Grandparents

wageslave

I know what my paternal grandmother would say, she told me frequently.

She got confused amongst the dozens of grandkids that traipsed in and out of her van and once looked out the window and said.....

Is that wageslaves car? Spoiled little madam, I've never liked her. Want your hand read hinny? Only a fiver to a nice girl like you....

treliac

Out,_Vile_Jelly wrote: »

My grandad left school at 14 and cycled 12 miles to work everyday as a teaboy in a nearby factory. 50 years later he retired from the Board of Directors after working his way up to the top. At some point he and my nan entered the lowest levels of the middle classes, voted Tory and spent their hard earned on holidays, good food, good booze and bought a nice house to retire in.

That's a lovely story. Pity it's not a possibility today.

Brallaqueen

My grandparents are a) dead and b) raised ten children in a three room shack in a bog ridden backwater in Eire (it's now a cowshed, so god knows how they did it). They had a completely different outlook, and I think me owning my own home would be high on their list of outrages, along with 'unnatural unmarried childless heathen'. My grandma apparently ruled with an iron fist but GOD FORBID a woman owned property.

tincans

treliac wrote: »

That's a lovely story. Pity it's not a possibility today.

Of course its possible, although it will be the exception as always.

Pete111

treliac wrote: »

That's a lovely story. Pity it's not a possibility today.

Why?

I work in a company where such things happen quite a lot (over time obviously)

10 years ago we took on an unpaid intern. He now heads up a very significant division and earns 200k+ p/a at 30 years old

7 years ago we got a new postal assistant. He is now one of the 'hottest' guys in his part of the industry (and no I don't mean the postal industry!) and comfortably earns 6 figures at 28


TBH I would have thought these days 'talent' is more likely to rise to the top than back in the day - why do you feel otherwise?

carefullycautious

headcone wrote: »

So there`s scum in every class?

Not just benefit recipients.

:rotfl:

Yeah they are just better at hiding it

treliac

Pete111 wrote: »

why do you feel otherwise?

Amongst other reasons, because...

1. This is a technological age in which the teaboy is unlikely to be particularly savvy or he wouldn't generally choose to be making the tea.

2. Many employers seem to expect a degree, even for the lowest of jobs.

3. So many school/college/uni leavers think menial jobs are beneath them.

If you're talking about people who have some academic qualifications but choose to take unpaid or basic admin type jobs to gain experience and a foothold, that's different. But I still wouldn't expect them to be solely making tea.

samhuzz

Don't know what my grandad would have thought of me now, I'm kind of in the same situation as him as I rent from the HA, he rented from the Council for a good 40 odd years. In some ways I think it may be better to rent as you get older because you don't have to pay out or worry if your boiler packs up or your roof leaks etc. I think he would be proud of me for working and bringing my children up without their dad though as he didn't have a dad, his mother was a single woman throughout her life. He was the cleverest person I've ever met, and I hope he is looking down on me from somewhere to see how I'm doing.

Pete111

treliac wrote: »

Amongst other reasons, because...

1. This is a technological age in which the teaboy is unlikely to be particularly savvy or he wouldn't generally choose to be making the tea.

2. Many employers seem to expect a degree, even for the lowest of jobs.

3. So many school/college/uni leavers think menial jobs are beneath them.

If you're talking about people who have some academic qualifications but choose to take unpaid or basic admin type jobs to gain experience and a foothold, that's different. But I still wouldn't expect them to be solely making tea.

1) To be honest our old post room assistant had zero academics and I daresay the delivering the post is on a par with making tea skills wise. It didn't stop him getting where he is now - within parts of the media sector anyway, this sort of thing can definitely happen.

2) We don't expect a degree for a number of jobs here but I accept that is more prevailent now. Luckily Nulabour decided that at least 50% of the workforce 'needed' a degree so supply has more than kept up with demand!

3) School leavers will soon wise up if it's a choice between tea making or the dole. Especially with benefits etc now under threat....

Lastly the role of 'tea boy' is highly likely to have gone the way of the dodo by now. Similar junior/low skill jobs within an office would now be:

Facilities asssitant
Post assistant
Junior Receptionist
Intern
Office junior/apprentice

So insofar as 'a tea boy won't become a CEO these days' you may actually be technically correct!

PasturesNew

Pete111 wrote: »

...

I can do loads of things. Gis-a-job.