AIBU to think a travel adviser role is unsuitable at 16?

[thecuriouscat]

Hi all,
My DD (16) has recently completed her GCSEs and left school. She’s been desperate over the summer to get a part time job which I’ve supported her in, getting her to give her CV to local businesses and unfortunately not many callbacks. So she’s been looking online and applied for quite a few roles.

Today she came down and told us that she has a phone interview lined up for a Tui travel advisor. Needless to say we were unconvinced, because in what world would you trust a 16 year old to book holidays?? She said that they are accepting school leavers and it’s a part time role, but I still find it hard to believe. I told her to withdraw her application, but alas she won’t listen and she’s now in a strop with me and DH. So AIBU? I don’t think this role would be appropriate for her at her age, and TBH I’m surprised they offered to call back.

You should apologise to your daughter.

You are so utterly in the wrong. Poor girl.

Goodness me! Jobs are like hens teeth! Let her have the interview. It’s hardly a rocket science role is it? She could look for apprenticeships too. She needs a plan.

You told her to withdraw a job application for which she's actually getting a call back? You're nuts frankly. She'll be trained to flog their particular products so a nice manner, good speaking and keyboard skills are what's important.

lol. You silly. 😂

Tourism and hospitality has a long standing history of being one of the biggest employers of the youngest people at the start of their careers, and helping them launch successfully into the world of work. One of the trade associations even has this as their tagline - "Work young, rise high"

What on earth were you thinking telling her to withdraw?!

Travel agents are not like they used to be. The Internet has changed everything. Of course she will receive training. It sounds like an interesting job.

Do you really think that every travel agent has personal experience of every country and experience and hotel that they sell? Or course they don’t! They have systems to use and resources to pull information from and they’ll do training courses and if she’s lucky down the line familiarisation trips! I’ve worked in travel most of my adult life and it’s a wonderful industry, good luck to her.

How can you think you know better than the actual company wanting to employ your daughter? She's in a great position and should take the opportunity. They will obviously train her and she won't go in on day one doing the most complicated elements.

This is exactly the kind of entry-level job that would be great for a school leaver. It’s selling package holidays, not planning bespoke tours of the Serengeti. It’s essentially just putting data into the computer system for a customer’s dates and requirements and giving them the results, with some enthusiasm and salesmanship.

Let her do the interview and let the company decide. She won't be the only one interviewing and the hiring manager will decide if she is best fit or not. Interview experience is great even if she doesn't get the job.

If she does get the job, as PP have said there will be a script and a limited set of options to give, any creative freedom to go off script is given to those higher up the management chain. The only thing she might experience is very stressed customers and again there will be protocols and training for this and even in a cafe/ shop you experience irate customers.

My cousin started work in a travel agent at 16, he's now in his thirties world for a well known travel provider, scouting new hotels, assessing those currently on the books, he travels all over and has a lovely life. YABVU. Good for her getting a call back. I worked in a call centre seeking high spec kitchens at not much older than her, people were giving me a lot more money than they spend on a holiday! I was good at it and earned brilliant commission while I studied.

A friend of mine has travelled all over the world with her career as a result of joining a travel agent at 16yo.

Why do you think this is less suitable than any other entry level job?

This is the most unhinged post I’ve ever seen.

Good on your DD for applying! It’s up to the company to decide if they think a 16 year old is suitable for their role (and honestly I’m pleased to hear they do this, it seems so much harder for young people to get entry level jobs nowadays and they get so much great experience from them). It’s not like she’s going to be working for some niche high end agent that is expected to have travelled extensively! She’ll just be following a script as PP have said. I’d be apologising for your reaction and telling her how proud you are of her, and that even if she doesn’t get it it will be great interview experience!

I’d let Tui decide. After all they know what the job entails and what attributes the successful candidates will need.

I feel very sorry for your dd

Incredible! Yes OP I'm sure you know their business and who they should be interviewing better than they do.

Edit: I'm genuinely surprised to see that this isn't a 100% YABU blowout - have 7% of people misunderstood the question?

A 16 with training is perfectly capable of booking holidays! It’s an ideal school leavers job. They wouldn’t contact her otherwise. My parents were like this and always told be everything I was interested in was too hard. Don’t be that parent.

You need to do better as a parent here. You've messed up.

Your child has done really well to get an interview and they deserve better than you dismissing their achievements.

I'm sure that with training a 16 year old is perfectly capable of doing that role.

If it is actually with Tui I think it would be a great opportunity. My concern is that it would actually be a MLM or scam in disguise. I’ve seen several job “opportunities” for self employed WFH travel advisors online locally but these ones are not a real job.

Once verified that it is legit and actually for Tui then I wouldn’t have a problem, it’s essentially just a call centre job. But I would also maybe look online on Glassdoor or similar to see what people are saying about the role. Being cynical, some businesses target students because they already have a high staff turnover and young people will sometimes accept rubbish conditions more than older adults

A lovely little 17 yr old in TUI last year helped us with our holiday. She was great on the computer and really helpful.

Are you sure it's a role with Tui? Only there are a lot of MLM travel advisor schemes knocking about and that would be awful of she got mixed up in something like that. How did she apply for the job? Was it through Facebook, Instagram or TikTok?

If it IS Tui, then I don't understand why you are being so negative.

She will receive training and a script. If she can read she will be fine. What you are doing is saying she’s not good enough. You should apologise

It very much depends on what exactly she will be doing. For what you know she might be just a helpful pair of hands for a start: making notes, printing documents, sending email reminders etc etc.
E.g when we booked through a travel agency once they sent us an email what time their car would pick us up : you don’t need first degree from Russel group uni to do this.

I don’t think she will be sent to war zone to lead evacuation.

My friends 14 year old researchers and books their holidays

You idiot! Why on earth would you ‘tell’ her to withdraw her application. Are you u happy at her growing up?

She’d be trained and learn the job. How do you think anyone of any age learns a new job?