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.

My niece started at TUI after school at 16 and mid 20s now is the manager. Shel be trained like any job you start in. Mental you telling her to withdraw her application, yabu.

Did you mean to be quite so unsupportive?!

If they think she’s unsuitable they won’t employ her. Sounds like a great job at 16 if she can get it!

You are going to destroy her confidence completely with that attitude. You seem to have no faith in her and she'll pick up on that. You seem to have a mature, motivated daughter and should be proud of her for being so proactive. Shame on you.

Absolutely bizarre that you told her to withdraw her application

I assume it will be a call centre role, in which case nobody is going to know she's 16 unless she feels the urge to tell them. Probably her voice sounds young as opposed to, say, elderly, but I very much doubt the general public would be capable of distinguishing between the voice of a 16 year old and say 20 year old female.

Even if she doesn't get it, the interview will be excellent experience.

It doesn’t sound like you understand what the job is. It sounds like a basic call centre job.

Working in travel is a fantastic first job for a school leaver, she will broaden her horizons, learn customer service, work with databases, budgets, information…Most people are cheerful as booking holidays is a positive thing (unlike selling car insurance etc) and if they’re stroppy well, it’s not the end of the world, no one died.

The exact job may not be a long term bet but she would pick up some great skills there.

I did my work experience at 15 an international car hire company and took part in the training group of newly onboarded employees. As I passed the course with everyone they offered me a job at the end of it. It was all scripted and as long as you could follow that and use a computer it was fine. By 16, and first year of A-Levels I was the evening and weekend supervisor.

My friend went to work for a similar travel agency straight out of school. She worked up to manager and now works in corporate travel for a very reasonable salary. It’s a starting place for many opportunities

Not appropriate for her age? It's not like she'd be working at a strip club. Please encourage your daughter more, it sounds like a great opportunity even just the interview experience if she doesn't get the job.

It's so hard to get a job at that age (my step child also left school at 16 and we really struggled to find apprenticeships and jobs that would take on under 18s). The travel agent one sounds amazing! I'm sure it'll start off as a call centre style scripted question thing. And she'll be supported with training. It sounds like a brilliant opportunity and I'm baffled as to why you'd try to block it.

We used to have a big Thomas Cook call centre near us and it was a very popular destination for school leavers. Your daughter will be trained and supervised and if she's lucky she'll have the opportunity for discounted and sometimes even free holidays.

It’s going to be an automated process, the tech will guide her to ask all relevant questions and it’s probably akin to a call centre for travel. I’m sure she’s more than capable. And it would be good experience.

Poor kids being undermined by her parent in this way.

have a word with yourself and start back your DD

Bloody hell, so glad you are filling your daughter full of confidence.

This is mental. Why on earth are you telling her withdraw? What an amazing opportunity your trying to talk her out of.

The interview will be worth the experience and nothing wrong in starting at the bottom in the travel industry.

As long as it isn't actually an MLM, there are many scam (ish) travel consultant jobs out there currently.
If it is genuinely supporting customers to book a TUI holiday, then it is fine.

WOW, every single news article right now is saying how tough it is for school leavers to find jobs, how its impossible to get entry level roles and here we have a parent trying to sabotage their kids chances even more.

Op, Tui is not a small company, it is not their first rodeo, they know what works and what doesn't. If they think hiring a 16 year old works then they know more than you do.

Lets be fair, people don't go to Tui expecting a premium boutique service where the advisor can tell you about all the different resorts from personal experience. They go in to book a cheap/mid range holiday and have someone else do the typing.

Even if the job doesn't work out, why in the hell would you tell her to withdraw her application? Give it a try and see rather than withdrawing!

I really can’t understand why you aren’t encouraging her. No wonder she is upset. You are taking away her confidence and that’s awful

Hopefully she gets the role, as you'll still be able to pop instore and book a holiday with her when she goes NC with you in a few years time.

What? She has a job interview and wnat her to revoke it? Are you OK?

Your concern seems to be that you think she might not be up to it because of her age.

But... that's not your problem at all! It's the company's problem! Absolute worst case scenario: she gets the job, she's absolutely crap at it, messes up big time. What's going to happen? The absolute worst that will happen is she gets the sack. But even if she does, she'll still be able to put the experience on her CV, she'll still have experience doing a proper job... even just going for the interview is great experience!
A more likely outcome is she does fine. She might even end up being good at it! Maybe she'll need a bit more support than an older employee. Maybe she won't.

But in any case, it's absolutely bizarre of you to block her from taking the opportunity.

Most Travel agents run apprenticeship schemes for age 16 school leavers, it’s a standard thing.

YABU. They will train her and it's hardly rocket science. As you recognise yourself she hasn't had many callbacks - it's really difficult for school leavers to obtain employment at the mo - so I definitely wouldn't be advising her to give up this opportunity.

Also, if nothing else, it will give her invaluable interview experience, which it doesn't sound like she has had much of (if any). It makes no sense to withdraw her application.