Breeding for Benefits

worried_jim

Yes I've done shop work and temping jobs in the past when I was made redundant and spent 3 months doing the worst jobs imaginable but pride and a decent upbringing kept me away from the benefits office.
You are quite right to point out that these jobs -
"'plenty of agricultural work'

'Tulip meats in South Wales'

'fish factory in Aberdeen' "
May not seem the best at first but do you realise that most of the managers and supervisors are from Central Europe and they all started at the bottom. Many of my colleagues came to the UK and started doing these "basic" jobs and thru effort and hard work and in many cases further education are now working alongside people like me with a university education and twenty years work experience. They are all a pleasure to work with and have definitely enhanced the work place and the skills we have.

cajones is Mexican for big balls !

There are some ladies in the fish factory who are earning more than me, although I will admit that I would not like to do that but like most so called "horrid" jobs once you are have gutted your first fish and got thru the first day I am sure day two wont appear that bad,otherwise there would be no body doing these jobs and everyone would want to be a Ferrari test driver, unfortunately life is not like that and if you are only skilled and qualified for manual work gutting fish then gutting fish it shall be not £600 a week from the tax payers.

vivatifosi

worried_jim wrote: »

Yes I've done shop work and temping jobs in the past when I was made redundant and spent 3 months doing the worst jobs imaginable but pride and a decent upbringing kept me away from the benefits office.

Well said worried jim. I started my career cleaning toilets. The best managers and leaders I've ever met are those who know what it is like to do these jobs. They have a respect for workers at all levels that is often missing in those that just walk into management straight from uni.

lostinrates

vivatifosi wrote: »

Well said worried jim. I started my career cleaning toilets. The best managers and leaders I've ever met are those who know what it is like to do these jobs. They have a respect for workers at all levels that is often missing in those that just walk into management straight from uni.

Although I think some of the really, really good ones are the ones who have been to uni, then, or during, get a job in ''those'' jobs, rather than sit waiting for something they deem worthy of their application.

Eduction is not intelligence, nor is lack of education a guarantee of common sense from the university of life.

Incidentally, my maternal grandmother (an employer in farm, business and home) used to say ''never pay someone to do something you wouldn't be prepared to do yourself''' and i think its a really good touchstone for considering employee terms. While you can't be skilled enough to do everything, or have time enough, you cn ensure that the conditions are appropriate for those you hire to do so and than you are treating them with the respect you would want if roles were reversed.

carolt

vivatifosi wrote: »

Well said worried jim. I started my career cleaning toilets. The best managers and leaders I've ever met are those who know what it is like to do these jobs. They have a respect for workers at all levels that is often missing in those that just walk into management straight from uni.

Agreed, albeit with the caveat that I think these days few people have been through uni without doing some menial jobs along the way to pay their way.

lostinrates

carolt wrote: »

Agreed, albeit with the caveat that I think these days few people have been through uni without doing some menial jobs along the way to pay their way.

Few of my peers worked much..and how menial the job was is an issue. Lots of us condensed sandwich courses, working in holidays, so industry jobs one way or another in the longer holidays. I think those ofus who 'worked' worked, whether for need or attitude or whatever, an those who didn't was actually quite marked. And I don't think there was a family socio-economic dived in workers/non workers. Although it was a big ''thing'' at that time, when fees were very first introduced, that if your birth father earned less than your step father you shouldn't get adopted, because the chance of grant/funding was lessor..nd presumably vice versa. (don't remember as it didn't apply to me, but it was talked about at uni a bit, and I remember being bit taken back by the coldness of a decision like this for ''the system''.

PasturesNew

carolt wrote: »

few people have been through uni without doing some menial jobs along the way to pay their way.

I haven't been through Uni.... never had to do menial jobs. But, by others' standards I've done menial jobs I guess.

There are only menial jobs where I live, and I wouldn't get them because there are 100s of backpackers eager to take them on a lower minimum wage than me - and they're probably experienced and able. I am quite unable due to the environments.

e.g. I couldn't work in a bar: too noisy, I couldn't understand what people were saying, I'd struggle to separate their voices from other noise so couldn't hear them. Then I'd get shaky and anxious at getting it right and end up becoming clumsy and knock into things and spill things, then I'd probably misjudge the distance between the bottom of a pint glass and the bar and tip it into somebody's crotch. I'd also need to write down the orders as I can't remember more than two things that have been told to me (especially against the backdrop of noise).

It'd be similar with waitressing. I can't carry more than two things. I can't carry two things and go up/down steps and through doors. I can't negotiate the myriad of tables/chairs/people to be found in a food place. I'd end up having to shuffle out one plate at a time, clutching it fiercely and grimly hoping not to drop/spill it and repeating in my head exactly which table I was headed for..... don't stop me on the way, I'll never remember what you wanted, or I'll forget where I was going.

Welcome to ASD.... it's fun

tartanterra

macaque wrote: »

Originally Posted by dave4545454
Can you blame unemployed people for staying at home given the options facing them.

Yes. I do blame them, as it's my taxes that keep them in plasma T.V.'s.

If they're in reciept of benefits, with lots of time on their hands, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect them to expend some effort in gaining employment.

StevieJ

vivatifosi wrote: »

Well said worried jim. I started my career cleaning toilets. The best managers and leaders I've ever met are those who know what it is like to do these jobs. They have a respect for workers at all levels that is often missing in those that just walk into management straight from uni.

I suppose there are toilet cleaners and toilet cleaners, here is one of the latter jobs :eek: the background music is good though

The filth-filled, festering, claustrophobic cubicles of Glastonbury legend can bring a tear to the eye and a clothes peg to the nose of even the most hardened festival-goer.
So spare a thought for those who had to spend 12 hours a day cleaning the festival toilets.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment_and_arts/10431784.stm

macaque_2

worried_jim wrote: »

Yes I've done shop work and temping jobs in the past when I was made redundant and spent 3 months doing the worst jobs imaginable but pride and a decent upbringing kept me away from the benefits office.
You are quite right to point out that these jobs -
"'plenty of agricultural work'

'Tulip meats in South Wales'

'fish factory in Aberdeen' "
May not seem the best at first but do you realise that most of the managers and supervisors are from Central Europe and they all started at the bottom. Many of my colleagues came to the UK and started doing these "basic" jobs and thru effort and hard work and in many cases further education are now working alongside people like me with a university education and twenty years work experience. They are all a pleasure to work with and have definitely enhanced the work place and the skills we have.

cajones is Mexican for big balls !

There are some ladies in the fish factory who are earning more than me, although I will admit that I would not like to do that but like most so called "horrid" jobs once you are have gutted your first fish and got thru the first day I am sure day two wont appear that bad,otherwise there would be no body doing these jobs and everyone would want to be a Ferrari test driver, unfortunately life is not like that and if you are only skilled and qualified for manual work gutting fish then gutting fish it shall be not £600 a week from the tax payers.

"and spent 3 months doing the worst jobs imaginable but pride and a decent upbringing kept me away from the benefits office"
Three months? Good grief. Well done little Lord Falternoy. Your 'decent upbringing' meant you only had to do 3 months. What if you had not had a 'decent upbringing'. How many years would you have stuck it.

worried_jim

I would have stuck it until I found something more enjoyable. You are slightly missing the point I am making, its not the time scale (3 months) but the attitude to do meaningful work and not be a burden on the state, unfortunately the work was not as meaningful as I hoped but I knuckled down on got on with it whilst searching and applying for other roles that would interest and challenge me to help myself and develop my skills in the workplace.