Work Experience while on Jobseekers Allowance (WORK PROGRAMME)

saintjammyswine

donnajunkie wrote: »

these tests ask people to spell words like could. the maths is very basic as well with questions like whats 2 plus 5 plus 10.

Oh, if only!! Have you taken a Combined Level 1 Application of Number & Communication Paper recently? Clearly not.

Sample question from that paper;
Application of number:

The organisers employ 250 security guards.
The security guards are each paid £7 per hour
They each work 5 hours.
The total amount paid for the security guards is
a £875
b £1750
c £7500
d £8750
The communication is harder to quote here as it gives a scenario, such as a book review, a letter or an advert and asks questions about it.

saintjammyswine

donnajunkie wrote: »

theres nothing wrong with testing people but these tests on back to work courses are extremely basic. i have given examples of what they are like on another post. they also make people do them again who have been on the course before and past the test.

Or even passed them, eh?

donnajunkie

imatt wrote: »

"I'm sorry the caller had a bad experience but I go up and down the country visiting these places and this is not what I experience".

obviously they all know when they are going to get an important visitor and make sure everything appears as it should.

Caroline_a

Many many years ago I ran a project which involved a literacy/numeracy test. The project ran for 12 weeks and the testing was done in the first week. For a variety of reasons which I don't want to go into here, one candidate came back after having completed a course. He took the tests again. He scored lower than the first time. The questions were the same.

How could anyone remember a sum such as what does 38 divided by 24 equal from one 3 month period to another? The answer is that they couldnt, but if they could remember how to do it the first time, they would probably remember how to do it the second time. Not the same as knowing what the answer is though!

donnajunkie

saintjammyswine wrote: »

Oh, if only!! Have you taken a Combined Level 1 Application of Number & Communication Paper recently? Clearly not.

Sample question from that paper;
Application of number:

The organisers employ 250 security guards.
The security guards are each paid £7 per hour
They each work 5 hours.
The total amount paid for the security guards is
a £875
b £1750
c £7500
d £8750
The communication is harder to quote here as it gives a scenario, such as a book review, a letter or an advert and asks questions about it.

when i have had to do it the requirement was for people to meet the very basic levels of literacy and maths. it was shocking how many people used to fail. i guess that is why they dont set it a little harder like your example question.
the answer is d by the way incase you were wondering if i knew the answer.

donnajunkie

saintjammyswine wrote: »

Or even passed them, eh?

yes lol. i look good now dont i?

Caroline_a

A youngster I know had to do a maths assessment for his apprentice scheme. He posted on his facebook a picture of one of the questions:

Formula K = ab + c/2

where a = 3, b = 4 and c = 6

He had absolutely no idea of how to start it. Said he wished he'd listened more at school, and couldn't even take a guess of how to start.

I thought this was quite shocking - am I being harsh? I did do A level maths, and maths as part of my degree, so perhaps I'm not being fair - what do others think?

WPN

Caroline_a wrote: »

A youngster I know had to do a maths assessment for his apprentice scheme. He posted on his facebook a picture of one of the questions:

Formula K = ab + c/2

where a = 3, b = 4 and c = 6

He had absolutely no idea of how to start it. Said he wished he'd listened more at school, and couldn't even take a guess of how to start.

I thought this was quite shocking - am I being harsh? I did do A level maths, and maths as part of my degree, so perhaps I'm not being fair - what do others think?

Taking a risk...

K = ab + c/2

letters together mean multiply (i hope) so its 3 * 4 = 12

forward slash means divide... 6 divided by 2 = 3

add them up, makes 15

embob74

Caroline_a wrote: »

A youngster I know had to do a maths assessment for his apprentice scheme.

Formula K = ab + c/2
where a = 3, b = 4 and c = 6

He had absolutely no idea of how to start it. Said he wished he'd listened more at school, and couldn't even take a guess of how to start.
I thought this was quite shocking - am I being harsh? I did do A level maths, and maths as part of my degree, so perhaps I'm not being fair - what do others think?

I think a lot of school leavers who would struggle with that question and quite a few adults too! Algebra is quite difficult for a lot of people to grasp I think.
I failed my GCSE Maths but would like to think my numeracy skills are quite good. (I get the answer to be K=15 - is that right?)

embob74

Oh no WPN beat me to it and as I made a cup of tea before I finished posting it looks like I copied.
Hope I don't get tarnished as a cheat!