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!