Panarama - did you watch it????

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Plum
Posts: 284
Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2009 10:26 am

Panarama - did you watch it????

Post by Plum »

Hi

Did anybody watch it last night? It was about young unemployed people. Whilst I appreciate that there are a lot of unemployed people at the moment, I did find Sir Digby's comments about kids leaving school "not knowing how to work" disturbing and a couple of the young men on the programme appeared to think the world owed them a living and although were willing to get their hair cut to get a job, wouldn't do so for an interview. It may be shallow but first impressions really do count! Also, one was offered a work placement but decided it wasn't worth him coming off benefits. However, on the plus side two of the other chaps were very keen to work, one refusing to sign on as he didn't want to be labelled a waster.

My first work experience was working as a checkout girl in Sainsbury's whilst I was in 6th form. It helped me get my first proper job in the city a couple of years later as the chairman of the company interviewed me and was very impressed that I had worked my way through college (he was very posh - I don't think young people in his circle needed to work at that time!). I think that first job in Sainsbury's taught me a lot about employers' expectations and how do deal with colleagues as well as customers and helped give me the right attitude for working life. I have a couple of nephews and a niece that are 17/18, doing their A levels and planning to go to university in September. None of them have worked (although my neice has looked for a Saturday job) but then they each get £30 a week for staying on at school!

I know my kids have got way to go yet but it's still a worry......

Plum
hermanmunster
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Location: The Seaside

Post by hermanmunster »

I remember my headmistress approving of saturday jobs as "it shows you how the other three quarters live".

It did just that.
Very useful lesson.
heartmum
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Location: Buckinghamshire

Post by heartmum »

hermanmunster wrote:I remember my headmistress approving of saturday jobs as "it shows you how the other three quarters live".
It did just that. Very useful lesson.
Same here .. I worked at weekends whilst studying - taught me a valuable lesson in work ethic!
Heartmum x x x
fm

Post by fm »

From the age of 16 my daughter has worked in a variety of environments (bank, clothes shop, office, supermarkets) on Saturday and during the holidays. She has worked her way through Leeds University, doing 2 days a week and full time in holidays.

She is currently working for a well-known supermarket and is well thought of, having been encouraged in the past to go for a supervisor's job although she couldn't manage it due to the increased hours.

Despite all this, she has been turned down for the numerous graduate training schemes for which she has applied, including the one for her current company, and has now given up trying to even get to the interview stage. She has not taken it personally as all her friends are in exactly the same boat; the only ones who are fixed up are the ones financially able to afford to do non-paid internships (which are often just a way of getting free labour) or the ones who have managed to acquire a post through nepotism.

I thought her experience of real life and the fact she has stuck at her checkout for 3 long, low paid years would have counted for something with an employer, but I'm afraid I was a little naive.
pheasantchick
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Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 10:28 pm

Post by pheasantchick »

I watched the programme also and found it fascinating.

It was encouraging to see two of the lads working, even though it wasn't what they intended to do several years previously. They seem to recognise that a job, any job, is better then nothing and you never know where it may lead.

One at least was on a scheme at the end but hte fourth had given up. I felt sorry for his parents who did't know what to do with him.. He was hardly 'job seeking'!
doodles
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Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:19 pm

Post by doodles »

I worked in a restaurant doing Silver Service during the whole of the 6th form and then I worked through every Uni holiday - certainly did me no harm.
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad !
Plum
Posts: 284
Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2009 10:26 am

Post by Plum »

FM you're not naive (at least I don't think so :wink: ) I think it is the sign of the times! There are just very few jobs out there at the moment.
I remember back in the early 90's, friends leaving university thinking they would walk straight into a job but were caught up in the resession that was going on at the time. They did all eventually get jobs but not necessarily in the fields they expected to.
My DH (then boyfriend) and I gave up our good jobs in 1990 to go travelling. I was very lucky to get my job back after a year (with a pay rise!) but the OH wasn't so lucky, he had been a draughtsman and the building trade was badly effected so he went for a complete change and joined the police force!
Good luck to your DD - something will come along eventually.
Plum
fm

Post by fm »

Thanks for the encouraging words. Oddly enough I did suggest police to her a couple of days ago and, to my suprprise, she didn't reject it out of hand.
KB
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Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Post by KB »

A programme I watched the other day that was a follow up on the lives of 3 Autistic young men really hit home about the battles some youngsters have to fight.
It was a bit of a mixed outcome but one of the lads was - against all the odds - doing really well & seemed happy & settled & looking forward to the future. I felt quite proud of him!
tense
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Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:02 pm
Location: Herts

Post by tense »

FM - I'm sure the experience will have helped your DD in many ways, although I can see it probably doesn't feel that way at the moment. Also (hopefully!) she's not totally overwhelmed with student debt.

I had a Saturday job in a shop from when I was about 14 - I'm not sure if that's allowed now. When I was older I waitressed & then did bar work as soon as I was 18.

My DD's school encourages sixth formers to think carefully before taking on any paid work. I think thats a shame.
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