Kicked off A4e and then wrestled out of job center.

wishface

zappster1966 wrote: »

The worst thing for prospective employers is long, unexplained gaps in a persons career history. So better these courses than nothing. It's not like you've got anything to do with your time anyway apart from moan on online forums about how hard done by you are.

rubbish.

the worst thing for an employer is an employee who can't do the job.

CV's mean nothing these days.

wishface

glossgal wrote: »

I do have some sympathy with the OP as I've had spells on JSA in the past and it's true-if you stand out or speak up they don't like it one bit.

BUT these courses are designed to make you think-'sod this you can't tell me what to do' and sign off. Pure and simple. The idea that they are to help you is a sham and all involved know it. The really detemined workshy will put up with it but the DWP know there are a large percentage of people on JSA who don't really have to be and these courses are to weed out the hangers on. I know someone who is long term unemployed for no good reason frankly, who is doing a course at the mo-he is hopping mad that it's distracting him from his hobby! These are the people the courses are for, I don't believe they have any constructive basis. I am seriously looking for work at the moment myself (employed) and probably spend about an 1-2 hours a week looking-I don't see how anyone can spend 7 hours a day five days a week looking for work, it's just not possible.

No, the courses are there to provide profit for crony organisations that are friendly with the likes of James Purnell and Theresa May (who if anything is even worse - and a tory hardline on welfare is what we can look forward to from 2010 sadly). It's all based on the American model (and we know how they love the welfare state) and that's all based on making money. Disgusting really, but no one wants to believe anythign but the worst about unemployed people and so nothing will change for the better.

SomeBozo

wishface wrote: »

No, the courses are there to provide profit for crony organisations that are friendly with the likes of James Purnell and Theresa May (who if anything is even worse - and a tory hardline on welfare is what we can look forward to from 2010 sadly). It's all based on the American model (and we know how they love the welfare state) and that's all based on making money. Disgusting really, but no one wants to believe anythign but the worst about unemployed people and so nothing will change for the better.

Perhaps if you put as much effort into getting a job as you do in debating the policitical system "Its all everyones elses fault" then you might get a job.

Bozo

zappster1966

wishface wrote: »

rubbish.

the worst thing for an employer is an employee who can't do the job.

CV's mean nothing these days.

Yeah. Because an employer would much rather take on the guy who's sat about doing nothing for a year than someone else who's enrolled for training, gone to college, done voluntary work etc etc.

The only reason some of you are taking such a keen interest in these courses, their adequacy or otherwise, their value to the taxpayer & their impact on the unemployment statistics is that you just can't be bothered attending them.

red_devil

This shows how little you know about the jobmarket Zapster. Voluntary work counts for nothing and dosent guarantee a job. I know someone who volunteered on a reception and then went for a paid job on a reception they were told at interview that the voluntary work they were doing was not enough.

The job goes to someone who has been in PAID employment and has alot of experience. Those who keep in paid work without breaks have the advantage even then its competitive.

Mighty_Eagle

Having been made redundant and having to encounter the job center environment for the first time it did come as a massive shock to discover the lengths people will go to to avoid attending courses ....or even holding a new job down!Sad to think this ,but the job center staff must think that everyones a scrounger untill proven otherwise.There only doing there job but then they need to realise thats was what we were trying to do before the redundancys came along.
I have had the same experience with miscommunications and lapsed promises from JC staff.They even moved my signing in time without telling me and then accused me of being late,I would have been axed from my claim if i had not been in the branch anyway providing another passport ID which they had lost.
All the staff are over stretched and jaded about the unemployed but they are only behaving how I'm sure alot of us would end up behaving if employed there.

Maybe worth going in when your feeling well again and explaining your situation or maybe appologising(even if in your mind they were in the wrong).As you never know when the staff may be transferd to your new job center.They stand in the way of you being able to afford to feed yourself and have a roof over your head.Scary but unfortunately thats the way.You have clearly shown willing to attend the course but it maybe a good opertunity to attend a real educational course where you can actualy learn something.Recieving JSA means you can attend adult learning courses at a heavily dicounted price£15 instead of £350.Hotcourses.com has a full listing.Im doing this in the hope when all this madness calms down I will be in a much better place,having achieved it at a very low price.Looking on the bright side eh! All the best to you.

JoeBreakdown

red_devil wrote: »

This shows how little you know about the jobmarket Zapster. Voluntary work counts for nothing and dosent guarantee a job. I know someone who volunteered on a reception and then went for a paid job on a reception they were told at interview that the voluntary work they were doing was not enough.

The job goes to someone who has been in PAID employment and has alot of experience. Those who keep in paid work without breaks have the advantage even then its competitive.

There are some careers where voluntary experience is essential in getting your foot in the door, but I guess they'd be more specialist than receptionist positions.

red_devil

I also think its disgusting that everyone is lumped together in one room regardless of background. Everyone is different and are unemployed for different reasons. You can be mixing with people who have been in prison, people who like using colourful language, what on earth have you got in common you just arent in the same box.

One size does not fit all. Its a well known fact that the provider is usually understaffed too and do not have much time to give to people so they dont even get the service they should get from the course.

The work they give you will normally be a job in the charity sector which is just slave labour and does not lead to a job at the end of it. There is nothing to stop you doing voluntary work off your own back without going through the scheme if you want too. I think it looks better.

red_devil

JoeBreakdown wrote: »

There are some careers where voluntary experience is essential in getting your foot in the door, but I guess they'd be more specialist than receptionist positions.

possibly but i think alot of people are under the illusion that if you get a voluntary job you will get a paid job it dosent always work.

JoeBreakdown

red_devil wrote: »

possibly but i think alot of people are under the illusion that if you get a voluntary job you will get a paid job it dosent always work.

Agree with that.

Also agree that a lot of people generalise when it comes to the unemployed.