Young people who are jobless / struggling for work, have you ever had a job?

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avatarman49@reddit

Reading conversations like this makes clear how personal the issue is. Behind every unemployment figure is someone trying to hold on to confidence while facing repeated setbacks and uncertainty.

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I’m a adult looking for work being self employed for a long time applying for anything and everything and still getting rejected from every job I’ve been applying for scared to know how the young uns are getting through it.

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Blue_View_1217@reddit

I'm convinced that the rise in minimum wage for young people has done an incredible amount of harm.

When I was a teenager it was easy to get a part time job. All my mates were working at supermarkets, restaurants, fast food, pubs etc. We weren't as useful as older employees due to a general lack of experience, but employers weren't that bothered considering how much cheaper it was to employ us, and for us it was such an important life experience.

I genuinely don't think I'd have got where I am in life as quickly without those experiences.

I feel so sorry for young people today who won't get those opportunities.

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Conscious_Guess9637@reddit

If it was lowered it still wouldn’t be cheaper than AI. Just look at the supermarkets, their staff is so much lower because you don’t have to go to a till operated by a human being.

It’s the same everywhere, M&S you can buy £200+ worth of clothes at a self checkout. The store was a ghost town with regards to employees.

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BarleyWineStein@reddit

I think it has a lot to do with it, yes.

What a lot of people don't realise is that wages are linked to the value you add to the organisation.

With a high minimum wage an employer has to look at what value someone is adding to the organisation. The person with even the slightly better personality / confidence / life experience is going to get the job first. 9 times out of 10 that isn't going to be the youngest, not least one with no existing experience.

The real minimum wage is actually zero.

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Broccoli--Enthusiast@reddit

Yeah fuck people for wanting to earn enough to fucking live

I'm on like 32k and it's hard to get by, the fuck

You realsie that minimum wage on 38 hours a week is like 23k a year , it's fucking nothing

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No-Championship9542@reddit

Ok but that's irrelevant, the question is if it was your business who would you hire? The 30 year old experienced guy or the NHS 8 year old fresh out of school, if both have the same pay? Everyone is gonna pick options 2, that's how business works. Also a lot of minimum wage work isn't 38 hour weeks, when I was doing farming it was more like 60+ which wasn't that bad a living.

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Broccoli--Enthusiast@reddit

It's minimum wage mate

It the job isn't I skilled they should be paying more than that

Business owners are just miserable twats wants to pay the lowest

If I was hiring for stacking shelves or working in a cafe or something I'd just hire the nicest person , because "experience” isn't relevant

It's disgusting that as a country we have decided that some skilled jobs are apparently worth the bare minimum. It's pathetic.

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ThatConsideration719@reddit

If a company gets 150 applications for a single position offering minimum wage, and is financially struggling themselves due to the ballooning costs of everything, why would they offer more than the minimum wage.

Also experience isn't even necessarily about skills a lot of the time. It's more of a certification of'I've done this before, I can do it again'

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Broccoli--Enthusiast@reddit

Because they aren't bastards?

People need to fucking live and the current stage of shit the government have let us get into means people are desperate, these business bastards would pay us in bread and water of they were allowed , regardless of profits.

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ThatConsideration719@reddit

I'm sympathetic to your frustration, but "Pay me more or you're a bad person" isnt going to get you very far.

The reality is skilled work is only paid more when the skills required are rare. As a country we've pumped our so many graduates that this is no longer the case.

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No-Championship9542@reddit

If your way is better starts business, do it your way and show them all the superiority of your way. You can get a 20k start up loan and go straight at it, borrow the rest on 0% money transfer cards. It's what I did, best decision I ever made.

The fact is us and the high minimum wage patrol all have like 16-20% youth unemployment, the Yanks without one have like 8% so factually no dispute the higher it is, the less jobs for everybody. We have the highest minimum wage in the world, it's irrationally high,

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Broccoli--Enthusiast@reddit

It's currently not worth running a new business here but the minimum wage isn't the reason why, it's our shit stagnant economy that's lasted 2 decades , paying people less so you can make more won't fix that

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No-Championship9542@reddit

Yeah well why is it so stagnant? Big one is planning law (2% economic growth a year lost and have raised house prices by 30%) like try to build a cafe or something tomorrow it'll be a fucking nightmare, high tax on business (particularly VAT and business rates) and the employee rights which do suppress wages and make people hire less.

Throwing more costs on the businesses only make everyone poorer.

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BarleyWineStein@reddit

You've missed the point of the exchange here. It wasn't a discussion about what someone can live on. It was about why young people aren't able to get the first jobs that give them that experience.

I agree that it is hard to live a good life on minimum wage. But that's not the discussion here.

Also, I can illustrate with an example. I am about to hire a data inputter / bookkeeper. They come with several qualifications and years of experience. As well as their own insurance. They've asked for an hourly rate just a couple of quid above minimum wage. (I didn't advertise. They came to me with the offer). See the issue here?

If I hire staff with no experience I am obliged to pay them minimum wage. Yet there is someone with experience and qualifications who only values themselves £2 an hour more than that.

High minimum wage evidently isn't lifting everyone. It's squeezing the middle. Your own example illustrates this - how you are finding it hard to live a good life on your salary.

There's only so much money to go around. Particularly in an economy that isn't growing.

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Broccoli--Enthusiast@reddit

That bookkeeper that's come to you asking a pittance, would you even hire them, clearly there is reason they are asking so little

Although part of that reason is the government as fucked it and made people desperate

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BarleyWineStein@reddit

It's data input. It just happens to be data input in an area they are "qualified" in. Time will tell if it's worth the cost.

The person is extremely local which is convenient.

My guess would be that it's a single mum who is looking for work that suits her lifestyle. Work from home and build experience at the beginning of a career all whilst saving costs on childcare. That's all speculation though.

"Cheap" doesn't have to mean shit. There are some great builders out there who don't charge a lot. They are always busy.

(When I said they came to me, that wasn't quite right. They put something on a local Facebook group. I commented. She followed it up. I explained the work needed. No money was discussed until the final stage. She understood the requirements and named her price.)

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blazingcanna@reddit

If your on 32k a year and its hard ti get by you need to revaluate your spending habits, a 16 year old living with there parents doesnt need enough to support a house hold, companies just cant afford to pay it. Little cafes and small businesses could afford to pay lower prices and higher younger more ill experienced people if the wage just wasnt so high.

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Broccoli--Enthusiast@reddit

Make I live on my own with a mortgage , I'd say I'm actually managing my spending very well

Get your nose out the corporate arsecrack. People don't deserve less because they might be living with mum and dad. Not everyone has that option Your logic leaves people trapped in shitty situations on pathetic wages.

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badonkadonked@reddit

I think the issue is that the minimum wage for those under 18/21 is now a lot closer to that for older people (who are more likely to have more experience) than it has been previously. Which means that that experience counts for more than it did previously, because all else being equal employers are going to aim for those with more experience rather than less.

Don’t get me wrong I’m pretty left wing and can see why a higher minimum wage is in general a good thing to have - but equally I can see why the way it’s levelled the playing field has ended up being a disadvantage to younger people with less experience.

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Margaret566@reddit

Reality is employers don’t really care if you have enough to get by, people would rather work for something than nothing

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General-End4503@reddit

I still remember being shoutd and berated even when I was considered cheap, the price doesn't matter they always wanted you to do the same effort

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CowRepresentative210@reddit

Young people do get lower wages than older workers.

16-17 year olds £7.55 an hour 18-20 year olds £10 an hour

There are not as many jobs for them which is a huge problem. Supermarkets have cut staff to the bare minute, same many shops with self serve tills. Bars are not as busy as they used to be years ago so employ less people or have closed down. I know lots of young people who have applied for literally every job possible and it’s taken months to get something.

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Material_Focus_4114@reddit

I think those wages are fair. 20 years ago minimum wage was something like £3.50 ph, so to say it’s only just over doubled when prices of everything else have done far more than that.

People also presume that all 16-20 year olds have parents supporting them, some are not so lucky. Reality is young people have much less chances. I was working at 14, now there’s almost zero jobs for under 16 except for pot washers and paper round because health and safety has gone mad. Even at 16, there are little options and you need to know people it seems.

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mierneuker@reddit

Wait, there are barely papers left, are there still enough people having them delivered for kids to get pspet rounds?

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The__Pope_@reddit

Minimum wage has far outgrown inflation in the last 20 years

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banterboi420@reddit

In 2010-2011 I got £3.68 lol washing cars at a large dealership.

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MeltingChocolateAhh@reddit

Even paper rounds, I only knew one or two people at my secondary school who had a paper round. But, it seems like everyone who is ten or fifteen years older than me had a paper round.

Pot washing, not heard of kids doing that. Maybe for a family business.

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ChoreomaniacCat@reddit

I'm 25 now, when I was 17 I was paid £5 per hour working as a waitress. It's definitely better now, it used to be absolutely pennies for some jobs that require you to be rushing around on your feet all day.

I agree with your comment. I remember when I used to work that job, some of the other older staff on the highest minimum wage were making nasty comments about the younger staff getting an increase to their minimum wage saying things like "they don't deserve to be paid as much as us", despite all doing the same job and the younger ones still being paid less than the over 21s.

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Specialist_Invite538@reddit

Professional/experienced salaries haven't seen much growth in real terms since 2008, so increasing min wage just causes wage compression. Now you've got an even smaller difference between minimum wage and those qualified/professional salaries that are on the lower end.

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Asher-D@reddit

I mean I'm not that old, but when I was working in my late teens, early 20s I was making the equivalent of £14-17/hr. And in regards to the managers I was one of their favourties because I was a nieve young person and would meet all of their demands even the unlawful ones (like they're requests for me to work through breaks).I wasn't any worse than older employees at the actual job, in those types of jobs after a couple of weeks, expiernce means nothing, I was just more naive and more willing to do things to harm myself than older employees.

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Redgrapefruitrage@reddit

I think you’re 100% right.

I’m 33 but when I was a teenager I had a summer job at a cafe from ages 15 to 18, then during my summers at university I worked as a waitress at a local pub.

I don’t think those jobs exist as much because of the rise in minimum wage, as well as the increase to NI.

My much younger brother (aged 16) has struggled to find any casual or part-time work and I think this is why.

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Beautiful-Log891@reddit

I was going to join the army, but fortunately realised it wasn’t for me very early on and quit almost as soon as I could. I do not regret that decision. Then I worked for about 4 months at Sainsbury’s. That was decent but I was only contracted 12 hours and they kept trying to train me on other things I had no interest in, like the customer service desk and the petrol station. Then I got fired for gross misconduct as someone overheard a joke I told to another colleague and found it offensive. Gimp. Now I have given up on employment. I will leech off whoever I need to just get by. I don’t care. I have no shame. In my view you’re either a leech or a slave (with someone leeching off your work), and I know which id rather be.

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dinkidoo7693@reddit

They can’t get these jobs because they have no prior experience

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ydktbh@reddit

Delivery driver jobs only need a pulse...

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Totallyme946@reddit

You need a driving license, and a car because you need to have driven for a few years

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blue_Hippo4069@reddit

And they can't get driving tests

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Beer-Milkshakes@reddit

You need commercial insurance which is more than normal insurance and often carries an age limit.

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IHateChewzdays@reddit

You need a driver's license to do a delivery driver job...

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Gillen2k@reddit

Illegal immigrants do this instead

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b135702@reddit

But these are jobs people get at 16 as first jobs. You don't need experience for them, especially if you're under 18 because minimum wage is lower so cheaper labour.

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dinkidoo7693@reddit

You’d think so, i did some of them myself.
The 17 year old next door has been trying and applying for everything and can’t get anything, when he’s offered an interview its nearly always a group interview making it even harder and each time he’s been told that he’s done well and to apply again in the future but they’ve gone with someone with more experience.

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Wide-Advertising-279@reddit

Why does a group interview make it harder? U can c how others are doing and can judge how much better or worse u are plus these jobs like KP/ Tesco require no experience what so ever. it's the only jobs I've worked in since I was 16 because I had no qualifications or experience, people make excuses to stay on the dole because admitting u are better off on benefits rather than working because u have no worth as a worker is a shit thought to think.

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pipedreamexplosion@reddit

I've been at a point where I've been involved in the recruitment for retail jobs, we would have about 150 applications in a week, interview maybe 20 total (group interviews to save as much time as possible) and then we can only hire one person. It's absolutely brutal for a lot of the kids turning 16 now, it's not unusual to speak to new starts at jobs and find they've spent over a year trying to get a job.

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dinkidoo7693@reddit

Group interviews are brutal anyway, i feel for the shy inexperienced people in a group interview. Im not either and i dread them.

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Duke0fWellington@reddit

His age is working against him.

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Wiggles_21@reddit

They also make you do an online psychological assessment for a lot of them

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eresibae@reddit

You need to do a personality test when you apply to Asda. And boots. And a whole bunch more. It's ridiculous fr

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Wiggles_21@reddit

My conspiracy theory is that they're weeding out neurodivergent people

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Ok_Level_5237@reddit

I had to take the most bizarre online test for Target. It asked me bizarre questions lo me if I’d be willing to kill to survive on a desert island! I could not believe this shit. In the end they told me I was management material. Ok. Then you have to be willing to work at all different stores every day. You might get 2 hours one week, 60 hours the next. Dude. Seriously. No.!

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b135702@reddit

Really? Mad, I remember getting a job super easy when I was 16, suppose it was a while ago now!

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Wiggles_21@reddit

When I was 16-17 I sent out (genuinely not exaggerating) over 200 online applications plus handing out CVs in person. I worked really hard and edited my CV to match the positions I was applying for, I spent hours and hours on those online assessments and quizzes and the "are you a team player?" questionnaires. Out of all that I ended up with 3 interviews, 1 trial shift, and 0 jobs.

In the end I moved to London and got a job through an agency through friends. That was a few years ago and I can imagine it's even harder for young ones now. Honestly at the time it made me feel really depressed and useless and put me off applying for jobs altogether for a bit

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b135702@reddit

I suppose I'm too old now! I'm 32 but I was able to just hand cvs to independent cafes and shops and get called back. I feel bad for kids these days who can't get entry level jobs! :(

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b135702@reddit

Eh not sure why I'm getting downvoted, I didn't tell any lies!

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Equivalent-Night-581@reddit

You did, you said they’re for people with no experience. These jobs want experience.

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b135702@reddit

I mean they are, on paper. The job postings don't ask for experience. I see them posted daily.

Employers expecting extra isn't my fault?

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Equivalent-Night-581@reddit

Most of these job postings absolutely do ask for some experience.

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Derfel60@reddit

That used to be the case, it no longer is.

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obscureoregano@reddit

Grads can’t get grad jobs so these ‘first’ jobs are all being done my 21-30 year olds with experience who can’t break into a career. With minimum wage as high as it is, it just really isn’t worth it for businesses to hire a 16-20 for their first job when there’s 100s of unemployed grads with restaurant/bar experience queuing up for a job. It’s tough for me as a mid 20s grad but I feel for kids leaving school now who can’t get any job.

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b135702@reddit

Yeah that totally makes sense.

When I was 16 we were pushed so much to get a job, any job, because it was something to put on our CV.

I suppose if graduates are applying for the same jobs it makes sense for the employer to hire the older person with uni experience!

Terrible for the younger people though.

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sv21js@reddit

That was the case 20 years ago but it’s not like that right now because the market is flooded with people who have been made redundant from other jobs and have a lot of experience. Young people can’t compete.

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DoingItWellBitch@reddit

Unfortunately, a lot of these jobs want people with experience. It's really sad.

A lot of employers don't want to train people

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Tao626@reddit

They're jobs for people who are 16 and/or with experience.

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Wide-Advertising-279@reddit

Store workers take on anyone regardless of experience pot wash or KP the bar is even lower to get into the job

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blazingcanna@reddit

People need to stop using this excuse its embarrassing and nothing more then an excuse, if your applying for entry level jobs they definitely do not care to much. Especially labourer, fast food, or shop front 😂

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releasethekaren@reddit

Have you applied for any jobs recently? This is exactly what employers say when they reject you

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blazingcanna@reddit

Applied for about 20-30 on indeed, got about 8 replies and 4 interviews, 2 of which got through to a second interview but i took a job already so didn’t follow through, depends what your applying for. Half the time “hired someone more experienced” is just a easy simple excuse they use rather then listening other actual reasons.

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Y_Mistar_Mostyn@reddit

What was the job you got?

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J0intAccount@reddit

Gobshite I reckon

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Y_Mistar_Mostyn@reddit

Straight to a senior role

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Dave4lexKing@reddit

30 applications, only 2 leading interviews, and there’s still no guarantee of a job offer after….

…And you don’t see the problem in that?

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PeterTheGreat777@reddit

You dont need experience for any of the jobs op listed though

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SeventySealsInASuit@reddit

You do now. The job market is so strained why wouldn't they hire the people with experience now that they can?

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washingtoncv3@reddit

Jobs that require no experience and were previously filled by teenagers are increasingly filled with adult immigrants.

And I say that with no political judgement whatsoever. It's just an observation.

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Evry1TookTheGudNames@reddit

Migrants now, then it'll be robots or AI.

AI and robotics are difficult competition for the younger people since they're easiest to replace.

They also just have to be good enough. The massive savings a business could make outweigh a bit shittier quality service.

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Raekwonthechef91@reddit

Alot of these jobs you got into through your family knowing the owner or someone with some influence. It's still pretty rife throughout the UK. I got my first job this way. Was working part time in a kitchen though. I had friends from school who walked into very cushty jobs.

Wonder if more people keeping themselves to themselves and lack of community might be stopping their kids getting jobs on top of what you have said.

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washingtoncv3@reddit

It used to be a popular rite of passage turning 16, printing of CVs and handing them to every shop, bar and cafe in the city centre.

I got every single one of my jobs between the ages of 16-21this way.

This is not possible anymore.

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Healthy_Spite_2334@reddit

depends on the person. I think people that look older can do this. The rest of us are fucked.

In the 1990s there were jobs galore. the end of John Major. "Things can only get better", and they did for another 4 years.

Then 9/11 happened and everything became like super beaurcratic. You could just hire people easily before then. Verbal contract, job easy. then it was just endless paper

Then after 2004 you would be competing with people who had 20 years experience, it was mental

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HarryPopperSC@reddit

I got my first job at McDonald's by simply just turning up. I was terrible at interview, it was a group interview, Infact me and my friend both got the job at the same time.

I left to work at a pub because my older brother worked there, again I was useless at anything at that point. I got the job because I was his brother lol.

This was back in 2008/9.

These were part time jobs whilst at college.

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BeagleMadness@reddit

I dunno, my son got a p/ job at Macdonalds aged 19 with no previous experience of anything. And there are a couple of 16 and 17 year olds working there too, though not as many as there would have been in the past. Few new starters there have much experience, if any.

I think they prefer over 18s if possible. 16 and 17 year olds, whilst cheaper, can't legally work between 10pm and 6am. And those are the shifts they tend to stick new staff on, as they're the hardest shifts to fill. But they're always desperate for staff, no experience needed. My son says 75% of their new starters don't turn up for Day 2.

But yes - I do agree with you that otherwise it's a hell of a lot harder these days. Not many newspaper rounds these days compared to my day! I worked in a newsagents in the '90s. We had about 20 kids aged 12-16 who would be out there before and after school each day.

The teens/early 20s in my extended family all got their first jobs, apprenticeships etc after friends of their parents or neighbours mentioned they needed someone where they worked, or at somewhere nearby where they knew the manager.

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mokhan321@reddit

I’m 20 right now, going to be honest I’ve always found it pretty easy getting a part time job, I’ve worked in retail since I was 16, and I’ve worked in 4 different places, everytime I’ve looked for another though, there seems to be less available, and when I go into visit old friends at the old jobs, there’s definitely less staff and less young people. I’m in uni studying and I’ve also managed to get an internship as well, so I don’t think it’s incredibly bad but there’s a bit of hope I suppose.

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Wide-Advertising-279@reddit

Almost anyone can get a shitty minimum wage job the real issue is affordability, can u pay travel costs to said job and can said job cover my rent gas electric and food because if it cant im not going to lose 100 hours a month to be in a worse situation than being on UC

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Mindless_Fold_1536@reddit

Yes had start and stops in temp agencies working in warehouse jobs. Tesco never accepted and no other employers cared about my experience in the temp jobs.

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UrMomDotCom666@reddit

i'm 19. haven't been able to get a paid job. i have experience volunteering at a charity shop though. i also did private maths tutoring for a bit. but i do just want a normal job now lol. i've applied to so many.

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Ill-Security-5344@reddit

I know you’ve probably heard this many times but have you asked any of your working friends if there are vacancies available at their work places? This was the only way I was able to secure a job. I’m also 19

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UrMomDotCom666@reddit

all of my friends are at uni and not working lol. but thank you. i took a gap year to work and travel, so going this september instead.

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Ill-Security-5344@reddit

Same I also took a gap year (retaking exams). It’s tough out here man. Pls don’t let this discourage you tho, it always gets better! I wish all the best for you

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UrMomDotCom666@reddit

thank you. hope your exams go well!!

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Flat_Revolution5130@reddit

Tesco have loads of assessments to get past before you even get an interview. If you do not have the exp you are really not going to have a chance.

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Michelle_The_Writer@reddit

If you're not sure what you want to do for a living, (that's alright.) find something that interests you. Get something for the experience and money coming in while maybe volunteering at something that gets your interest.

If you're \~18 who knows what you'll want to do in 2 years from now.

When I was a teen, I didn't know what I wanted to do for a living either. I was a bit older, when I figured that out.

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WishboneComplex8308@reddit

I became a career criminal. A few hiccups but it's turned out quite profitable.

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greengrayclouds@reddit

I’ve offered my friends £18/hour cash to sweep up after me and mow lawns, £22/hr if they can learn basic pruning. £25/hr if they can prune, talk to customers, and be left alone with a hedgetrimmer.

They’d rather stay home and claim benefits because they went to uni and they’re too good for physical work.

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shewhogoesthere@reddit

For what its worth, even having done those jobs doesn't help these days. I'm in my 30's now, but having summer jobs and minimum wage jobs in my early 20's did not help one bit when looking for actual jobs you could pay your bills with. After graduating from uni nobody in a 'grown up' job interview looked at my CV with experience working in a shop and thought it had transferable skills. They just saw someone with no experience in THEIR job/field. I may as well have had no jobs in my youth because the result was the same, nobody would give you a chance.

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ReactionCreepy428@reddit

When I graduated, I really struggled to find a job. I even tried looking into volunteering locally, most places wanted a CV, 2 references, and to answer a few questions about why we wanted to volunteer. Ended up getting rejected from that as well, and it was soul-destroying.

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kelleehh@reddit

Volunteering in a charity shop will help get some experience of retail.

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Ill-Security-5344@reddit

This doesn’t help at all 🤣 volunteered at some shelter for a couple months, + other paid jobs but still got rejected multiple times

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milderotica@reddit

My local charity shop put up a volunteer ad recently requesting 3 years MINIMUM experience before applying. For an unpaid role. It’s the only volunteer position I’ve found in months. This isn’t an option anymore I don’t think, unless you get lucky and happen to know someone who already works there, or manage to get in over the Christmas period.

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ArtisticWatch@reddit

I haven't seen any jobs of those caliber in my area for a long time. I got a jobs as a teen thanks to family connections.

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Ill-Security-5344@reddit

Same, it’s all about connections unfortunately

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pinpoint321@reddit

My son was struggling to find a job at 18. Sent out his CV lots of different places based on his (very good) academic record:

Nothing, nada, zip.

Contacted an agency near the end of November and he has been working in a Warehouse ever since. Is it a dream job? Of course not but at that age what is.

He’s earning money to save to go to Uni next year.

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LFCRedAnt@reddit

I think this is great,I'm 40 now and me and my wife always talk about school and how work experience was such a weird concept. It almost warps your brain to thinking I know what job I want to do and nothing else will do.

It's great to know there's young people just finding any job,like we did,just to earn an income and start off in life somewhere. Very few people have one job their whole life so the first isn't always the best.

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buy_me_a_pint@reddit

I remember work experience in secondary school, someone got laughed out the door what he wanted to do, and the teachers said oh no you can't do that at your age. but that did not stop him getting his dream job.

Now years later he owns a restaurant, I have never eaten there but know it has the status of Michelin star,

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LFCRedAnt@reddit

That's good,it's such a strange way of introducing young people to work because teachers can be very opinionated on the matter,in both ways. I knew people who didn't know what they wanted to do and teachers would ask 'how can you not know what you want to do?' while others did know and got told they'd never amount to anything.

Not sure if it's still a thing but it has to be different now if it is. I think kids should learn about money management as well in their last year at school maybe?

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WiseBelt8935@reddit

From the times I had to do it, just getting anything was the problem, and the lecturer had a backup plan if you couldn’t.

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buy_me_a_pint@reddit

The secondary school I went to , still do one but only for a week now

I did mine in an office , someone thought I worked there full time, and said to me see you on Monday. now that would have been a fun story to tell the school, sorry but I won't be coming back to school as I been given a job at 15.

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Beer-Milkshakes@reddit

To be honest as well if the warehouse is a smaller company, then showing interest in the systems and booking procedures may earn a promotion.

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MeltingChocolateAhh@reddit

He is saving up to go to uni? Doesn't want to go for student finance? Or cannot go for it?

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Vellomanaca@reddit

Its quite common to work a year so there are some savings to make the time at uni less stressful. For a lot of students student finance does.not cover all the costs and getting jobs in uni towns can be way harder.

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4kreso@reddit

It isn’t common to work for a year. It’s common to work whilst at uni.

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Surface_Detail@reddit

What are you talking about? Both are common.

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4kreso@reddit

They aren’t.

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Surface_Detail@reddit

A lot of my friends worked for a year before uni. Not everyone can afford to go to uni on part time work during term time.

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pinpoint321@reddit

A big part of this was that with Student Finance only he would not be able to afford not to work. And if he struggled to find a job when he got to Uni he could be in trouble.

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Surface_Detail@reddit

I was in the same boat when I was eighteen. I'd worked the previous three summers at a carpet mill where my dad's mate worked. £4/hour, cash in hand, 46 hours per week, 6 weeks per year for three summers. Barely spent any of it except for buying my first car and a PS2.

Still spent most of it before the end of my first year.

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Single_Classroom_448@reddit

Rent on student housing is expensive by itself, around me it's around 200 a week in the student accomodation before anything else like food, subscriptions, getting the bus, entertainment, etc

A maintenance loan often isn't enough to cover it for most people sadly, so working for a year before you go helps some with a financial cushion or to pad them over whilst they look for a job as a student

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iocheaira@reddit

Rent is expensive for students too. I got the maximum maintenance loan in 2018 and I still had to work 65+ hour weeks alongside uni at times

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Specialist_Invite538@reddit

What more did he expect without further qualifications or a degree? Genuine question

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pinpoint321@reddit

Absolutely nothing, the point I’m making is that going through what used to be the normal route. Applying for jobs and sending CVs did not work. This was for shops, supermarkets, warehouses all entry level stuff.

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Specialist_Invite538@reddit

I see, good that he got that warehouse job at least

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Pirate_King_Arcarius@reddit

I did similar but for hospitality.

I worked all over the place; gigs, weddings, races, corporste events etc. Obv pay was shit but it gave me the experience go get actual bar work during uni.

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LostWall1389@reddit

Are u not helping ur son with money?

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jlelvidge@reddit

Both my kids ended up doing this, college educated but ended up in hotels with me needing money. On the flip side, an employer looks at their education on a cv and thinks “well they are not going to stick around for us” similar to the overly qualified desperate for work taking anything scenario

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BigFaithlessness618@reddit

My cousin struggled to get work after college.

Eventually at 20 he joined an agency worked in a factory. He's now 25, still working in factories but in more senior role earning decent money, got some experience. Just bought a new house.

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t_north_@reddit

A lot of companies now screen CVs with AI and it will often filter out right away those without GCSEs or prior experience. It’s a tough cycle to break. Advancement in tech has cut certain roles, and that all filters down to the point you have uni graduates working minimum wage positions and a lot are left without jobs.

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Strange-Horse-686@reddit

OnlyFans seems a popular option

[-]

GastricallyStretched@reddit

The vast majority of creators don't earn much on OnlyFans, certainly not enough to make a living.

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-MassiveDynamic-@reddit

And most of those do have an established social media/minor celeb following that they'd monetized before starting an OF.

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Strange-Horse-686@reddit

Some seem to do well. Usually involves selling worm socks mind.

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Illustrious_Sea7480@reddit

Why would you even type that?

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Strange-Horse-686@reddit

Via some recent TV docs and young men advertising their OF pages on social media.

[-]

Illustrious_Sea7480@reddit

This is a post about teenagers and paper rounds. It’s highly inappropriate to associate this with sex work.

[-]

Nicktrains22@reddit

The only job I got before I was 20 was assistant librarian, and that's because they couldn't kick me out half the time. People don't realise that all those starter jobs are now done by adults with years of experience. I couldn't even get a Christmas role at Tesco's! I have now been working in a role advertised as a starting role for 2 and a half years with no opportunities for advancement in the company even being made available..

[-]

nwindy317@reddit

I'm convinced this sub has been a soundboard for shady far right actors or anti UK agents. It's always a post about how something is shitter theses days, something is more expensive these days. How do people do A how do people do B. Have people noticed high streets are just vape stores or Turkish barbers.

Is this honestly where reform shapes it's latest policy or is it just an anti UK psyop?

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FunkyYoghurt@reddit

Agreed. There are "job markets are shit and I've been unemployed for months" posted here now about 20 times a day across UK based subs. I swear redditors are the problem. If I went to agency I'd get a new job by next week. I don't what the fuck redditors are doing.

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Rich-Peak-3902@reddit

You need QTS to be a supply teacher in almost every school in the country. Are you thinking of a cover supervisor?

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inevitablelizard@reddit

Being in a shitty job (and Supply Teaching is brutal and you will get bullied by kids if you don't have that thing about you) for a few months is better than "Why have you been unemployed for half a year?" When you actually get an interview for something good.

There's a difference between a job being "shitty" and simply not being capable of doing it. Supply teachers for example, you need a certain personality to be able to handle teaching and you either have it or you don't. Which you kind of say but then gloss over as if it's nothing.

There's also a difference between tolerating a shit job for a bit and having realistic hope of something better, and being stuck in shit jobs indefinitely and the something better just doesn't exist.

I work a shit dead end job and live at home and I'm sick and tired of boomerslop like this pretending everything is fine and it's just young people being unreasonable. When things have objectively got worse for that generation. The job market in large parts of this country is a sick joke.

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FunkyYoghurt@reddit

I'm in my 30s. It's not boomerslop. And I never said anything is fine. I'm saying if you're unemployed for over a year and you've applied for hundreds of jobs you're not doing something right.

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Asher-D@reddit

Except you can't....I'm nearly 30 with nearly 10+ years of work expiernce, a degree, and it took me 2-3 months to get a warehouse job....through an agency. 2-3 months to get a job through an agency not within weeks.

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Asher-D@reddit

Unless they desperately need money, why would they do a job when they have an education in something and not do that job?

I mean I have an education in something specific and expiernce in it and the only reason I'm not currently doing it is because I need to register and registering is expensive, I need the funds, and because I have a family to support, I've taken a warehouse job for now, but if I didn't need the money, I wouldn't be doing this. People get an education to take jobs that require it, not to do the job that you'd do to fund such an education.

[-]

nwindy317@reddit

I agre with everything you say. But it's not just this issue, it feels like there a post about anything negative all the time but without any nuance or understanding.

This sub just feels like a prime example of the dead internet theory.

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WHERES_MY_SWORD@reddit

I’m not sure exactly when it happened but feel that nuance has all but died, Reddit is also an incredibly negative and nit picky place, this sub is worse than most however

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nl325@reddit

Yeah it's becoming a bit bait. Or simple karma farming.

Thing obviously aren't tip top, but anyone who thinks the job market is shit now needs a reality check.

I'm 34, and since leaving school the notable horror years are 2008, 2010, and 2012, all absolutely horrific for job prospects.

Getting employment is easier now, but one thing I will concede is wages. We are very much being shafted on pay vs cost of living. That shit minimum wage call centre I had at 20 paid the rent to live with my mates and still leave me with some decent beer money, hobbies and trips away (within the UK).

Sure as fuck wouldn't be able to do that on minimum wage now, not in the South East at least.

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Rich-Peak-3902@reddit

You wrote "I'm 34" and yet still managed to write everything after that point with no critical thinking about that factor whatsover.

[-]

JustLetItAllBurn@reddit

I'm very much on the left, and pointing out how fucked young people are utterly is very valid. Their opportunities are terrible in comparison to the ones I had, even as the ones I had are shitter than those my parents had.

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nwindy317@reddit

I agree things are fucked but these threads seem to jump on blaming anything but capitalism. Like I seriously don't get why people are ok with underpaying the youth so it's easier for companies to exploit them under the guide of "giving them a chance"

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JustLetItAllBurn@reddit

I wouldn't underpay them, but the government subsidising companies that take a chance on younger people is a good alternative.

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nwindy317@reddit

Ahh yes soubsidised profits for private companies.

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JustLetItAllBurn@reddit

It's just equivalent to letting companies employ young people for less, then topping up their wage to the actual minimum with some appropriate benefit.

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420o@reddit

Because you get employed to help your employer out, not the other way around. Young people are a much higher risk as they usually have little to no experience, little to no responsibilities, and more career opportunities which they'll jump to asap.

With most places paying the same regardless of age, obviously they're going to go for the person with experience and bills to pay.

While it definitely seems unfair to pay less for the same job. It gives companies an incentive to give them a chance.

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JobAnxious2005@reddit

It’s becoming very ‘brown people bad’

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Blue_View_1217@reddit

I don't think it's far-right to acknowledge that some things are worse than they used to be. There has been a lot of positive change over the past 10-20 years but the job market isn't one them.

I was looking for my first part time job when I was in 6th form at the peak of the financial crisis and there were loads of opportunities. Yet if I go into a supermarket on a Saturday now there's barely any young weekend part time staff.

The overheads to employ young people have become so great, that they're missing out on vital experience that's required to break in to professional careers.

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nwindy317@reddit

The overheads to hire young people haven't changed at all, they don't require any more overheads then a 30 or 40 year old who's taking their first position in an industry.

Lowering minimum wage for younger people is not an altruistic move. It's a way to exploit young people to do the same work as any other employee for less money. My comment about it being a right wing shill is nobody was speaking about this as often as it appears online now before reform stated in their discourse of scrapping NMW for young people. Now people flock online to act like some economics or employment expert saying how paying young people the same as older employees is ruining our economy and making us all poorer.

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trade-da-ting@reddit

What a wonderful way to completely mischaracterise a debate

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SpareSurprise1308@reddit

>Acknowledge how shitty the country is getting = right wing propaganda

Lmao go outside into the real world buddy this country is going down the pan and we have a right to complain about without being labelled as a psyop.

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Plenty_Delay_2869@reddit

It wouldn’t surprise me if some nefarious intelligence agency was the source of all this rhetoric, but i also wouldn’t be surprised if it was just organic British pessimism

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Don187@reddit

These weren't just jobs but character building experiences too. Better to have a job and look for a new one than being picky at such a young age.

It's quite possible that expectations have changed since we were younger and youngsters want to have a decent job earning good money very early on.

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Anti_Sociall@reddit

i can tell you that we aren't picky

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ingersfurcollar@reddit

I’m going to sound old (I’m 50 which isn’t old Old) but are kids learning things at home from their parents? My dad showed me how to do most household maintenance when I was little. Mainly because I was super interested in everything so as a 10 year old girl, I could change a plug etc

My gardens need “doing” and I’m disabled now so I thought I could find a teenager who would come and cut the grass for £40 cash, it’s not a big lawn. Like a fortnightly job.

I assumed that parents are having their kids use lawnmowers at their own homes so it’s wouldn’t be something out of a skill range.

I didn’t get one answer for the ad (I didn’t use the word teenager for obvious reasons) but lots of answers from gardening companies who want to charge the earth.

Do parents involve their kids in manual tasks these days or do the kids not learn basic stuff? I know I live in the early 90’s and refuse to shift 😂

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camdamflimflam@reddit

combination of things. doubtful many teenagers saw the ad, the parents who did probably wouldn't mention it because it's way less normal to send your kid to a stranger's house like that (not saying this is good or bad, just that it Is), kids generally DON'T learn how to do this stuff because their parents don't have the time or willingness to teach them because the parents are working themselves into the ground and the kids have to work themselves into the ground for school and barely have time for their hobbies let alone helping with chores. a lot of families don't even take care of their gardens. lawnmowers are expensive!

and £40 every two weeks isn't a lot for the stuff kids nowadays want to buy. like in the 90s kids were using that to get their older looking friends to buy beer. we don't really do that anymore ime. i say this as someone who is early twenties rn, the best £40 will get teens is a new game or they have to give it to their parents anyway. not that you should offer more, £40 is a fair amount, it's just a weird and complicated space teens occupy in this current era. tiny jobs like that aren't really worth doing to teens anymore.

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Danuk9455@reddit

They don’t understand the concept of starting from the bottom. Plus their expectations have not been set by schools. Yes it’s shit but hard work pays off

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angrypolishman@reddit

does it lol

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angrypolishman@reddit

Im jobless, not struggling for work though

Honestly I just cant be arsed working while doing uni, I dont financially need to, would rather enjoy life No experience other than running a very tiny 'business' when I can be bothered

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LongCharacter9532@reddit

I’ve worked for the NHS and councils, still competing with people that have over a decades experience regardless of how good yours is.

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Worldly_Client_7614@reddit

Don't know if i class as younger now

Im just turned 27, i worked as a Legal Analyst at a bank a research consultant at QA, a mortgage advisor with a law firm and a retail store manager. My degree is law and history

I've been unemployed for 6 months and can't even get an interview after dozens kf application

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batinbelltower@reddit

I’m 27 now. Had a paper round at 15 to save for school trips since my family had no money. Worked at Primark 17-18 while doing A Levels. Got an admin job through my bf’s family at an accountants when I got into uni. Worked as an online English teacher for 3 years. Just landed a job at a local college with those 3 years experience. Most of my friends had jobs at 16 too, so 10 years ago it was still pretty normal, things are definitely different now. Most of the 16-17 children I teach don’t work, but they’re also not able to attend school, so I imagine there’s correlation with that particular situation.

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Raven_symone@reddit

I’m 25, not working due to disability, but I worked multiple jobs until I was 23 including tutoring, wait staff and retail. It was very hard finding work, and even harder now. My friends looking for work are being driven to their wits’ end, even those with degrees and other qualifications.

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Ok-Ear-7879@reddit

I do worry that a lot them must look at their parents generation and think “what’s the point, hard work doesn’t get you anywhere” no pension, no chance of getting a house. Our country is so messed up because of property prices.

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Raisinsandfairywings@reddit

I couldn’t blame them if there was a bit of that.

I worked since I was 14 (first in a hairdressers, then cleaning, then bar work, then onto kitchen work). I’m 30 now and not working as I’m at home with my young kids, but am making the point that I worked all my teen years and most of my 20s. I was taught that hard work would get you a good job and a good life, but it’s not necessarily the case. And I think about what it will get my kids when they’re older, and honestly I’d rather them just enjoyed their teen years and focus on school and having fun than work. There’s plenty of years where you’ll be slogging away to pay the bills.

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Specialist_Invite538@reddit

No pension?

A lot of this shite on reddit is bollocks. Go to uni or do an apprenticeship or some qualification, live at home with your parents or live in a house share for a few years and save, then put down a small deposit on a house. Contribute to your private pension, early, and you'll be fine in both respects.

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SchoolDramatic482@reddit

This is purely conjecture

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Specialist_Invite538@reddit

Ok. You can't expect to do well or buy a house on minimum wage. You can if you are qualified and have a partner - you may need to live in a house share or with parents while you save.

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Gobblemonke@reddit

Yeah i cant be bothered to even try plus its scary

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phetea@reddit

Done a bit of labouring back in the day when your pisshead uncle could just pick you up, cash in hand stuff hauling bricks and sweeping floors. Good times. Lots of red tape now, probably for the better.

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anon716352@reddit

So I had a corporate job before so that may factor in but last year I wanted to work in a restaurant so applied for every possible potwash, fast food, entry level cook job out there are after 500+ applications finally got an interview for a place that was going to open in 2 weeks

Anyways they offered me 10 hours a week (I wanted full-time) but someone dropped out the day before opening and I got the call

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anon716352@reddit

So I had a corporate job before so that may factor in but I wanted to work in a restaurant so applied for every possible potwash, fast food, entry level cook job out there are after 500+ applications finally got an interview for a place that was going to open in 2 weeks

Anyways they offered me 10 hours a week (I wanted full-time) but someone dropped out the day before opening and I got the call

[-]

LFCRedAnt@reddit

I don't think apprenticeships are advertised enough at the moment,sure there's not al apprenticeship schemes in places but there's so many more apprenticeship options now than their used to be. Gaining more and more popularity due to rising costs of university's and education in general.

Apprenticeship would be the way i'd go now if I was younger. I started off as day release from college when I left school which turned into a part time job and got the job full time once I'd qualified. Most of my qualifications have been on the job day release,never really hear about them now but maybe they've been taken over by apprenticeship day release schemes instead?

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dbxp@reddit

A lot of those teenage and student jobs are taken by adults now. It's a hidden part of unemployment stats

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Reeelfantasy@reddit

Too many people are being downvoted! As a migrant myself, I was 23 when I arrived, and I managed to find a job in a kitchen after three days. The listed jobs by OP are perceived as menial jobs among migrants, hence why we get it easy because locals look down at these jobs and don’t want to do it. Because of that, managers are also hesitant to hire locals Maybe time has changed now because of the current economic situation, but these jobs are still menials and managers don’t perceive locals as well suited for these jobs.

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LawfulnessOk6949@reddit

Every labour job I see either want a CSCS card, prior experience, or for you to be over 25 and have a valid drivers license

[-]

klmarchant23@reddit

My brother in law is 28 years old and never had a job. He failed uni, twice and has got in a rut which is parents are supporting.

We tell them time and time again to get him on a boot camp course or something, but they don’t listen or he says he’ll do it and never does.

His brother is a 26 and worked from 16 years old so it’s such a huge contrast between them.

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InsuIinAddict@reddit

I have literally applied for 1300 jobs and had 14 responses all being no……. I’ve roofed and laboured a couple years ago but nothing since

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Happy_the_Cat2@reddit

Had a great job in 2021, got financially laid off in July 2024, and whilst I’ve worked jobs since then, they have been absolute hell. Right now I don’t have a job and whilst it has given me amazing time to work on my physical health, I’m slowly losing it mentally

[-]

DangerousParsley9967@reddit

When I left school I went straight into retail & fast food for about a year .. hated it , job market always seemed too complicated & customer facing jobs just ain’t for me so I went to warehouse/factory agencies for years from the age of 17 (had a few contracts from companies after a probation period) , worked construction for a year and now I’m back doing factory work assembling heating panels. It’s tough out here man hahah but there’s always a way :)

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BarNo3385@reddit

I can't talk to young people today, but when I was a teenager my first job was glass collecting and washing in a busy pub, which then grew into a barmen job as I got older.

But that job as I had it doesnt exist today, minimum wages are now so high that you cant pay a few kids £20 a night to round up glasses, and pubs themsleves are massively struggling and closely at an astronomical rate.

Economists will tell you the biggest losers from increases to minimum wages and tighter hire and firing are the people who go from marginally employable at £20/night to marginally unemployable at £10/hr. Socialists and politicans have ignored that for years and now they've created a systems where the low value low income jobs we did as kids are rapidly disappearing, meaning its far harder to get a foot on the ladder, and the result is rampant youth unemployment. And people then go surprised Pikachu for aome reason.

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MooMoo2319@reddit

When I was 18 I applied for hundreds of entry level jobs - anything from being a waitress to office work etc. I got nothing, no feedback no interviews. Nothing.

Took me over a year and a half to get a job and it was pure luck, a new business opened down the road and I walked in there and asked for a job. I'd done this countless times at other places but the old woman running it was very old fashioned so I think she preferred it.

My Mum and Dad didn't understand at first, I think they thought I was being lazy. In their day, you could walk out of a job on Friday and be in a new one on Monday.

If I didnt get that job I did I wouldn't be here now. I was in such a spiral of anxiety, feeling so useless. I didn't get any feedback on any applications, I tailored my CV for every job I applied to and got advice - got me nowhere.

For me, it wasn't that I didn't want to work I just couldnt find anything. My current job is amazing and I can see myself being here for as long as they'll have me - job security is now everything to me and I consider myself lucky. That's how bad the job market is now.

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Agathabites@reddit

There’s hundreds of people applying for even basic jobs. With ai and the cost of energy, employers aren’t employing as many youngsters as they once did.

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AdvertisingBrave2548@reddit

Nope. I’m 20. Most places either don’t accept hand in CVs no more and when I do apply online, I never get any responses. I have volunteered at my school library and have done work experience at a dentist. Will be starting my placement soon as well.

It’s hard to get a job these days without experience or networking but once you are able to get a job, it becomes a whole lot easier

[-]

colonialdragon@reddit

no, haven’t been able to, and have just given up at this point. Have applied to multiple recruitment agencies and heard nothing. It’s just not worth it for me, going to just go to university and hope I can get a job on campus or something

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bluetooth_pizza@reddit

I'm in my 20s, never went to uni or anything, it took me 11 months to find my current job. What little work is about gets jumped on by everyone and their dog. You're competing against so many people with better CVs that you just don't have a chance in hell.

As it is I'm earning barely above min wage, working ridiculous unsociable hours, and I'm driving 70 miles a day back and forth, but it's a job and I dread to thinkwhat the alternative would have been.

It's absolutely dire out there and I'm a few years older than these lot with a bit more experience. I promise you the kids are not alright

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zCoxxy@reddit

As someone who is only 26 and did jobs you described there from 16-19 (labourer/tesco warehouse/weatherspoons) then went to university.

It was incredbily easy for me to get them jobs even 7-9 years ago now I've spent hours with my brother who has better grades than me trying to get a single paid job, I've gone through his CV its good (I know what a good CV is, I got a role after uni at a pretty competitive graduate programme) and we applied to loads of typical teenage jobs, nothing back or rejection.

The perception that he or his age group is lazy is ridiculous. I'm in disbelief how hard it is for younger people, imo it's the minimum wage it's too high. I didn't care what I earned as a teenager, I just needed some money. Companies will see an 18 year old who works 3 nights a week on 12£ an hour or whatever it is and think not worth it, I know my work output at that age wasnt worth £12 an hour lol.

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AutoModerator@reddit

It looks like you've written the pound sign (£) after the number 12, but it should be written before the number like this: £12.

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zCoxxy@reddit

Cheers bot, I know I'm stupid

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Real-Box-7144@reddit

My son can’t get a job. We’ve applied for loads. He’s 16 & the no experience is a kicker. He volunteered at a church bake sale for a couple weekends to add something in the CV but still no joy 🥲

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Adventurous-Idea1473@reddit

i got my first job a few years ago as a waitress. earned below minimum wage, cash in hand but had to accept that as it was the only job going. that and some seriously physically intensive and exploitative volunteering, and decent A levels gave me enough experience to get an apprenticeship where i earned fuck all. they then gave me a decent ish job after 2 years. its not easy for young people these days.

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LeupMeisterGenral@reddit

Never had an issue with getting a job as you say. I completely understand if you need experience do be a data analyst out of uni or something.

If you can’t pass an interview at Tesco or McDonald’s/you’ve been rejected before getting an interview.

There is something wrong with your CV or you interviewed shit.

It’s not that hard

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verzweifeltundmuede@reddit

I don't think many places accept young people any more as hiring them is a lot of red tape.

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JealousAsparagus8321@reddit

I'm 32, have experience and can't get a job. I suspect it's due to an employment gap due to having kids I can't think of any other reason. My CV has been corrected twice by the right people and is up to date.

[-]

jlelvidge@reddit

Had a young man came to do Housekeeping in bedrooms, we needed someone to also cover laundry portering on days off. Second day into the job, working and being trained by a very experienced fit 50+ woman, he came to me and confessed it was too much for him. He was 22 years old and hadn’t even done the nitty gritty but claimed to be exhausted. I had a new girl ring up one morning saying she just “didn’t feel like it today”. Thats been my experience recently of young people, don’t get me wrong, we had some fabulous students come through our doors in Summer jobs but today young people have CV’s like the bible by the time they are 25.

[-]

JohnCasey3306@reddit

My son (now 23) started working at 16 in the local pub as a pot washer.

My daughters (16 and 17) both work at a nearby farm shop.

[-]

Daguhh@reddit

Getting a CSCS card and getting on site is probably the easiest way to get a job

[-]

garlicmayosquad@reddit

Many of the small businesses that supported these kinda of jobs have closed. Pubs are closing, local cafes are closing. Also now, locals cafes essentially want professional baristas with experience, not a 17 year old on their first job, especially with minimum wage being higher now. I work in construction, and usually sites are about 30% English people, most foreign nationals because they work harder and don't complain as much.

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Background-Purple244@reddit

I’ve had a couple waitressing jobs but they ended because the places shut down because of money problems. Then if you’ve been out of work for a bit its so hard to get back into it, no one wants to hire you

[-]

chinderellabitch@reddit

So I’m 26, got my first job delivering leaflets at 13, moved into pot wash, wait staff,then retail starting in supermarkets and ending up at at a designer store while I studied at University and my Master’s

I’ve been unemployed for five months, yes I’ve not just applied for jobs in my field I’ve applied for the same jobs I applied for when I was a teenager and get nowhere

I think a lot of frustration for people my age is we did what we were told to do by everyone which is study hard go to uni and you’ll be able to have some social mobility and we feel cheated when it’s clear the thing driving UK jobs is connections and who you know it’s just been laid bare for us now

[-]

Capital-Evening-9285@reddit

My son worked in McDonald’s from 15 -20 He wanted to go on a school trip to South Africa so o told him if he got a job I would match what he earned

So he got a part time job in McDonald While still at school / college They taught him a lot of excellent work skills which had served him well over the years

He then did his door safe badge and worked security for a company that had some big contracts aerospace, car dealerships He did a lot of the uk festivals / Glastonbury V festival love saves the day isle of white festival

Spent a summer working in Ibiza with a few mates Learnt to drive

Now works full time in the NHS security dept earns around 45k Still does a fee door shift a month as extra money when he wants to Bought his own home with his partner

He’s severely dyslexic and has I would say mild autism but he’s never had a problem getting a job

He picked security works as it works for him with his dyslexia He couldn’t do an office job / or something that required a lot of writing / figures

But security work suits him down to the ground

He’s had a job since he was 15 and now 32 Never been out of work at all

I think a lot of places won’t take on under 18s any more My son was one of the last ones to get a job while still at school

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Specialist_Emu7274@reddit

Yea. I worked in retail & catering for 4 years, then did a load of volunteering through my undergrad. Pretty much everyone I know had a job during sixth form, I finished in 2020 though so obviously slightly stagnated that ability. My age group are struggling I can’t imagine how difficult it is now for current 16-18y/os

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