Work Placement And Travelling

KURTIS

Squirreler wrote: »

Well it's a good induction into the world of work for her! I do similar hours, 9am til 5.30pm but all over the country. I don't get paid travelling time and they certainly don't pay for me to get to work! I'm expected to get to work in my own time, as is everyone aren't they? I don't see the problem to be honest. I hope this doesn't sound harsh; it's not meant to.

What may I ask do you do for a living. Don't know if you know what a work placement is for a 20 year old, certainly not spending 15 hours a day between work and travel and get paid for 7.5 hours

Squirreler

KURTIS wrote: »

What may I ask do you do for a living. Don't know if you know what a work placement is for a 20 year old, certainly not spending 15 hours a day between work and travel and get paid for 7.5 hours

I'm not sure what her age has to do with it; she's an adult and she's employed. Of course I know what a work placement is! I wouldn't have been able to get my degree without one either. It's only for a year. I had to live abroad and got on with it. If she's going to be an accountant she's going to have to get used to the idea of long hours and hard work. If she doesn't like that then she should bail out now. If you want to earn the money, you gotta work for it I'm afraid.

Cazza

You say it's a placement she's on, is this arranged as part of her Universituy course or similar? Could she raise the matter with her tutor or department, in order to see if what has been asked is reasonable?

I have no experience of working hours in placements, however, I graduated from Uni 5 years ago and have friends who have spent the last 5 years working their way up the ladder in graduate professions. Going by their experiences, the hours are not unusual and the fact she has not been paid overtime is part and part of being a salaried employee, rather than paid on an hourly rate. Yes, they are long days, I'm not saying it's right, but if she wants a career in accountancy with a large City type firm, this is what she will need to expect after graduation.

Squirreler

Put much more eloquently by Cazza than by me!

jay11_2

I've recently completed my degree, including unpaid work placements (mileage was refunded but nothing else), many of the 18/19/20 year old students on my course had 4+ hour daily commutes, on top of an 8 hour day, and having assignments to complete and exams to pass. We all accepted it without question, because we consider ourselves lucky to be on the course, and are passionate about our profession. Long working hours is part of life in some professions, and TBH she should have looked into the ins and outs before accepting her place on the course.

Oldernotwiser

KURTIS wrote: »

pinkshoes

First of all you don't know what my daughter's abilities are, so you can't say she is lucky to have a placement. This placement was not just handed over to her, she had to go through lots of interviews and tests.

Secondly because things are tough doesn't mean that one has to put up with situations that clearly would drain a 20 year old. If she is out of her flat by 6.30am and not back until 9-9.30pm and then she is expected to take exams every month.

I have never expected anyone to work overtime without pay or travel to other branches during their time and expected them to reach home 3 hours later than they would if they were working at their normal place of work, and certainly not day in day out.

Accountancy is a profession; you can't expect to work 9-5 in it and get paid overtime! If that's what she wants, she should get a job in Woolworths.

jay11_2

Squirreler wrote: »

I'm not sure what her age has to do with it; she's an adult and she's employed. Of course I know what a work placement is! I wouldn't have been able to get my degree without one either. It's only for a year. I had to live abroad and got on with it. If she's going to be an accountant she's going to have to get used to the idea of long hours and hard work. If she doesn't like that then she should bail out now. If you want to earn the money, you gotta work for it I'm afraid.

I'd say being 20 means she's young and should have plenty of stamina! I worked loads of hours at that age, as well as partying / chatting till the wee hours, energy and stamina are perks of being young, surely!

KURTIS

Oldernotwisers

spot on with the name there

Pont

Can your daughter not sub-let her present flat and perhaps rent a room closer to her placement? Perhaps not a perfect solution but it would cut down her commute time and perhaps earn her some extra income.

Oldernotwiser

KURTIS wrote: »

Oldernotwisers

spot on with the name there

Have you noticed that no posters agree with you and the vast majority disagree very strongly? You could learn something from this if you opened your mind and stopped throwing insults around.

Why do posters always define "help" as someone agreeing with them?