Something interesting to do in the summer 18 year old

[Jopeg]

My daughter does her A levels this year, so has a long summer ahead. She told me yesterday that her friend (who is going to study Archaeology) is going on a dig and is volunteering at a local museum in the summer. She would like me to find something for her along these lines (although not going on a dig). She is hoping to study Physics at University and is quite interested in Astronomy, but any suggestions welcome, she is not in the least sporty!

If your DD is going to study Physics, could she not get a summer intern place in industry? Some of them even come with bursaries for university attached.

The National Trust run a programme of conservation working holidays, see here. (I did one when I was 18 back in the Dark Ages and really enjoyed it.)

Do you know where she should look?

I would say degree relevant internship as one option - although I have to say that when dd reaches this stage I will be expecting her to get a job (as I did) over the lengthy summer. Lots of life skills to learn in any sort of paid environment, and a opportunity to mix with all sorts of people (not just the 'rarified'/ middle class types you might find on a NT dig or something similar....and just as importantly, making some money to support herself.

a job

Well she has been trying to get a job for some time (she did have a part time job but with Woolworths!), but has had no success so far, at the moment DH and I are both out of work and job hunting so I would like her to do something that at least covers its costs.

Any idea where I can find out about internships?

Hmm, not sure tbh. Perhaps look at the uni websites thatbshe is applying for and try searching under 'internship'? It may be quite competitive as companies or more likely to want students already at uni as they may have some more relevant learning - but nothing ventured, nothing gained. Otherwise try googling 'physics/astronomy internship' (on a UK only search) and see what comes up. Alternative might be some sort of holiday camp/camp america thing where she works with kids - good work experience and she will get to travel.. Again quite competitive. Depends what she already has on her CV and how well she comes over (i.e a go-getting/dynamic type etc)

'She would like me to find something for her along these lines ' i suggest she finds it herself.

whats wrong with getting a crappy job, lying round smoking pot and being v. pretentious. worked for me

My little brother is going to do Camp America in the summer. From what he has told me he will pay £500 pounds to go, work for 4 weeks and then get 3 weeks off to do what he wants.

Yes, why are you looking for her?

'She would like me to find something for her along these lines ' i suggest she finds it herself.

I thought someone would say that.

whats wrong with getting a crappy job, lying round smoking pot and being v. pretentious. worked for me

Didn't expect that though!

Notyummy thanks for the suggestions, I have been googling pretty much along those lines.

I am looking for her because she asked me very nicely if I would and I said "yes". I won't actually apply for her!

look here for internship info

if i was 18 i wouldn't have wanted my mum to find me anything lol i think i picked up a tent and some friends and disappeared for a couple of weeks, but i'd had a saturday job for years so probably self-funded... must have been waiting for a level results i suppose, so the last thing i wanted was to lie around at home fretting!

i know she has asked you very nicely, but wouldn't it be better for her to be researching what she wants to do, rather than you laying the options out on a plate for her to select? i think your relationship sounds great btw, but i'd find it really difficult not to steer heavily

I think that unless you have connections in local firms etc it is difficult to get an internship post A Level - when you are at university there are opportunities.
She's possibly too late for Camp America (DS is going on this and applied in the early autumn) - there's a fairly lengthy process involved including CRB checks.
She needs to start looking for herself and you should not be the one finding her work or placements.
Get her to look at Timebank for volunteering opportunities and make sure she has a CV she can hand out round shops/cafes etc for paid employment.

Thanks, will do.

The thanks will do should have been to Fanjolina!

But thanks for the other posts, I am just going to email her with some links/suggestions. tbh I think she realises that if she does it herself she will never get round to it, she isn't the best at finding stuff on the internet anyway and I am finding it time consuming.

She has handed out her CV locally already.

It is because she is rather 'backward in coming forward' that I think something new would be good for her.

What BariatricObama says, both times

Actually I loved the waitressing I did back then (and for another 10 years or so - though I'm guessing you'd rather she did something else long term). I honestly think catering makes adults of people. It should be like National Service. Also once she gets to Uni, waiting is one (if not the) best way of making a bit of cash and if she gets even a little experience now she will have a definate edge over other applicants.

OTOH it's lovely that you want to help and if she can do something now that she wouldn't get the chance to do later in life (once debts, work, family get in the way) then that's fabulous.

Actually she does do a bit of waitressing at a local golf club. I did a bit of waitressing after uni, I was the world's worst!

I presume that she is in Y12, taking AS exams in the summer and applying for Uni in the autumn. She should be trying to find something that will look good on her personal statement and prove her enthusiasm for the subject.
This is the jobs page on Royal Astronomical Society website. It probably isn't much use for actual jobs but if she contacts the firms who are advertising there then something may come of that. Also Institute of Physics. Try looking at University websites - they probably have blurb along the lines of "I'm so glad I did my degree at XXX Uni, I had a great time and now have a fantastic job at YYY"
Has she done work experience - will that give any openings?

No she is in Year 13 and has A2s this year, she has had some offers, so fingers crossed she will get the grades.

She did do some work experience in Year 11, ended up going to work with DH (although she was put in different departments) came away saying she 'definitely didn't want to work in financial services!'.

Thanks for the suggestions, I had looked at those sites but the idea about the advertising is interesting.

Ah, Y13: that makes a difference. I would encourage her to either holiday like mad or to earn as much money as she can.

I remember reading in Chris Stewart's book Driving Over Lemons (which is about an organic farm in Spain) about some scheme whereby you exchange your labour in return for board & lodging. Would something like that appeal to her?

I don't think so, but perhaps that is because it would worry me! She is going to Uganda with the school so won't be exactly holiday deprived (it will involve some work as well).