Lack of meaningful things for undergrads over the summer.

[Coffeeonloop]

My YPs are finding it hard to be occupied over this summer, despite putting in effort to get paid jobs / volunteering experiences well in advance.

Is it harder because the job market is tighter generally?

What are other people's undergraduate YPs doing over the Summer?

Snap and earning $5k

Mine is earning $5k. Flight was £550 and visa about £250 so plenty of profit

Also massively good for cv

there's pressure from their dad tho

Is he contributing anything other than pressure to the mission?

Mine worked as an interpreter for a PR company in Europe which promoted restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions. The pay was poor but it was good experience.
Obviously they can only do this if they are studying languages.

I'm an academic and I get the impression that yes, students who have something to do have been organised for a long time. I have students who are carrying on the job they had the summer before they started, yes indeed I have lifeguards, and supermarket workers. I've had ones in previous years who've done Camp America. Others working in different shops but as an ongoing thing (either they did it before they came to Uni or they have been at the shop in term time). Likewise those working in school holiday clubs often did the after school sessions in term time.

Depends on the employer. My son does Civil Engineering and found that his building site experience as a (very) temporary labourer was valuable for his internship applications. He was able to talk about health & safety and observing the role of different trades.

My nephew did gardening - Found a company that needed an extra person just for the summer

@breathabel yes, that’s valuable and checking the setting out and accuracy of the building is good too.

Dd just finished y1 and signed up to a hospitality agency. She is neurodiverse and can struggle with communication so a fantastic experience for her on a number of levels but can also take a break when needed. She is also cat sitting our difficult cats while the rest of the family go on holiday!

DD2 only ever did hospitality work and graduated with a 1st class integrated Masters in a STEM subject without securing a job. The cafe was delighted to have her back so she did shifts there whilst applying for “proper” jobs. She had a couple of interviews in the July & August and secured her grad role at the end of August.
in the interview, they asked for examples of when she had done particular things such as gone the extra mile. She used her hospitality work and it was fine. She has been there 21 months now and in line for her 2nd promotion.

I agree, often casual work / volunteering can provide useful experience for later on, my two between them have acquired certificates in food hygiene, safeguarding, working at height, manual handling, first aid, depending on your career path these can be directly useful in graduate type roles and all show ability to work according to procedures and learn on the job.

Why don’t they ask around the local charity shops ?
Lots of various tasks and customer service opportunities. Also working with a diverse group of people.