To think it's normal for 16/17 year olds to have part time jobs alongside their studies

[sheepdogdelight]

DD (16) has recently started a part time job - she's working 6 hours a week, around her A Levels. Older DD also worked part time when he was 16/17, stopping at the end of March in Year 13 so that he could focus on his exams.

Virtually all their peers also have/had jobs at some point or another at age 16/17 - weekend socialising was often a logistical exercise to find the best time around who was working when.

IMO it's good for them to have a job at this age - it helps them become more self confident, builds independence, allows them to gain some valuable "soft" skills. Plus of course they like the money :)

However, was talking to someone about this who looked horrified that they should be taking time away form studying to work and that her own 17 year old would certainly not be working. She also suggested it was not the norm amongst her DC's peer group.

For the record, we have had the conversation about studies must come first and if the job ever impacts on studying, they need to reconsider. However my DC (and their peers) all seem to be able to juggle perfectly well!

AIBU to think it's normal and desirable for 16/17 year olds who are studying to have jobs around their study? (I'm assuming here that there is suitable part time work available, of course - but at the moment retail/hospitality seem to have loads of vacancies).

All my friends and myself had jobs at this age. Totally normal and I found also helped give some life experience and a taking point on job applications etc. helps give independence and makes teens see the value of money.

I agree with you. I certainly can't afford to give older teens allowances that would enable them to socialise to the degree older teens want to!
Quite apart from everything else you've said.

Lots of kids have part time jobs at this age. Independence, spending money - I had a job from the age of 15. I'm not sure my DD is quite so keen though

It's good for them, for all the reasons given above, also, there is nothing like the freedom to buy what you want with money you earned yourself, lovely feeling!

I worked evenings at the pub from 14 pot washing, waitressing from 16. 3/4 nights a week from 6.30-close which was usually 11 ish.
Never did me any harm, and I really enjoyed it.

I think they should work. What we found though was a lot of big employers like the supermarkets have a minimum 12 hour per week contract and then ask them to do overtime too. I think that can be pushing it into being a bit too much. My son ended up just working the summer holidays. I think a nice 8 hour job one day a weekend is perfect

It's perfectly normal, but it isn't essential. I never had a job while at 6th form and have managed to have a career. My DDs haven't worked during 6th form either (to be fair DD2 is disabled and it wouldn't have been possible for her) because I could afford to support them. Horses for courses.

It used to be very normal. Ive worked with teenagers for about 15 years now. It's becoming less and less common for a few reasons. Jobs are harder to get for young people, jobs that they used to do eg supermarket work are in demand from people who want full time hours. There is also much more pressure on young people to work hard and achieve super high grades.
There are always a few who have to work lots of hours to support their family and struggle to manage that alongside their studies.

Mine didn’t need the money, and as DD1 was studying an extra two advanced highers (5 in total) plus sat one of her five highers a year early, she had v little spare time and preferred to spend it enjoying hobbies. DD2 was already at university at 17.

Neither of them had problems with becoming independent or developing skills. DD1 travelled alone to camp by herself at a LARP event 300 miles away at 16, DD2 took off alone for a year in Australia without even booking a job or accommodation in advance, after uni, and worked her way round the continent and SE Asia. Both are now in well paid careers, as a senior marketing manager and a senior risk analyst. I don’t feel either of them missed out by not spending their Saturdays behind a shop counter.

Normal in my 17 yo friendship group and yes to the logistical nightmare when trying to socialise - they even have a group calendar where they put their shifts on!

I worked part time since I was 15. I found it much better for my early career having had jobs / experience on my CV and I learnt so many useful skills. I tended to only do Saturdays or one evening, so it didn't affect my studying. If I was recruiting I'd be far more inclined to appoint someone with actual experience and skills, than high grades.

Mine always worked from 15 onwards. We didn't pay pocket money once they were 16. They earned their own.

It depends on the child tbh. I didn't have a part time job I worked through term time, however during 6th form I worked holidays practically full time as a summer camp assistant. Probably not allowed these days but I have ADHD and, although undiagnosed as a teenager, no way would I have coped studying and working part time then.

I sometimes get involved filtering grad scheme applicants.

Never having had any form of part time work is likely to get you put on the "no" pile. All the applicants have good grades etc. The ones who have done some form of job before are much easier to deal with when they start.

Yep completely normal, mine has worked since she was 16. Stands them in good stead for when they go to uni that they have some work experience. Also teaches them the value of money.

It's normal amongst my kids peers too. They attend comps if that makes a difference ?
When I'm out and about at weekends, I see plenty of 16-18 year olds working part-time. My oldest worked in retail, my middle one was a barista and my youngest is a car valet.Their school recommends no more than 8 hours during term time which I agree with.

Of course!
MY DD babysat/child minded and my DS worked one weekend day - it’s great to have extra money and responsibilities.
Covid meant DS couldn’t really work until Year 13 and DD had to stop/start.

I think it's fine as long as its not too many hours that would eat into their study time. But I also think it's fine not to work while studying for A levels. It depends on individual circumstances.

Ds1 (17) has worked full time over the last two summers. He's a lifeguard at a local lake, so it's seasonal work from May to Sept, which works well with college as he works part time until college breaks up, then pretty much full time July and August. The money is good for his age, and he enjoys the work.

He then works part time over winter at a pub a couple of nights a week. He also plays a sport to a high level that uses up another evening training, and a weekend day. He manages just fine and his studies don't suffer as he gets 3 'enrichment' afternoons a week at college, which he uses for study, driving lessons and playing rugby.

We'll happily support him financially for mobile phone bills, driving lessons, clothes etc but he pays for extras (3 festivals and a foreign holiday this summer!) In the winter there's less going on, so his part time wages cover his nights out.

Normal for some, and useful, but not essential.

I never had a job while I was at school, including 6th form, because I had school 6 days a week with long days (often out of the house 7:45am-7pm). I needed that rest time on Sundays - plus often ended up with musical/church commitments then too! My career has gone just fine.

I think if kids are at a school/college with less intense hours - e.g. finishing at 4pm and only being Mon-Fri, then a few hours of PT work at the weekend is fine. No teen is realistically going to be studying all that time anyway!

I did work in my gap year, and in various temp jobs through my university course.

I wish I had done this. I was a teen in the 70s and my parents didn’t approve of school children having jobs. School work had to come first.

I think teens appreciate things much more if they’ve earned and saved for them than if they have just been given them.

Very normal for sixth formers to work a few hours a week. I worked eight hours a week, mostly Saturdays, from the age of 15 onwards.

It was definitely good for me - plus, it meant I could buy a few things for myself that my parents couldn't afford to keep getting for me. They weren't stingy with money but they didn't have the funds to stump up for everything all the time. It was good to be able to do things like go to the cinema with my mates without having to ask for money every time.

I think perhaps it's the wealthier kids whose parents don't allow jobs!

About half of my sons friends have part time jobs alongside A levels. My son doesn’t. He’s doing 4 A levels and has commitments to a sport he does so there’s just not really enough time. He does some volunteer work though and worked over the summer. We give him an allowance.

DD started a job when she was 16, at the start of y12. She carried in with it, got furlough in the various lockdowns. She is now 20 and at uni and they welcome her back with open arms in the holidays. So she always has a job to go to when she wants it. It really has been a godsend.

My daughter is 16. Large friendship group and all but one of them has a part time job.