post-GCSE summer work

[dollopoficecream]

DS just finished last Friday his GCSEs and I'd like him to find a summer job. He says he needs to rest a bit first after working so hard. What is your experience in all this? I feel working is so important,,,,,

He has his whole life to work. Let him rest a bit

I agree with you. My DSes were similar. Appealing to their love of money (and in DS2s case his love of the girls who already worked there) persuaded them otherwise.

They do need a break it’s the reward after months of no free time due to revising. It’s not something I would be forcing at this age. They have plenty of time for part time jobs once they are in sixth form/ college.

DD had the ‘exams that weren’t exams but might have been twice as burdensome as exams’ exams finish end of May 21 and it was just too long a period to do nothing. She had a break but then started tutoring that summer. She could name her hours and do an intensive 11+ week if wanted. It has been a very flexible option for her.

Definitely important to get some sort of job, babysitting, McDonald's are what my 16 did.

It's really hard for 16 year olds to find part time work unless they know someone at the workplace already. My kids found that most places wanted 18 year olds because they could then work longer hours/serve alcohol etc.

None of mine worked formally after GCSEs . I think they are a real ordeal and A levels are full on from day 1. I felt that this was the last summer with no responsibilities; after year 12 there are university applications and also certainly mine had a lot of academic work. After A levels people are moving on, some are traveling, some start work etc etc. They all had a glorious summer after GCSEs; lots of socialising, spending time with friends , starting their reading lists for year 12, lazing at the beach (we live on the coast) a lot of very special memories. Ds3 also did his expedition for gold D of E that summer and they all did some volunteering so I wasn't bothered.

Agree its hard to get a summer job at 16 these days. Less retail opportunities these days. Its probably easier to get a weekend job.

What benefit do you think a summer job has? Is it money? Experience? Interaction with awful customers? Or is it because you think he shouldn't be lazying around?

In this house lazying around is fine. I have thoughtful, conscientious children who both worked incredibly hard on their GCSEs. Jobs aren't that easy to come by like when we were younger. I would rather them learn to divide their time between different activities from reading, watching films, walking, playing an instrument, learning a language and most importantly for uni, working on things relevant to the subject they will study. Lots of things online and free.

They both did chores without asking, helped without complaining when asked to do something. Dh and I both had jobs from being 13. We wanted them to relax, enjoy the summer of freedom before sixth form started.

Experience, working as a team, planning, organisational skills, presentation etc etc etc.

Exactly! There can still be plenty of opportunities for relaxing, unloading the dishwasher etc whilst doing a part time job.

For those saying it is hard for 16 year olds to find jobs I suspect it depends on where you live. In DD’s lower sixth class they all have part time jobs except a couple of them and that was based on their parents giving them an allowance large enough they didn’t need / want to. Jobs range from supermarkets at £10+ an hour, beauty retail, pub kitchens, garden centre work, waiting staff in restaurants, fast food outlets, book shops, Kumon and Explore learning centres, private tutoring (DD’s friend gets £20 an hour for maths tutoring, DD charges between £10 and £17 for 11+ and English tutoring) , lawn mowing services - due to the labour shortage in our area the employers are jumping over themselves to pay decent wages to 16 year olds.

Oh, absolutely Pettswood, it does make a big difference.

This time last year dd who was 19 at the time, applied for literally hundreds of jobs bothin the city she was studying at and our home city and got nothing. She then saw a job advertised in the city she was due to move to for postgrad in the October, applied and they wanted her to start within the month. We ended up having to find temporary accommodation for her over the summer so she could do it.

Where we live, public transport is awful, (you can't drive you can't get to work) and all the kinds of jobs you mention tend to go to people my age or older who want to work part/time/are semi retired. I've seen several pub jobs advertised where there is a warning not to apply if you don't have a safe way of getting home after your shift (eg a parent is prepared to come and collect you at midnight.

My son got a temp job working at a food and drink festival event and the taxi to get him there cost more than he would earn, I had to drive him there and back on a Sunday.

Also tutoring isn't really an option round here as very few parents can afford to pay for tutors. Those who did (like me) did it because our children had SEN and needed specialist help.

You're saying people pay 16 year olds to do tutoring?

They must have more money than sense because 16 year olds really are not mature or experienced enough in teaching pedagogy to tutor children.

Where we live it's hard to get a job, made harder by shit public transport.
I want my 16 year old to have a lovely summer, they've all had a shit time with covid so deserve to do fun things. To be honest we've so much planned not sure she'd fit one in 🤣

My son was keen to work and was hampered by turning 16 late July. He was going to college after GCSEs and had time to work part time so found a job that August doing KP at a café. Made redundant during lockdown but picked another in mens fashion retail as soon as shops opened up again.
I think a job is great, but maybe part time? Agree in a couple weeks off to decompress!After A levels definitely a summer job (after a trip to celebrate, or work to save up the money to). But really he needed to have started looking much earlier than now.
My daughter is taking some summer courses but I'm still hoping she'll get a Saturday job at least, though not sure how common those are these days.

As state pension age keeps rising, they're probably going to end up working till they're 70. As long as they aren't just lazing in bed on their phones all summer, I wouldn't worry about a job now (though I would expect them to share in at least some household chores)

I'm in Scotland so mine didn't leave school after their exams they stayed on another 2 years and did highers. Neither of them worked until they left school.

DD went on to college and got a student loan and part time job after leaving school. DS went straight to uni, lives at home and hasn't got a job. He is autistic though so while hugely academic he is also developmentally behind his peers.

We took on a 17yr old in my workplace (pub) because their sibling who worked with us had asked if they could do a trial shift and they did great! We hired them to assist with table service. They were able to wait tables and serve drinks to tables but not sell them at the bar.

It's definitely possible but as PP have said it helps to have a recommendation.

Might be worth asking friends or family if they have jobs going at their workplaces.

My children all had part time jobs as soon as they were old enough... certainly by 15. They worked Saturdays at least and always extra in the school holidays. As we live rurally it's always meant providing lifts but we don't mind and I think it teaches them valuable life lessons. They've always bought their own bits and pieces out of the money earned and enjoy the independence it brings. None of them ever said they couldn't go or needed a rest after they'd finished exams...the opposite in fact and asked for extra shifts.

Depending where you live there may be plenty of jobs or few jobs. Round our way there are plenty.

I would let them have a break but then suggest they look at what is out there as a couple of shifts a week would give them enough to save and spend on fun for the rest of the holidays.

Dd didn't have a job due to Covid ...she wanted one. She spent summer prepping for A Levels and did a couple of MOOCs etc
She started a job in Jan following and it was mixed experience really. She is now on her fourth role and, although I can say it is great for her confidence and people skills, some of those workplaces have been challenging. Because of 0 hour contracts they seem less willing to help train properly. There are other questionable practices at one place she was constantly and actively monitored on camera. Although I was keen for her to get workplace experience it wasn't quite what I remembered - I had a great time working in a Nursing Home and then a Pub I was informally mentored , had people I could look up to and trust, taught the 'trade' well. I'm not so sure that happens anymore as standard. Be prepared for some crap workplaces is all I'm saying !

Thanks for sharing your thoughts....he's had nearly two weeks now of resting so I'm going to encourage him to find a part-time job or volunteering opportunity. He's more keen on learning to drive...