your time, I also could drop hours a bit around exam time

I'd expect my children to look for some kind of work post GCSE if they want to fund anything more than very basic lifestyles.

As it is my 16yo is working now in yr11.

I'm not sure on the logistics of continuing this at sixth form, he will probably have to cut down and change hours, but I'm sure he will continue.

Chips He's usually gaming. Or reading. Or watching old films. He moderates a group online too. That's about it.

The general consensus on MN is that expecting your teens to do a few hours work on a Saturday is akin to sending them down the mine at 12

I don’t have teens, but I remember from my time at a high-achieving sixth form that nearly all of us had holiday and/or weekend jobs, and we still managed to get all our work done

Our school have sixth formers as cleaners as the head thinks working is important. I worked from 14, fruit farm the restaurant work at 16. There are loads of pot washer jobs around here from 16+. I think it's important to have a job and even full time a levels is not as many hours as a full time job so a couple of evenings would be fine. If you lad is only in colleges three days then yanbu. Stop paying for his treats.

I used to be in College 4 days a week and would work Saturdays and Sundays.

I was studying 3 A levels and an additional AS level at the time.

My DS is in sixth form five days per week and works s Friday evening for 3 hrs and a Saturday. He is studying for three A levels.

He loves the independence it gives home having his own money and does not appear to impact on grades. I have said if it did he would have to give it up (I am happy to support him).

Also, long term he plans to go to uni and they have said he can come back to his job in the summer.

He is loving life. He has a disposable income for festivals, concerts, nights out, clothes. It's probably the only time in your life when all the money you earn can be spent on what you want (he is also saving).

Getting into the workplace early is only going to enhance his chances of getting a job later on. He will
Have more life experience, be able to deal with difficult situations etc etc. A Saturday job for 7/8 hours is not going to affect his studies.

It's totally normal to have a Saturday type job/evening work (think supermarket). Myself and all my friends worked and upped hours during holiday time. Funded my car and social life which was thriving from 16+. Loads of fun, social life etc but also teaches responsibility, time keeping, social interaction etc.

Yanbu my ds is in full time college (3 days) and is currently looking for a job. He has applied for around 8 already but none have got back to him so far

I think there’s a lot less available for teens now than there was when we were that age. However, I would think a trip round the local shops with a CV might be worth while. I would think most bar and shop work is still advertised in windows (maybe?)

DS1 is 15 and has two jobs, totalling about 5hrs a week between them. One of them he applied for, the other he was offered. He also does about 10 hours of volunteer work a month. He does also have a life (I’m making him sound virtuous, but he’s a normal teenager!). He loves earning his own money and saves for things he wants. It has been good for him.

Mine worked through sixth form and Uni. Varying hours depending on how busy they were. Different jobs included rescuing holidaymakers from a maze (!) and selling icecreams to pot washer, waitress, burger king at the weekend etc.
And no, it didn't affect their grades.

And they loved the money.

It was best thing ever when one applied for Graduate Training Schemes, there was experience to draw on.

We all got jobs as soon as our NI cards came through and we were old enough, I think you had to be 15 1/2 back then. We hadn't even sat our GCSEs. We then worked all through 6th form and college. Sometimes we'd also have an extra Christmas job, so studies & 2 jobs. We all did well still.

It depends on college hours and what he's studying.

My nephews who have friends who have studied all sciences at college have all said those friends are advised not to work part-time while at college regardless of how their hours are timetabled. There as they could fit in random bouts of working all day at race courses and other events, or 6 hours a week regularly working in a supermarket. (One is doing A levels now.)

When doing their degrees again it depended on the subject and associated subject. So a couple worked in bars while others didn't work at all.

I had a weekend job from when I was 15 (waitressing) and then worked in a shop on Saturdays and/or Sundays the whole time I was at sixth form college.

It was perfectly manageable - full time 6th form isn't anything like full time, and I agree it's a useful thing to become accustomed to the discipline of the workplace.

Not to mention that entry level jobs (post college/university) are hotly contested, and while working in a shop or restaurant may be unrelated to your ultimate career, being able to demonstrate that you have the work ethic and commitment to hold down a job and gain transferable skills.

My DNiece (16) is at college doing a BTec. She also works in a shop.

Over the Christmas break she worked 40 hours a week, and does 20+ hours most weeks. She gets £8.70 an hour and has already managed to save over £2k.

She's still getting excellent grades and has been employee of the month twice, so seems to be doing fine on it. She's grown up massively in the last few months, and is incredibly mature and level-headed for her age.