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?!

Ha Ha.

Your "So sad" is my "healthy".

University isn't "a huge mental strain" for most people. If the strain is that huge, I'd be asking if it were the right path for that person.
Very few students "are overwhelmed all of the time" - again, if they are, then maybe it isn't the right route for them.

University (for most of those who go) is a bridge between childhood and adulthood. A time when you are learning to be responsible for your own budget and being responsible for your own time management. For most, that includes finding the right balance between (paid) work, attending lectures, tutorials, labs, seminars etc., own personal study, looking after oneself (cooking, shopping, cleaning, admin etc), and fun / enjoying life - be that socialising, doing sports, running clubs and societies, etc, or whatever floats your boat. Choosing to do more hours at work and have more money to spend, or fewer hours and live more frugally.
The skills gained by working with the public are immense. As are the time management skills,
The idea that a neurotypical 18 - 24 year old doesn't have the energy to do a combination of all of those is laughable.

Oh, and yes, my current student is doing a science that includes lab time and more contact hours than some courses.

Both dc worked from 15 pot washing. It paid for both their first cars. Ds 23 worked 2 jobs during uni and his masters. It did them so much good working especially for their social skills.

My nephew was 18 I think when he got his first paid job (picking orders for a supermarket). Think niece was about 16.

When I was a teenager (back in the 1990s) I think it was quite unusual not to have a part-time job. That said I didn't get one until I was 17. Thought about getting a paper round for the free paper, but never did. I started applying to shops at 16, had several interviews and didn't get any, which was very dispiriting (especially as my mum's friend's daughter had several interviews and got offered all of them!)

DS1 (now 26) had a paper round at 13 which he did for about 18 months until he got a sailing qualification and then started work at the local sailing club, so I suppose that was his first real part-time job. He did a whole variety of other part-time jobs during his gap year but always kept on at the sailing club pretty much until he finished university.

DS2 (23) started a bit later after GCSEs and worked in Waitrose until just before A levels. Did a healthcare related course at university and worked part time in areas related to that, also did shifts at a Covid clinic.

Dd was 14 when she started babysitting. Continued for several local families and friends all through school and uni holidays.
Worked at Wetherspoons when doing her masters.
Then got a full time job.

Ds was 17. Started working in a local shop weekends/holidays. Took a gap year. More hours in same shop. Now a student and works there in holidays.

DS was 13, nearly 14 when he got a job as a pot washer in a cafe. Now he’s 15 and works for a lady who has a catering business so he gets to help make food (his passion is cooking) and serve. He loves working, he’s wanted a weekend job since he went to a take your child to work day with DH and asked the MD if they had any Saturday jobs (in London when we live in the North West 😂) aged 8 years old!

He feels that work is really important to learn “life skills” as he puts it and to learn to manage his own money. He has over £1000 saved up already for his first scooter and has been able to buy himself a decent set of golf clubs to take up golf, amongst other things. He knows exactly how much he needs to earn/ save so that he has enough by his 16th birthday. We are going to match his savings but he doesn’t know that yet.

18 nothing yet despite trying. I didn't work til at uni (many years ago)

@outforawalkbiatch Paper rounds? My daughter (who is now 26 for reference), could not get any sort of employment until she was 16. She had to have an NI number. So I am surprised that it's that easy. On my local FB page there are many people posting (particularly during the holidays) asking about employment for their 14/15 year olds who want to earn a few quid and without exception, it's "they need to be 16". Maybe it's where I live 🤷🏻‍♀️

It's the same round here.

As for paper rounds, who takes a daily paper these days?

13 (at a shop stacking shelves)
14 (kids party assistant)
14 (football referee)

DC1 was 18 - supermarket work and pizza delivery driver
DC2 was 15 - umpiring and coaching younger children at her sports club (started as a volunteer but then became a paid role), then she started working in a pub at 16
DC3 is 15 now and is a qualified football referee so he earns money refereeing matches at weekends (he started at 14).

Pot washing is popular around here or cafe/sandwich shop

www.gov.uk/child-employment

DD1 is 18, started babysitting age 14.
DD2 is 16 got a Sunday shop job just before GCSEs
DS is 14 been doing a paper round for a year.

I do think it's hard to get a proper contracted job before 16 but cash in hand informal work is easier.

Both DC had ad hoc work from 14 ish - babysitting, then keeping my friends kids company for a few hours in school hols from about 16.

Both DC tutored maths GCSE while doing A levels, DD also worked alongside her out of school dance teacher at an after school dance class at a local infant school for a couple of terms during A levels, and also was paid to teach the tots and 5-7s when one of the dance teachers were unavailable. DS ran his own business building and upgrading computers for friends and family from about 14. Both had more formal employment in uni holidays, DS was offered a grad job at the engineering firm he worked for as summer placement. DD worked in a variety of holiday clubs, gaining experience with children as she was training to teach. She also did lots of shifts at a vaccine centre paid, and volunteered full time at a local charity for almost 6 months when her A levels were cancelled due to Covid.

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!
@HighlandCow78 I found the opposite TBH. I never really had a job before University. Well not unless you count a bit of casual babysitting which I did from about 11,but that just earned a bit of pocket money. However, in my defence, I lived in a small village in a very rural area so employment opportunities were limited.

By contrast my DD and my DNs and most of their contemporaries had PT jobs in sixth form. DD had a voluntary role at the local medical centre at 16 and then when she was nearly 17 they offered her a paid role as an evening receptionist one to two evenings a week.

DNs had various jobs in retail and/or waiting tables from 16. One DN did a weekly paper delivery from about 14 but it couldn't officially be his round. His mum had to say she was doing it and take delivery of the papers. But then DN did the actual leg work so she gave him the money.

14 and 15 she worked in the summer volunteering in the library.

16 she was a paid student helper at the local music school until she went to uni.

Worked at the uni as soon as she got there.

From 13. My daughter ran the tuck shop at the local kids football club. Had to buy stock, run very basic accounts etc. My son's both had paper rounds, but the eldest gave his up after he took up football refereeing in the local kids leagues. All graduated to working at an after school club in their sixth form.

Our 11 year old wanted a cell phone (probably a Nokia she's 38 now!) we told her she could have one when she earned her own money to buy one. She came home the next day having secured an early morning paper round. We thought it wouldn't last...several paper person of the year awards and huge Christmas tips later she had her phone and could buy credit! She never stopped working we joke now she should have started a pension fund she could be retired now!

My DD started volunteering at 14.5. She got offered a job at 15 and 11 months but when she tried to do the online forms to start it kicked her out as not yet 16 so she had to wait a couple of weeks to start. She's still there a year later and has no intention of leaving. In fact about 6 of her friends applied this year to work there.

DC All had first jobs at McDonalds when they started sixth form (16 and a bit). Then moved onto retail Waitrose/Lidl during Uni.
One worked at festivals during the summer.
It is quite difficult for 16 year olds to get jobs now but a good time to start looking is for Christmas temp opportunities.

My DS got his first job in summer 2020 at the age of 16. He worked there 3 years and now has a different job in his uni town for 24 hours a week

DDs both had paper rounds from 13 and part time jobs at 16

I'm surprised at the number of DC doing paper rounds. Is this for the free local papers?

Does anyone still have a daily paper delivered these days?

The free papers here are delivered by teens. Our last newspaper delivery shop closed 18 months ago. Sign of the times.

Eldest 17yo - got his first job last month. He's enjoying the job he does and building his social skills. Gives him independence and responsibilities.

There are many restrictions on under 16 years old working, businesses should get a permit from the local authority and consider health and safety implications. I certainly wouldn't advise businesses to employ anyone under the age of 16. Having said that my daughter has started "working" and she is 13. But it's only her coach paying her for coaching the younger children in the sport she is involved in. I started working when i was at university, where i had a part time role of sorts throughout.