Boss expecting too much

LegacyUser

I'm currently employed for a small 3 person office, while enrolled in a part time university course, which the company is sponsoring.

Another guy and I were the first two employees of the firm, which only started up last year. We're both doing the same part time course, and neither of us have previous experience in the field. The course works as a type of apprentaceship, where the work we do in our office is used as the basis for our coursework.

On paper, it's a great job. In the field I want to work in (and am studying towards), and the projects I'm working on are really interesting.

The only problem is my boss's expectations. He is constantly complaining that we're not working hard enough. Being eager to please the boss, we keep working at it. I'm in the office working without break for 12-13 hours most days, and it's still not enough. If I stand up to stretch my legs I get an accusatory "are you taking a break?". Or If I do anything other than work while eating my lunch, he walks over to my desk and says things like "I've never taken a lunch break in my life". He's careful never to actually order us to work longer hours than the 37.5 specified in our contract. Though he constantly warns us that we're falling behind.
I've spoken to other people in the field and have been informed that the size of project I've been doing single handedly would typically be done by a team of 3 or 4 fully qualified people, so it's not as though I'm just incompetant or inefficient, and it happens to both of us.

I really am getting stressed. I'm also doing 20 hours or so coursework a week on top of this, which I mostly do at weekends. I'm mentally and physically drained at this point.
I looked into finding another job, but it would mean deferring the course for a year, and to be honest, there's not many jobs in this field. The boss is constantly telling me that there are dozens of people who would gladly do my job for free.

Giblet

He's abusing his position, and you're clearly letting him. Leave the office during lunch hours, and if he says anything, just ignore him. Tell him how many hours you have worked, and then tell him you will do your standard 9-5. If you don't do this, and are afraid of getting fired or whatever, you are just allowing it to continue.

No-one would do this for free, he's chancing his arm.

stargazer 68

Have to agree with the other poster OP. You have made a rod for your own back. I know its hard but you need to set the lines and leave for lunch and leave on time otherwise it will just continue. The more you do the more he will want.

LegacyUser

Just reminds me of a saying I heard recently "its the slave that makes the master".