To think being forced to get a job when a student is ridiculous?

[onedaybabywelbeold]

I am a 29 year old single mum, I have just finished my 3rd year at uni and going into my honours year. I worked for 10 years full time before going back to education. During the term year I receive student loan which is topped up by universal credit. I have about 1100 pounds to do me for the month so it's doable but tight.

Now that uni is finished for the summer I am obviously getting more universal credit to see me through. However, today I had to meet with my work coach and he told me I should be job hunting for a job over the summer and should treat job hunting as a full time job.

I told him that I might struggle to get a job as I can only work during the hours my daughter is in school, I have no one to help me and she finished school for the summer end of June. Also I told him it would be hard to get a job as I would be leaving again in September, to which he suggested I stay in a job whilst at uni as 'you don't really have to do much work until the end of the year'.

To be honest I don't really want to work when at uni, I mean I wouldn't be any better off than I would be on universal credit yet running with a substantial decrease in time so why would I? Honesty I don't understand the point in this, surely it's just wasting employers time as I'm not very serious about getting a job as I don't have the childcare. However, I'm worried that if I don't get a job they'll start reducing my payment.

AIBU to think the system is absolutely fucked?

YABU
And entitled.
And lazy.

You are expecting other people to work and pay tax in order to fund you. I’m not sure why you think it is fine for them but not fine for you. When I was at uni I did evening shifts when I was doing placements and I worked every summer.

You have to do what's best for you.

It doesn't matter if anyone else studied for a masters whilst being a single parent and working full time. There isn't one right or wrong way of doing things.

I never had a job as a student! When I was 18 and again when I was 26 (on a vocational healthcare course) I didn't need the money so didn't get a job.
It didn't prevent me getting a job once graduating as I was on placement for 35 hours a week, so was getting the relevant experience needed! The same as your course I imagine.

Not read the whole thread but...

How on earth is OP practically meant to get a job?
Honestly? Does she just pop her child on the sofa in front of the TV and wave goodbye as she leaves for an 8 hour shift at Tesco? Seriously?

I completely agree with @Floppyflopflop

OP- your title is rather provocative, and maybe everyone is a bit bored .

All of mine have worked/ are working through their degrees, that includes one who has just finished his masters in social work ( with placements) he worked as a 1:1 carer, the one who did medicine did HCA bank shifts.
Agree with many other posters that working during your degree is norma, and for you could be useful as experience.

@spotcheck

Not read the whole thread but...

How on earth is OP practically meant to get a job?
Honestly? Does she just pop her child on the sofa in front of the TV and wave goodbye as she leaves for an 8 hour shift at Tesco? Seriously?

I completely agree with @Floppyflopflop

OP- your title is rather provocative, and maybe everyone is a bit bored .

The same way as every other single parent I guess - the nrp, family, summer clubs, childminders etc !

Good luck OP in your studies, I’m doing a MSc with 2 young kids and I’m not a single parent and it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done by a long way.
I am doing a Masters (MPhil) with two young kids and I am a single parent and I work alongside it with not a penny claimed from the public funds. It is absolutely not impossible. It would not occur to me that someone else should pay for it.

Many posters on threads about young adult children going to university say that it's not advised/possible/fair to work alongside a degree course.

Anecdotally none of the seven single parents I know who also study work, only two of the eight in DD's university house work and she's the only one in her group of five friends from home who works in the holidays.

@toiletbrushholder

Agree with you, social work qualifications are not like a degree in English lit or media you have full on stressful placements that are full time. Also why isn't looking after your own child work? Amazing how many people want you to struggle cause they did, race to the bottom is it?

Erm because choosing to have a child is not a job. It's not a race to the bottom. people are appalled by the OP's superior attitude that she shouldn't have to work as she has chosen to do a degree therefore tax payers should be happy to fund it. You do realise that this is a privilege due to the country we live in? This would not happen in most countries.

I worked 2 or 3 night shifts a week when I was doing my degree (health care professional). Needs must.

Honestly? Does she just pop her child on the sofa in front of the TV and wave goodbye as she leaves for an 8 hour shift at Tesco?

She gets childcare. Like everybody else.

HAS to be a wind up. I'd be surprised if OP would even get on the course with her attitude. Her posts have all the triggers!

@SheilaWilcox

HAS to be a wind up. I'd be surprised if OP would even get on the course with her attitude. Her posts have all the triggers!

Agree.

Of course you should work through the summer. There is absolutely no excuse not to. My mother worked full time on shifts and did a degree at the same time. To be honest you’re coming across as a little entitled and lazy.

I worked full time through my MSc; stressful Director level role , annual leave or worked weekends/evenings to make up for days at university.

Not surprised that you disabled voting.

Sorry, OP, the government doesn't care whether you enjoy your job or not.

Can you get any help with childcare from friends, family, the DC's father?

@spotcheck OP volunteers though, so presumably has something childcare-wise in place for that.

@Katkinsgreyy

You have to do what's best for you.

It doesn't matter if anyone else studied for a masters whilst being a single parent and working full time. There isn't one right or wrong way of doing things.

I never had a job as a student! When I was 18 and again when I was 26 (on a vocational healthcare course) I didn't need the money so didn't get a job.
It didn't prevent me getting a job once graduating as I was on placement for 35 hours a week, so was getting the relevant experience needed! The same as your course I imagine.

Op is claiming UC, where there is an expectation to work.

Yabu, many people pick up shifts at mcdonalds, kfc etc while not doing uni.

@ClareBlue

Best thing is to let other people work and fund your life choices. Hope you find a job that pays well and is interesting, fingers crossed. There is absolutely no way you should have to work in demeaning jobs to support your choices, leave that to all the little people out there. Good luck with the studies. You'll be an asset to society once you get your degree.

I honestly don't know if this is sarcasm or not. demeaning jobs and little people.

@ChrissyPlummer waiting to hear how OP can volunteer but not do a paid job ... hmmmm

I am also in the same boat, hopefully going to start my degree in sept for BA in SW. single parent with not much childcare support for my young child.

Have been told that 1st year you are required at uni most days, then placements in year 2 and 3 for a few months.

Managing uni and juggling childcare around that will be a challenge. Then to add in a p/t job on top, just not sure how I'm going to manage it. Would like to work and have some extra £ but I'm thinking it's best to focus on getting the degree done and then back into f/t work when it's over.

If op doesn't want to work she can stop claiming Uc over the holidays and have no work commitments.

I cant see how the OP can do a social work degree, take care of her child, run a house AND do a job? As a lone parent surely this would really impact her child?

Not everyone has support around them, not everyone finds it easy to stay awake at night to do assignments. Maybe she wants to dedicate the summer holidays to working her way through the reading list and enjoy some time with her child? Once she graduates her life will be focussed around her job and her child, and then she'll be contributing to the economy like everyone else. But for the moment, if she focusses on actually reading the literature she will qualify with a good grade, better prospects and doing a role which is crucial to safeguarding the most vulnerable people in society.

Take that time with your child, soon enough you'll be missing out on quite a bit because you'll be working full time.

Good luck

I don't know anyone that didn't work during their degree. Christ, most people I knew worked a few weekend shifts whilst doing their PGCEs (as did I as I was pregnant and going through a divorce!)