Will your child be working throughout uni?

[henriettahugoharriet]

Thanks

[BubblesBuddy]

I do think when students live at home and still have the huge support of a parent or two in their home, they have time to work and can continue with the part-time jobs they already have. When living at university, especially in self catering, lots of students do not have a massive amount of spare time and some courses are intense. If they are using their spare time effectively they will engage in sport, organising clubs and societies, as well as doing study in their non contact hours. These activities are also useful for the CV as they show leadership and commitment. Some courses demand a lot of work in non contact time, others do not because the students are directed more by lecturers. Low contact hours does not mean low levels of study on challenging courses.

How much value low tariff work adds to their application for a graduate job really depends on the job. Working does show commitment, time-keeping and that you can work in a team, but it does not necessarily mean you are best suited to the ultimate career you want or that you will pass all the selection tests for a good graduate job. It has value, but limited value. If a student enjoys work, that's great. However, a training contract for a Solicitor is unlikely to be awarded because the applicant has worked filling shelves in Aldi. So some work is OK, but targetted work experience or volunteering in your chosen field may be a better use of time than just any job.

[corythatwas]

I think it's a very individual thing. Some courses are incredibly demanding, some families simply couldn't afford to keep a child at uni if they didn't earn anything, some students could do with the added responsibility, some students (oooh yes! lecturer speaking here!) could do with spending more time on their studies. Also, some students are good at living on lentil soup and socialising over a shared tea bag, others want a slightly more costly life.

I only worked in the summers, and then as a volunteer abroad, but was able to do evening courses at university level at the same time as doing my standard undergrad programme, meaning I basically ended up with two BA's instead of one. While the paper qualifications may not have made that much difference, the skills I learned have been essential for my later career. I was very good at living cheaply, which was another good skill to learn.

Not everybody who makes a different choice is either an uncaring parent or a lazy immature young person who will end up without life skills.

[2rebecca]

No, just during summer holidays but they're doing fairly intensive degree courses and we can afford to help them with the costs. Different if they had 3 lectures a week type courses and we were skint.

[thecatfromjapan]

I know, Crispsheets . I just think it's weirdly hypocritical of me.

[MaMisled]

My DD goes tomorrow (gulp!) and will be looking for a few hours work at weekends just to make things easier. She has a small income from selling handmade items online too so she should be fairly comfortable.

[Slartybartfast]

yes, if she wants extras.

[Crispsheets]

I wouldn't.
University should be fun, not one big slog.

[thecatfromjapan]

Crispsheets My supervisor told me moving out of college lowered your degree by a whole class, on average, eg. from a first, to a 2:1.

Ds isn't going to have the option, I think they all have to move out, which is fine if they're all doing it. Oddly enough, I moved out anyway but if he was in that situation, I'd be begging him to choose degree grade over fun.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

No.

Not really anyway. Some supermarket/retail work in the long summer holiday.

[Tinty]

My DS has worked through his first year and all summer, he will be working through the second year but not apparently the third year because they really need to do a lot of study in the last year to get a good degree.

[boys3]

not during term time; however he successfully applied, full day assessment centre included, for a summer scheme with a large organisation and has been back there again. Pretty well paid, and for him at least exposure in terms of reports, presentations to senior board members. How much difference or influence will that actually have? Have to wait until after he graduates next year to find out.

[Crispsheets]

Well that's a new one. Moving into rented accommodation leads to lower class degrees

[thecatfromjapan]

I hope not. We don't expect him to but he's a contrary thing, so who knows what he'll do?

We were told that jobs = lower class of degree when I was at university (we were also told that moving out of college and into rented accommodation, where you had to do your own shopping, cooking and housework would lead to a lower class of degree) and I'd rather he used university for it's purpose.

He has lots of work experience already, so I don't see the absence of a ow-paid job during term-time impacting severely on his future prospects.

I realise some people will have to work their way through university. I don't think that's fair.

[mumwithovertime]

RedHelenB has your daughter started her course yet , I have a daughter in her final year of dentistry and the workload is immense and she gets much less holidays than other courses , she's doing well on the course but I doubt she could have worked too ( might just be her tho ? )

[skyzumarubble]

The I do t know what McDonalds pay is like now but back in 1995 it was good for a student!

[Ragusa]

I definitely think if nothing else our offspring should be encouraged to work during the long holidays from most courses.

[blueskyinmarch]

My DD worked abroad this summer and has managed to save £2000 from her earnings which will see her through this year. She also has signed up to do a Buddy role with her uni supporting first years and she gets paid for doing this. It's around £8 per hour which is fairly decent. She likes to have extra money!

[Onthehighseas]

Mine worked all the way through uni, and got promoted during that time to be a team leader. She enjoyed the money and the responsibility and it stood her in great stead for the world of work when she finished her degree.

[opheliacat]

I never mentioned my part time jobs!

[timeisnotaline]

Am I the only one who thinks it is not good life preparation to not want your dc to work during uni? My friends and I were all supported during uni for accommodation (mostly living at home) , some had parents pay the fees but we were all expected to have a job to fund ourselves for all going out, holiday and travel. I saved 20k to travel and do an exchange , including my summer job of course. We went to a good uni and we all graduated with first class honours in our different areas.

[MozzchopsThirty]

I don't really understand the reasoning of if you're studying you can't work
Unfortunately in RL as you progress and do further study this usually has to be along side your job.
It shouldn't be about doing one thing at a time, we're not making our children resilient for the future by funding them entirely

[FiveBoys]

It always looks good on your CV when applying for proper jobs as a graduate of you can show that you have held down regular work, doesn't matter what it is

I don't think it has to be work. It can be anything that makes you stand out from the crowd. So for e.g. having the international equivalent of the Duke of Edinburgh award. Voluntary work you've done for an extended period of time. Being fluent in more than one language. Mine are fluent in 3. Even having led an interesting or unusual life that means you have exposure to different things. The ability to converse and mix with people. Anything really that shows you're not a square peg in a square hole.

I think it's interesting what Serf has said about her child not being allowed to work whilst studying and it's the same where we live. But that's not to say children go out into the wold I'll equipped for it or at a disadvantage because they didn't work their way through uni.

One of mine worked in the UK in his choice of profession before he came home and it obviously didn't matter to the company he'd not worked through Uni.

[SerfTerf]

It's not allowed at DC1's uni, DC2 isn't going to uni, so will be working FT comparatively young, will have to wait to see for the others.

[PinkCrystal]

Yes both of mine work weekends for the extra money

[holdthewine]

All of ours did time consuming courses with practical elements as well as study.

But they all worked in the holidays, mostly they went back to the same jobs. Not always full-time sometimes part-time.

It always looks good on your CV when applying for proper jobs as a graduate of you can show that you have held down regular work, doesn't matter what it is.