Should schoolchildren have jobs? 6 Minute English

Neil: Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English. I'm Neil

and joining me today is Dan who is a producer at BBC

Learning English - that's his job.

Dan: Hi everyone... Yes that is my job, obviously

- why are we discussing that now, Neil?

Neil: Well you haven't always been a producer

at BBC Learning English, have you?

Dan: No... I used to be a teacher.

Neil: And before that? Way back - your first ever job?

Dan: Ah, I had a paper round when I was 14.

A paper round is a job - the job of delivering

newspapers to people's homes.

It's often done by teenagers.

Neil: 14 seems very young to be at work.

And that's the topic of this 6 Minute English:

Should schoolchildren have jobs?

It seems fewer and fewer are these days,

according to the statistics. We'll give you 6 words

and expressions - and, of course, our quiz question.

You Ready?

Dan: You bet!

Neil: What is the youngest age at which children

are allowed to work in the UK? Is it a) 12, b) 13, c) 14

Dan: Well, I'm going to say 14 just because that's

how old I was and it seems a long time ago!

Neil: We'll find out if you're right or wrong

at the end of the programme.

Let's start by hearing some British teenagers

talking about their Saturday jobs.

Dan: A Saturday job is the name we give to part-time

work that teenagers do for extra money.

As the name suggests, these jobs often

take place on Saturdays - but not always.

Neil: That's right - 'Saturday job' is general term

we use to describe part-time work done by teenagers.

The work might take place on Sundays

or any day of the week, in fact! Let's hear from

these British children about their Saturday jobs.

Insert Vox: We have to face all the stuff on the shelves

and make it look organised and show customers

where products are if they need to know.

On the average week I work nine hours, so

two hours for two school nights and then I work

four hours on a Saturday and two hours on a Sunday.

And then in the school holidays I can work more,

so it's like around 16 in the school holidays

Dan: The first teenager said the work involves

making the shelves look organised.

Shop work is a very typical Saturday job.

Neil: Oh yes, I spent many a weekend and evening

stacking shelves! The second teenager's Saturday job

takes place Saturdays, Sundays and evenings.

As we said - A Saturday job's not just for Saturdays.

Dan: A Saturday job is seen almost as a rite of passage

in the UK. A rite of passage is the name we give

to events or ceremonies that form an important stage

in a person's life.

Neil: That's right - like graduating from school,

or having children. But according to the latest

statistics in the UK, that is all changing.

Listen to this BBC report.

BBC reporter: In order to work, they need a permit

from the local authority and our data shows

the number being issued has fallen

from nearly 30,000 permits in 2012

to just 23,000 in 2016.

Employers frequently bemoan the lack of work

experience young people have.

But teenagers are also facing pressure not to take up

part-time jobs and to concentrate

on their studies instead.

Dan: So, it seems that fewer teenagers are taking

Saturday jobs. But there's a conflict here.

Neil: Yes, on the one hand, employers bemoan

the lack of work experience young people have.

Bemoan, meaning complain about.

It's a rather formal word.

Dan: But on the other hand, teenagers are facing

pressure not to take part-time jobs

and to concentrate on their studies.

Some people think working could be detrimental

to a schoolchild's academic progress.

Neil: Detrimental - which means causing harm.

It's a tricky one, isn't it? I think my Saturdays

spend stacking shelves and serving fish 'n' chips

taught me valuable lessons about working

with adults and also managing my money.

I don't think it was detrimental to my education.

Dan: Well, you managed to get a job at BBC

Learning English!

Neil: That's true.

Dan: As for me, my paper round taught me the value

of hard work. It didn't hinder me. Hinder means to stop

someone or something from making progress.

Neil: Well let's not talk too much in case we hinder

our students... On to the answer to our quiz question.

I asked this: What is the youngest age at which children

are allowed to work in the UK?

Is it a) 12, b) 13 c) 14

Dan: I said c) 14.

Neil: And I'm afraid you are wrong.

You are allowed to work from the age of 13 in the UK.

Exceptions to this rule include TV,

theatre and modelling.

Dan: Oh well - I guess I should have spent

more time at school.

Neil: Shall we have a recap of the vocabulary?

Dan: Did you have a paper round as a kid, Neil?

Neil: No I didn't, but I did help my best friend James

deliver newspapers - in return for a pound.

Big money back in the 80s!

Dan: Did you supplement your earnings

with a Saturday job?

Neil: I did. I had a Saturday job in a supermarket

and also in a fish 'n' chip shop - but it

wasn't always on a Saturday.

Dan is that a wedding ring on your finger?

Dan: Yes it is. Marriage is a rite of passage

in many cultures. It is an important stage

in a person's life - talking of which, are those your

kids on your screensaver?

Neil: Yep - having children is another example

of a rite of passage. See how tired I look!

Dan: Do not bemoan your lack of sleep! I'm sure

they're wonderful people. Bemoan's a quite formal way

of saying 'complain about'.

Neil: I think it's OK to bemoan a lack of sleep

- it can have a detrimental effect on my health.

Dan: Detrimental - meaning harmful.

As long as your tiredness doesn't hinder your work

on 6 Minute English

Neil: Well, I'd never let anything hinder my work

on 6 Minute English -

that means stop from making progress.

Dan: I admire your dedication! Goodbye!

Neil: Goodbye!