It's STILL tough and not getting better - so how are we coping?

lilac_lady

One thing is certain - times are getting tougher! Hang in there and keep posting.

Hippeechiq

jackieglasgow wrote: »

As for the trees. On one hand, I kind of think that as the place where foreign dignitaries are welcomed and wined and dined etc., then number 10 should have a decent tree, representing a great British tradition without it being over the top financially (are the decorations not kept from year to year, have they thought about buying a charity tree for example) and if the PM wants to pay for his private one, he flaming well should, too. I hope he's as careful with turning out the lights and his phone charger too!

I agree that no.10 should have a tree, and even a mighty fine tree or trees, but to the tune of three grand?!

I know ginnys post said that Cameron had cancelled it/them, but really....... those previously in residence at No. 10 have been spending, three thousand pounds? on a tree? or a few trees and decs?

If PM's & MP's spend this kind of money on such - in the grand scheme of things - unimportant things, I again ask, how much are they spending behind our backs?

No wonder the country has such a massive budget deficit!!

rosieben

BB1984 wrote: »

... As for uni, well in my opinion the last government was wrong to set a target for x% of people to go to university (60%?) By doing that, the value of a degree is lessened. Personally I think that apprenticeships etc should be encouraged far more, encouraging our skills and trades base in the UK. That would suit the slightly less "academic" (note - academic as opposed to intelligent!) people, and then university would be mostly for people who want to do a career that actually requires a degree, e.g. medicine, engineering (not in all cases I know), law etc. Sorry if I offend anyone here, but I really don't understand the point of some degrees. I know of people who have got themselves in £15,000 of debt to do a social sciences/textiles/journalism/drama degree, only to find themselves unemployed or virtually on minimum wage at the end of it. (and this isn't just in the last couple of years where it's difficult for ANYONE to get a job BTW) ...

I agree with every word :T I've never understood how successive governments could do away with technical and trade courses in secondary and FE; its sad to see youngsters who've worked hard for a degree end up jobless and in debt before they've even started their careers.

greengoblin

BB1984 wrote: »

As for uni, well in my opinion the last government was wrong to set a target for x% of people to go to university (60%?) By doing that, the value of a degree is lessened. Personally I think that apprenticeships etc should be encouraged far more, encouraging our skills and trades base in the UK. That would suit the slightly less "academic" (note - academic as opposed to intelligent!) people, and then university would be mostly for people who want to do a career that actually requires a degree, e.g. medicine, engineering (not in all cases I know), law etc. Sorry if I offend anyone here, but I really don't understand the point of some degrees. I know of people who have got themselves in £15,000 of debt to do a social sciences/textiles/journalism/drama degree, only to find themselves unemployed or virtually on minimum wage at the end of it. (and this isn't just in the last couple of years where it's difficult for ANYONE to get a job BTW)

I totally agree. I decided that although uni would be fun it wasn't necessary to have a degree to work in my chosen field. I decided though that the 3 years I would have had studying I would treat as a 3 year vocational placement. Having finished one about a month ago and going for an interview for another on Monday (at Hatfield Forest - how cool!) I am so glad I chose this route. I'm moving around the country, making lots of contacts and essentially getting what is one to one with people already working in the field. I tend to find the academic stuff comes naturally in specific areas that interest you and you do it off your own back without people prodding you to learn about things that you are not interested in (i.e. I'm not really fussed about learning about dormice life cycles however I'm quite nerdily interested in bush crickets).
I have a friend who have double 1sts in maths who could not find anything but bar work for the first year and has now "given in" and gone to do a PGCE although she doesn't particularily want to be a teacher but "it's the best of a bad situation".
I also know of someone going to do a degree in Events Management - surely that could be done better by an apprenticeship. (All you have to do is become involved with your SU and organize all the social events surely? Lol ) And how DO you drag that out over 3 years?

anguk

greengoblin wrote: »

I also know of someone going to do a degree in Events Management - surely that could be done better by an apprenticeship. (All you have to do is become involved with your SU and organize all the social events surely? Lol ) And how DO you drag that out over 3 years?

I agree with that. My son is in Events, he chose not to go to university. While others were at university getting their Events Management degrees he went off and worked as an overseas holiday rep for 2 years then came back home and got a job working as a junior events co-ordinator for the local council. By the time the students were leaving University with their degree with no or very little works experience he'd moved to London and was working in a senior position.

He started at the bottom and is working his way up, his last employer even paid for him to do an evening class so he has an Events qualification. And he's now in a better position than most who did a degree with the added benefit of no student debts.

There's no doubt you need a degree for some jobs but it's also possible to do it the "old fashioned way", start at the bottom, get experience and work your way up.

mardatha

If there's anybody here who knows or lives in Manchester - help me with a nosey OT question please On google maps street view, theres a huge red brick building in Southall St, opposite Carnarvon St. What is this ?

Ambersuccubus

My hubby reckons it's the "posh" entrance to Strangeways prison!

mardatha

Oh LOL !! wow. is it a real prison ? still used ? Its got a huge tall tower thingy behind it... I was looking for a certain street and on Street View I could see this tall tower thing and just kept moving the map towards it because it looked unusual.

Ambersuccubus

Strangeways is certainly the huge sprawling brick building I think you mean - don't know what the tower is, though! The prison is still used...

Toomuchdebt

You know what worries me more than the Child Benefit being cut is the tax credits...with 6 children(4 from a previous marriage, and my last was a total shock),my OH would have to earn more than twice what he already does if tax credits were scrapped-and we are barely managing as it is.And I don't smoke or drink,he has just stopped smoking, my car is 15 years old and will for sure fail the MOT next month, his is 11 years old.I don't get how some families on benefits manage to have all these holidays and flat screen tvs and things.