Does DD need a job while at university?

[seel]

I don't know what's best to encourage. She has had a job in a supermarket since she was 16, she is now 19 (had to resit a year in a levels) and still has her job of course. It's only 10 hours a week currently but if she does a store move (which they can try and accommodate, but isn't always possible anyway) she is probably looking at no where near a contract that low. Most likely she won't be able to move anyway and will have to just leave and find a new job.

She is lucky in that her grandparents are covering her full rent cost. She will then have her full loan £8k? To just live on. She will need to pay bills and her car will be a lot (she is renting a small flat and this is what my grandparents will pay) I know most will not agree with not going into student accommodations but it's right for her.

So she has what £666 a month to pay for everything else which is plenty. She is very sensible with money, so I don't know if I should be encouraging her to focus on her studies or encouraging her to keep earning her own money, you know?

Actually Eccles for many students it's study and ensure they're employable at the end of it.

Sure, definitely a good idea to work in the summer vac.

I think it depends on the course, her later aspirations and to a lesser extent her social groups norms. She isn’t going to need to work to surv survive (as many do) but might want to start saving towards a deposit, a new car etc.
Ours haven’t worked because the course demands didn’t really allow for it. Their friendship groups tended not to work either. A shop job or waitressing would have been of no advantage to their careers or employability.

It is useful to work but the holidays only is fine - perhaps her current store will put her on a zero hours and only give shifts when she's home. Most youngsters are living on the loan or even less so she will be very well off

The point I was making is that she’s already done supermarket work. Many employers don’t think that beats other forms of working or volunteering. DH wouldn’t be remotely impressed if an engineering grad turned up with supermarket checkout work. It brings little to the job that cannot be gained by doing something more relevant. Relevant is the key word. Branch out and do something else. That’s what great about moving to a university. New opportunities. My DD was Chair of a Ball Committee, and took a major role in a society, sang in a choir and did professional performances, and did relevant work experience in the holidays as well as volunteering. It all gave a variety of skills that were more valuable than being on a checkout till. So do something that gives a variety of skills and experiences. Checkout work for 5 years will look limited in scope and complexity and the transferable skills from that can be topped up by doing activities where she is actually the instigator and a leader.

Of course related work experience trumps supermarket work but in the absence of related experience then any part time job is better than having no work experience to draw upon.
Some courses lend themselves nicely torelated work experience and I'd expect vocational courses to have work experience embedded into the curriculum or to offer a placement year.
Student ambassador work is also an excellent option for students - often very flexible, well paid and develops a wide range of skills that employers love.

Yes. Something is better than nothing! But there is a whole new world out there!

So she'll get the full loan AND her grandparents are paying her rent? Fucking hell she'll be minted! Think about it - £200 a week for food, clothes and the bar! Nice! You do realise the vast majority of her peers won't be on anything like that much?

This.

Tbh bubbles being chairman of the ball committee is the kind of thing I'd run a mile from as an employer

There’s no ‘right’ answer here, but if it was my DD I would encourage her to work in the holidays and focus on her studies during term time.

dd is planning to work a waitress one night a week simply to have an escape from student life!

It will depend on the course and the university. DD2 definitely would not have time to work during term time, DD1 would probably struggle too. They also like to be able to come home some weekends which would limit them. Xmas holiday was spent studying for exams and working on project/lab reports/assignments etc. and I expect Easter to be the same. Summer is a different matter and I expect them to work and fund their activities then.
I personally would say don't work the first term and then see how your DD is getting on. But at the end of the day, the decision will be hers to make.

I think she has a very generous amount to manage on per month and would suggesting getting a job in the summer holidays instead. I think there is an opportunity to develop other skills while at university - roles in clubs and societies - which can take up a lot of time and make it difficult to have a job as well.

Well fazackerley that just shows you are biased in your appraisal of candidates and their skills and attributes. If you can argue a supermarket checkout job is great prep for work, I can assure you there is far more leadership, business acumen, organisation and decision making in chairing a ball committee than being a check out person. Especially as the faculty had never had one before and it was started from scratch.

Why is perceived class bias seen as ok, by the way? It’s unjust and simply not acceptable in any way. It’s also a great shame when employers show such dreadful bias without looking at the skills involved. As she is now a barrister, I can confirm other people take a very different view.

bubbles i was half joking. I'm sure your dd is a very capable intelligent young woman.

Depends what course she is doing but I found it invaluable working, I got a job my second week of uni studying history. I worked 8-16 hours a week in accessorize.

It really helped add structure to my day, I would spend the morning in the library, work an afternoon shift then meet friends for drinks most nights. What it taught me was amazing time management, I would get more done in a morning than my friends did all day, and I came out with a first.

Working is about a lot more than just the money, responsibility and time management are crucial for future employability.

Just to add a couple of other perspectives. My dd had a job- and when she had some quite serious mental health issues, it was the job that got her up and out in a way that her university work couldn’t. When she couldn’t study her job gave her a sense of achieving something and a structure to her day.

Also- I reckon that you learn huge amounts from retail or catering jobs- people skills, time management, problem solving. Particularly for young people who are likely to go into graduate level jobs, a knowledge of what goes on lower down the tree is invaluable.

When I was at Cambridge, admittedly many moons ago, I waitressed despite it being very frowned upon. I loved it. I found the break from the ivory tower very welcome.

le42
this.

Totally agree with Betrand.

What Bertrand says. For me working in a cafe was a great way to get away from essays, etc for a few hours a week. Plus it was a nice way to actually integrate with the local population, get to know the town outside the university bubble.

Science degrees might be different, but I still had time for committee memberships, participation in clubs and actual studying. I think those time management skills have served me well.

Finally, some may say there's little vale in spending X years as a checkout girl, to broaden her horizons, etc, but for others the reliability & loyalty shown by working for one employer might be equally valuable.

My DD is at uni in London and it's pretty full on but she does work for an event company running bars, silver service waitering etc. She works the shifts she wants to work and has attended some pretty good events including celebrity weddings, royal parties, major sporting fixtures etc.

She's paid around £10 an hour and to her, it's the equivalent of getting paid to have a night out and meeting some pretty interesting people. If it's a catering event she even gets fed! If she is too busy with uni work then she gives it a break.

It depends really on the type of life your DD wants to have but I think she'll manage well enough without getting a job if her GPs are paying her accommodation.

If your DD is interested in a job, have her look at Indeed where she'll find lots of opportunities for flexible student jobs.

@YanTanTethera01 “She's paid around £10 an hour and to her, it's the equivalent of getting paid to have a night out and meeting some pretty interesting people. If it's a catering event she even gets fed!

This is a very generous description of event companies. My dds have worked for the same or similar companies that you describe and one worked at a Royal wedding in Windsor last year. However, in my dds experience, they are there working and none of my dcs have looked at it as the equivalent of getting paid to have a night out. It can be quite tough, long hours, no employment rights, drunk guests, clearing up, standing around for hours with heavy trays in their hands. Staff are not normally allowed to fraternise with guests.

As she doesn’t need the money, she could try and get a job more related to the career she might like. Or babysit, so that she can study while earning money.

It is up to her I suppose
I am not keen on mine working,certainly not during term time
They have all their lives to work
I like them to concentrate on their studies,sports etc

bevelino. That's a shame that your DDs haven't had a good experience with eventing. I must admit DD tends to run the event bar rather than waiting on but does say it's hard work. I think you have to pick your company very carefully and work through more than one at a time, that way you can choose what you think will be the best event.