THOSE who really know me will not be shocked to learn that my current role at the North-East Chamber of Commerce is not my dream job.

While I love what I do and relish the challenges I meet head on on a daily basis, my heart was lost, many years ago, to a Saturday job in River Island.

To be truthful, it wasn't my first choice - a certain unnamed fashion outlet in the region having already rejected my overtures.

But, just to be enveloped by fashion and shopping every weekend was a dream come true.

I met a lifelong friend in Alex Watson, of ITV Tyne Tees fame, and the pair of us set about conquering the world - or at least decimating the sales rails.

It's easy to be dismissive of the first jobs we do. They often bear little relevance to our eventual careers.

However, they give you an early grounding in skills that are the foundations on which you build your career.

It is for this reason that I was excited about my daughter receiving her National Insurance (NI) number.

Perhaps I was even too excited, visions of taking advantage of her staff discount swimming before my eyes.

My daughter's old enough to have an NI card and I was surprised that she hadn't received it.

A quick call to my local revenue team revealed that youngsters are not automatically sent their NI number until they are 15 years and nine months.

They then got me the necessary contact numbers of the NI call centre, only to discover upon calling it that they only work 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. I'm sure that I'm not alone in finding this incredibly frustrating.

As a parent that works full time Monday to Friday, with hours that can sometimes start before 8am and end later than 6pm it is not a user-friendly option, particularly when other departments are open until 8pm.

Surely there must be an easier way to get an NI number and why do we need to wait until the grand old age of 15 years and nine months?

Businesses are increasingly embracing flexible working and clearly some sectors of Government are too. It would be good to see the ones that ordinary working parents have to call follow their lead.

* Joanne Fryett is NECC head of member relation