paulkal:
It does somewhat depend on what subject this DC is going to pursue but....
Every university invests heavily in a Careers Guidance office with all sorts of information about summer jobs/ term-time work opportunities/ apprenticeships/ etc...
There usually also is information there about the Personal Skills - here at my uni there's a personal skills award which students can be slowly working on during their degree which is entirely designed to make your skills stand out on that CV at the end of Uni.
University can also be about meeting people which leads you to hear about opportunities or ideas for employment that you might never have thought about or conceived of in your home community.
You can also - if work opportunities are such - go part-time as an undergraduate - so doing both work and study. You can take a leave of absence for work reasons.
Now some stories and yes of course we have students who go on to do further research - but we also have all sorts:
We've had students who were amazing - could have gone on to do a PhD - but realised that becoming an actuary or going into the civil service was the smart move.
We've had one student work as a volunteer in a school during her degree and then apply for in service teacher training (so paid while you learn to be a teacher & study for your PGCE).
We've had one student take on a small job to make ends meet as a barista, work there all three years, stay on as a manager of one of the on campus coffee shops and she's now Head of Catering Services for the University.
Something similar happened to a student who worked at a restaurant chain - she was a waitress there during her Uni days to help make ends meet, but enjoyed the buzz of the place and liked the work - was asked to do more and more during her time and as she was nearing the end of her degree her manager said here, I want you to fill in this form, I think you should consider management training here - you're paid from the start and it's a good job. She's a manager at a restaurant we go to - and by all accounts is really happy there.
We've had students work for their parents or take one summer jobs, which then have translated into work experience on their CVs.
We've had students get heavily involved in Uni politics, become a representative on the Student Guild and then go into local politics (now a councillor in the city).
My children are currently coached in two sports by former students of this University who both went the sports science/ management route through sporting rather than academic interests.
So....
my advice to your friend is that University is not any one thing and definitely isn't just about getting the degree.
When you meet your tutor (at induction and there usually is a how are you settling in 1 to 1 meeting) - just be proactive and raise your concerns about work opportunities/ gaining experience or employment over the summers.
I know that many degree programs include & indeed arrange opportunities for work placements - a friend studying law spent last summer working in a law office and helped prepare briefs for a legal case.
Nothing is delivered on a plate in life -
But Universities regular hold careers fares or have specific employers days
Have 'CV Clinics' which look over your CV and help you improve it
Have job adverts
Hold mock interviews
Have skills workshops
Being at University also gives you 2 years to study up and learn how previous students have managed to gain 'good jobs' - network - find out what they did between year 1 and year 2. And what options for employment are out there.
University of course doesn't guarantee you a well paying job - and as 'Barista lady' shall we call her said to me and one of her lecturers from a science department - I never expected to be doing this - but in fact I really enjoy it and it keeps leading to better and better paid jobs.