Cost of living. Teens with no jobs

[monkeysox]

The whole COL crisis is exacerbated by huge supermarket chains (one example) who are making huge profits. They don't employ as many young people (automation) so the cost of the kid's needs falls on the parents who have huge bills themselves.
I always had a Saturday or evening job.
Businesses aren't hiring nearly as much as 30 years ago.
Aibu?

This is something that has become an increasing problem for generations- only hospitality recruits to an extent any more- maybe try restaurants and cafes, AI can't really clear tables and deliver food.

yeah, I was going to say they might have better luck working for themselves, doing stuff like cleaning, ironing, garden mowing, babysitting, tutoring, window/car washing, etc. Obviously have to be careful about safeguarding etc but people pay £20-30 a time for their garden to be mowed, every few weeks, even if they were only willing to pay half that to a teen it would be more than minimum wage.

DS1 had a part-time job in a kitchen when he was at college (studying professional cookery). Gradually he was getting fewer and fewer hours so he left before he found something else, which he won’t be doing again!
Despite his college and work experience, and the fact he wants to work in cheffing it has taken him months to find another job.
He starts tomorrow in a patisserie which will be fantastic experience but it’s been really tough.

@CoffeeAndCats3There certainly are skills shortages and jobs Brits aren’t keen on. Dc want office computer jobs or media. They don’t want building sites, agriculture and anything a bit grubby or working with the elderly. They could train for such jobs but many don’t really want to.

I know it was a bit of a stereotype at the time, but DM had mostly Polish cleaners in her company for a long time as they came across the best in interviews and were hard working. She rarely had complaints about them. No Brits wanted part time cleaning work. Back when the Job Centre advertised jobs, she would get disinterested people (usually Brits on benefits) show up for interview with no intention of getting the job. Or they would say they had an interview to stay on benefits, when they did not show up.
Things have changed so much now. She gets British graduates applying for 4 hour per week jobs because people are desperate for anything now. She usually gets about 80 people apply per job now, when years ago, 10 was a good amount.

I think the biggest issue with teens not being able to get jobs is that they are not building up work experience. The typical teen jobs from my youth are very valuable in teaching basic work skills. People starting graduate jobs without any prior work experience is a problem as they lack basic skills around knowing how to be an employee.

There are no jobs at all for teens where I live. Hospitality places are limited in number and closing down, not recruiting etc. There are no supermarket jobs.
Facebook is full of teens chasing the limited number of dog walking and babysitting jobs available,

There is a youth minimum wage. It’s £8.

Supermarkets don’t make huge profits - our local supermarket loses about three times as much in theft each week as they make in profit and we are not in a rough area. They are huge organisations but if you look at return on investment I make more on my basic savings account.

Sadly hospitality has been hit by Labour but otherwise yes

It might be to do with insurance too.
There was a tradesman on the radio who rang in said he wont employ teens because it costs him double in insurance, which is a cost he has to absorb himself.

I think teens need to be a bit more creative and resourceful. My 13 year old got a job pretty much the day she turned 13 and could get a work permit. It’s because she developed relationships with her employers, volunteered in the role before she was hired for about a year, generally showed some initiative. It’s also related to her career interests. She earns about £100 a month which is quite a lot for a 13 year old. It means Dh and I do less spending on snacks and matchas 🙄 and clothes, and that she can save a bit.

I actually know quite a few teens who work, but they are the ones with initiative and parents who can drive them (no public transport around here) and who aren’t just getting drunk in the park.

What does your daughter do?

from your post I would guess horse related.

Same where I live.
Also lots of parents asking if there is any work out there for their children. Said they will wash cars, mow lawns... anything.
If someone posts in a group asking for recommendations for a dog walker or something like that, they get tons of replies.

Yes, NEETs are a thing, but the press will have you believe that it is the young people's fault. From what I see, they are trying their best in a job market that is terrible for everyone right now.

I was speaking to an acquaintance who helps run a community cafe staffed by volunteers. They had a volunteer (ie unpaid) position recently and got 20 teenagers applying for it as the teenagers were desperate to get experience as all paid positions required it.

All of you with kids doing all these hours and hours of work on the side so you don't have to give them pocket money, how are they doing at school? I worked almost full time hours during my A levels, I wish I'd had more time to spend on my studies tbh. We spend most of our lives working.

None of those - agriculture, care work, building etc - will take on under 18s. And often employers in those sectors require experience. My DS would happily work in any of those. Only work he has been able to get is 2 hours a week cleaning!

I am not surprised.
There will be one local to me opening in about 8 weeks time, and I expect they will have the same experience.

Saying that, the library in my town centre recently re-opened their café and it is solely staffed by teens (as some sort of organisation that helps young people get experience etc)... all on NMW too. There need to be more places like that to give the young folks a step up.

The job market for everyone has evolved and there are few unskilled jobs around.

My ds has a Saturday job as a pool lifeguard, for which he needed to train & pass an exam/physical. His bf works driving a tractor, gets plenty of casual work from the local farms.

It takes more prep but there are still jobs to be had. Under-18s are £8 an hour.

My first jobs were Saturday/holiday work in retail chains. That doesn’t exist anymore due to self check out. Going to M and S is like going to a depressing library- no chatter from staff because there are hardly any staff. Picked up a click and collect parcel from H and M today and it was a locker set up in their shop - a contact free experience and totally miserable.

It’s litigation and insurance. Nobody wants to employ an under 18 year-old because they have to pay high insurance premiums, responsibilities are greater the public liability is greater so therefore all those Saturday jobs for under 18-year-olds are pretty much gone. It’s what we signed up for as a country when we decided to go into this sector. Yay no win no fee.

It’s still a thing - DD16 works for 8.75 ph. Min wage is 8. She basically runs the floor in the pub as she’s obviously not allowed to serve behind the bar, and is far better than some of the 18+ students who she’s constantly having to ask/remind to do things so really she doesn’t deserve to be paid far less. She accepts she’s been very lucky to get a job at all though and will make it easier to get another in future too

My 17 yo has a very p/t job in a Chinese restaurant. He got it through a friend and had been looking for a year or so. Couldn't even do the 2hr / week leaf sweeping job for the parish council cos someone would have to be enhanced DBS checked - easier to get an adult.
He will do some (hard!) gardening for a friend over the summer (he's at 6th form) for a few hours a week. She will pay well.
Don't even get me started on work experience......
I feel for him.

JD Sports in my neck of the woods is always looking for teenage staff. Same with the likes of Foot Asylum.

The issue isn’t helped by the fact that the young people are woefully unprepared - even if they are prepare to do something like supermarket work.