Work experience placement help?

[amandaf64]

DD2 needs to find a placement in a week because as per usual she has left everything until the last minute and I have to pick up the pieces.

She's interested in fashion and art.

She said that she spoke to school on Friday and the only placements they had left were primary schools (she hates children) and building/plumbing work, which she obviously does not want to do.

I'm stuck for ideas, I was meant to ring up M&S and Debenhams today but I completely forgot.

But do any of you have any ideas?

All the big department stores- House of Fraser, M and S, John Lewis, Debenhams, Libertys, Harrods, Fortnym and Masons etc, see if they have a window dresser/marketing person/personal shopper she could shadow... I believe topshop oxford street (if you are near) do personal shopping service she could perhaps shadow.
Maybe some fashion magazines she could phone up or email a CV to? Probably not the 'top' ones but less well known ones will still be valuable experience.
Any art galleries/museums nearby?
Any wedding dress designer shops or prom dress shops or similar? (For some reason Thelma's Gypsy Girls show is popping to mind!!)

Also I would highly recommend that your DD phones or emails rather than you, it will give a far better impression. You can always sit with her and help her plan what to say on paper - it is all a learning curve. But I know a number of companies who will flat out reject work experience requests just on the basis the child doesn't have the initiative/drive/motivation to call up themselves.

exactly - I've seen websites saying that 'applications made by parents on behalf of children will be rejected immediately'.

rocket up backside time for your daughter, nothing you can do.

I didn't think of window dressing!

We have a large shopping centre nearby, I'll drop her in town tomorrow and get her to ask around there.

By all means show your DD the options, sit beside her while she googles these things and help her make a list, help her plan what to say, show her how to write a CV and look through it once she has written it.... I helped DC with all this, but she must be the one who puts it all into action.

That's great- good luck to her, I hope she manages to sort something.