Work Experience ( 14 yrs )

[jackie j]

My daughter ( 14 ) has to decide what she would like to do for her work experience.
She has no idea what she wants to do when she leaves school, when she was younger she wanted to be a teacher that changed to a french teacher, to a dance teacher. I dont know how best to help her decide. She has an idea in her head but I dont think its practical and would be very hard to get into ( not going to say on here ) as a hobby that if it took off yes, but to have something else as well.
She is taking Art, Geography and French as her options.
She says she doesnt want to be a teacher at all now.
How do I help her.

[Two_Sheds]

Work experience isn't a big deal, and it's not all that helpful either. Just get her to pick something she won't mind doing for a fortnight, whether it's something she wants to do as a career or not.

(I got put in a hairdresser's, it was horrendous. I'd put down "journalism")

[Florence Fennel]

Wot TS said. We have work experience girls here who have little intention of pursuing careers in Admin & Clerical, but it gives them the chance to see what the world of work is like for 2 weeks as opposed to school.

[ailsasyl]

HB has put down the library, not intention of being a librarian but she loves books and knows most of the staff, a childrens nursery as she likes the idea oing all of playing all day and I can't remember what her third option was.
All ones she has no intention of following up as a career.
She knews she wants to do an english lit degree and thats as far as she has decided.

[Two_Sheds]

HB has put down the library, not intention of being a librarian but she loves books

Exactly right, choose something you can stand for two weeks

There's very little choice with work experience, because not a lot of companies participate. Eg, lots of students want to do primary school work experience but they can't because they'd each need a £60 CRB check

[di]

I agree that it's more important to find a placement that she'll enjoy as opposed to what she definately wants to do.

It can be a great experience of the outside world...or it could put her off forever
Also,don't rely on the school for suggestions...when I did mine I had every intention of being a Fashion Designer...something changed quite drastically somewhere along the line...the school suggested shop work,so I got myself writing lots and lots of letters to all the fashion designers I could think of and ended up getting two weeks with Jasper Conran...the school weren't happy with it but my mum signed a disclaimer and I did it and loved it.
So,I didn't go into fashion in the end but it was a life experience that I'm still pleased I had.

[geoff]

My children are in their 20s now, and over the years they have had various ideas about what they would like to do. As they get older and see & hear of different things, and get to know their strengths and weaknesses their ideas will naturally change. I fact looking back over 60 years I have had my plans and ideas come & go; most people do, so don't worry about it
It is more important that she does actually do something, anything, rather than what it actually is. Oh, and enjoys it, of course. At that age she can afford that luxury, it's only when you have to earn a living that you need to put up with something you don't really like
And in terms of future employment, higher education or whatever, they also will not be too bothered about what she has done, though obviously something relevant would be useful; or something completely different, but interesting. What they do want to see is a history of reliability, attendance, honesty, responsibility, initiative, that sort of thing. And don't forget some sort of hobby, sport, or pastime
NOTE - 'texting' is not a hobby, and would almost certainly bring about a rolling of any prospective employer's eyes, and instant rejection!

[Munch]

I think your daughter will learn more about 'work experience' doing something she enjoys. I did a week at the local stables (where I already worked) and a week at the local bank!

After school I went in to sales/marketing and worked in publishing for 14 years! Oh and owned a pub!

But at least I had fun doing my work experience unlike some of my friends who even got put off their career choice as their experience was dull and uninteresting!

[jackie j]

Thanks guy's as usual good advice from all of you. If she doesnt choose something she has to clean up the school. She has an option of going with her dad in an architects office if push comes to shove. I would like her to do something she thinks she might do as it would give her a bit of insight and help her decide for now.
Son's gf did teacher training and was a year off qualifying, all through uni she worked in a solicitors office and decided to train as a lawyer so changed direction and passed this year, she will be 30 in a couple of months.
Her hobbies over the years have been horses, ballet ( when little ), clarinet till last year, Tap still doing. Art is in the gene's as dad is an architectural technician and paternal grandfather is an artist.

[Polly Fouracre]

I remember reading in the paper a few years ago of a girl who wanted to work with animals. Her work experience placement.........in a butcher's shop!!

[jackie j]

Lol one of my sons wanted to do performing arts, he was advised to do child care, his answer was, I have a little sister ( baby ) i will learn all I need to know thanks. Ok do P.E. then umm I have done P.E about 3 times in as many years.

[OverWyreGrower]

She has an idea in her head but I dont think its practical and would be very hard to get into ( not going to say on here ) as a hobby that if it took off yes, but to have something else as well.

I am intrigued at what her idea is!

I have a lot of friends with their own successful businesses, doing things that would have been classed as 'not practical' when they were at school.

[weekendwellies]

My eldest went to a vets, as she had wanted to be a vet from about 5years old. She loved it, but she didnt get the grades at AS level that she would need for Uni. She ended up redoing that year and lifted her grades but during that time decided that she ought to think about doing something else and now is thinking about Civil Engineering.

My youngest didn't have a clue what she wanted to do, varying from Paramedic through Midwife and various others to Lawyer. She managed to get a fortnight with a barrister and loved it (the school was offering things like Supermarket, Nurseries, Hairdressers, so we arranged it ourselves, but that is a whole new thread). She is now working hard on her ASs in order to get into a Law Degree and be a barrister herself.

[SueA]

I agree with the others that she should just do something she is interested in & not worry about if it will lead to anything. When I was 16 we had the option of staying in school & cleaning & tidying up like your daughter or going for 2 weeks to help at a local primary school. I went to the school along with my friend & it totally put me off teaching, the staff seemed bitchy & made it obvious we weren't wanted there, some of the children were absolute pains & some were lovely. Nowadays most youngsters seem to want to be in 'performing arts', generally because they watch 'X-Factor', 'High School Musical', 'Glee' etc. & if they all try to pursue it it's going to be awfully difficult for them!

[Alison]

She ended up redoing that year and lifted her grades but during that time decided that she ought to think about doing something else and now is thinking about Civil Engineering.

That's what I do and on the whole love it - spend all day problem solving and making things, great fun

Re the original question, my niece said that the main thing she got from hers was that she should do a bit of work at school otherwise she'd end up in a dead end rubbish job like the one they had her doing. A very valuable life lesson and I'm guessing she learnt far more than doing what she thought she wanted to do at that age as there's a limit to what you can find out in two weeks re proper career choices.