To ask how old your DC were when they got their first job?

[HighlandCow78]

I’m curious as to how how old were your DC when they got their first job - Judging by DD’s peers and friends’ DC kids seem to be waiting until they are far older nowadays to get one, most seem to wait until after A levels meanwhile I was doing a paper round at 14!

DD is 20 and has only just landed her first part time role. Don’t get me wrong, I’m really happy for her - she did well in competitive interviews and now has an exciting role at a lovely local business which she’s really looking toward to, but I definitely expected her to get one far earlier. Granted, she turned 16 during lockdown (so no jobs really about) and went through a tough few years due to ill health but even without these struggles she really isn’t the odd one out amongst her peers. It seems quite common for young adults to graduate these days having never done any paid work - just volunteering and internships.

What has changed so much that this is now the norm?!

DD is year 13. Only one of her circle has a Saturday job. All the others are concentrating on their A levels.

So am I to be honest. DD had to leave at 8am at the latest in order to make it through traffic and into school for an 8:45am start. Our mornings were rushed enough without an early job to contend with too!

DC is 14 and coaches one night a week related to their hobby, they thought it was going to be on a volunteer basis so was pleasantly surprised to find out they get paid.

We were having a conversation with DN over the weekend who is 16 and they were saying they had no time to get a job as don't get home from college until gone 5 and want to see friends at weekends.

When I was 16 most of my friends worked the same hours I did, Thursday nights and weekends then we went out in the evenings.

I guess it could depend on where you live too. There may be no bus service or businesses where they could find employment.

DD and DS1 both had jobs in a local supermarket at 16. DD went back to work for them as a B2B manager after graduation. DS1 is still there at 18 and loves it. He has really benefited from the independence and is starting Uni with more than 5k saved.

DS2 16 is proving more resistant, has reluctantly done a cv but doesn't see the need to work. Is currently filling up his timetable with ALevels, EPQ, voluntary work and school societies in an effort to prove he doesn't have time.

This reminds me of my recent visit to IKEA. We needed help when picking a flat packed bed. There was a group of young employees, chatting and staying well away from the busy parts. I walked to them to ask my question and they all acted too cool and only one was 'brave' and 'knowledgeable' enough to point us to the nearest screen to check and there was laughter (at him?) when we walked away.

I can see why a smaller business would rather pay a wage to one or two mature people instead.

Most employers won’t take under 16s as the work hour restrictions are hard to stick to while filling shifts. Dd tried from 15 - did a couple of shifts clearing tables but they really wanted school leavers (post gcse) as that’s when the rules become less restrictive. Dd got a job straight after GCSEs and still works there every weekend. Most of her friends don’t work though. Lots have tried but they really want 18yos rather than Saturday staff these days.

I worked from 14. I think it’s so important for teenagers to grow independence, learn the value of money and grow confidence working with adults in a workplace.

My dd was 16yo, she got various shop jobs that fitted around school/college.

It meant she could afford driving lessons and buy herself a car at 18.

That is definitely the case where I live. Public transport isn't great round here. I think that is the main reason why none of DD's friends had jobs while still at school.

Luckily, we live on a railway line, but when DD got a job after leaving school Northern Rail went on strike every Saturday for three months so I had to drive her to and from work.

@H34th that’s a weird contribution to the thread! I tend to find young people more helpful than older ones. But people are people. Some better at customer service than others 🤷‍♀️

Mine started very late...DC1 did a bit of tutoring while at uni, then was unemployed for a few years after major surgery, finally got a proper job at 24. DS2 didn't work at all till after uni, so about 21 for first job, and DS3 similar.
DS1 says none of his uni friends had a job during uni, and only a few of DS2s friends did.
I've noticed a difference between boys and girls, my friends daughters and my nieces mostly have part time jobs while studying, but also more expensive lifestyles.
I deliberately kept my DC short of money at uni to push them to get jobs, but they didn't. They didn't really drink, not interested in clothes, didn't go out much, happy to shop at Aldi etc.
Even now, working, they don't spend much.

@herecomesthesunyes the OP asked what has changed so fewer people nowadays seem to get jobs from 14+ yo.
I offered one possible explanation - they are less mature (and described my recent experience of that).

16 for my eldest. I started at 15 with a Saturday job but that was allowed in the 80's, it wouldn't be now.

16

17 and it took almost a year of looking, for a one day a weekend job.

My DS is 18 and doesn’t have a job and never has. I wouldn’t encourage him to get one until he graduates university. There is absolutely no need, his student loan and top up from is give him enough money.
I, nor my siblings, worked until we had graduated. It is full time education, 20 hours lectures with 30 hours reading on top. You wouldn’t expect an adult working 50 hours a week to get an additional job I think it is ridiculous that that is seen as the norm for teenagers and young people.

Not everyone can afford to 'top up'.

I had a job from 15 back in the day and it did me no harm.

@Goose8 not everyone can afford to send their DC to Uni without them earning a bit as they go.

And for others it's not about the money but the independence, the skills learned and the resilience to cope in an environment which is entirely different to hone and school.

Yes there are laws but they can work from 13 as long as the rules are followed.

It really depends on the course. STEM degrees are very full on with more contact hours than humanities degrees. Degrees allied to healthcare have work placements as well.

I just don’t think it’s healthy. University is a huge mental strain, and expecting young people to work on top is just so sad.
I honestly think it is a big factor in the amount of mental health issues in students. They are completely overwhelmed all of the time.
If I couldn’t afford to support my children through it I would be encouraging them to have a gap year to work and save in order to fund it.
BTW we are not high earners - we have a household income of around £55k - we just prioritise.

Yes. My son is studying biomedical science.
Maybe some of the wishy washy subjects aren’t as intense, but maybe then you should consider if they really need to be there.

It's worth not just thinking about jobs as more formal ones with proper employers and also thinking about more casual stuff.

Our street WhatsApp is full of parents offering their teens for casual labour - in the last year, we have paid a 16 year old to trim our hedges, two different ones to water our plants and had a couple of offers for babysitting (for various reasons we prefer to use professionals for that for now). Two 17/18 year olds near us run a thriving part time gardening business

@RampantIvy agreed. And that forces those in the 'squeezed middle' to take a year out in order to start uni with a bit of money behind them. They will therefore still benefit both financially and from the experience of having a job.

Most people I know have encouraged their teens to find either paid work or voluntary work experience during late teenage years. Indeed some careers will require it.

My son gave up his Saturday job for a few months during A levels. We encouraged him to get back in touch after results and they jumped at the chance to take him back which did his self esteem a world of good. There is way more to get out of a job than just the money.

DS started volunteering just before he was 15. I'm pretty sure the experiences there (with paying customers and H&S rules) helped him get his first paid job at 16.

The manager who employed him said she didn't normally employ 16 year olds (as they can't work the bar) but thought his experience was valuable.

I had a Saturday job from 15 I think. But yes many kids now not getting paid work until 18 or so. But it might be harder now- certainly no H&S and cash in hand when I got my first job.