The Work Programme New Thread

Honeypie

What's blatantly obvious to me, is that some people are their own barriers to work. It's not that there are no jobs, it's that you're negative and not willing to give things a go, see the positives in things and make a change or effort for yourself.

AP007

Honeypie wrote: »

What's blatantly obvious to me, is that some people are their own barriers to work. It's not that there are no jobs, it's that you're negative and not willing to give things a go, see the positives in things and make a change or effort for yourself.

Studying to be an NVQ assessor is not a job though. There are lots of jobs and I apply for a lot of them. I have applied for shop work, admin work, all jobs at nmw with 20 + years experience in accounts with no luck and being told didn't meet the criteria for a shop job at Boots & Primark when I used to work for Harrods!

The WP can not make someone interview you.

Honeypie

AP007 wrote: »

Studying to be an NVQ assessor is not a job though. There are lots of jobs and I apply for a lot of them. I have applied for shop work, admin work, all jobs at nmw with 20 + years experience in accounts with no luck and being told didn't meet the criteria for a shop job at Boots & Primark when I used to work for Harrods!

The WP can not make someone interview you.

And doing nothing is not a job. Refusing to take advantage of the opportunities presented to you, and coming up with negative excuses at every point isn't getting you an interview or job either.

I'd be more likely to employ someone that had done something productive with their time in unemployment - training for example - over someone who had sat back complaining that there are no jobs and that no one would employ them.

You may think the qualification is of no use, but it's an expensive course, and an employer will see that you are willing to learn, make an afford and can work on your own initiative.

Your choice. Your system and attitude is obviously working for you..?

AP007

Honeypie wrote: »

And doing nothing is not a job. Refusing to take advantage of the opportunities presented to you, and coming up with negative excuses at every point isn't getting you an interview or job either.

I'd be more likely to employ someone that had done something productive with their time in unemployment - training for example - over someone who had sat back complaining that there are no jobs and that no one would employ them.

You may think the qualification is of no use, but it's an expensive course, and an employer will see that you are willing to learn, make an afford and can work on your own initiative.

Your choice. Your system and attitude is obviously working for you..?

Nothing was presented to me by anyone, it was just mentioned and I would have to find the course and then find the job to go with it after qualifying in something I have no interest in nor would I be able to do. A course is not a job once again cause you still have to apply for a job after it.

How do you know what training I have done? I have done some online courses in Hospitality, Excel and Powerpoint.

I have not said there are no jobs at all.

Aren't you looking for a job too? Working well is it, your way?

Honeypie

AP007 wrote: »

Nothing was presented to me by anyone, it was just mentioned and I would have to find the course and then find the job to go with it after qualifying in something I have no interest in nor would I be able to do. A course is not a job once again cause you still have to apply for a job after it.

How do you know what training I have done? I have done some online courses in Hospitality, Excel and Powerpoint.

I have not said there are no jobs at all.

Aren't you looking for a job too? Working well is it, your way?

I had 3 interviews last week, and secured a role yesterday. I have 3 interviews lined up this week too.

I made job search my job: 9-5 Monday to Friday and more if I fancied it.

I looked into EVERYTHING. I looked at roles that I could transfer my skills to because the sector I was pursuing wasn't proving to be successful for me. I, like I mentioned, looked at retraining to become an assessor because its a job that is often advertised, and what harm could an extra qualification and training do? I've also worked within the training sector (not in assessing though) so have seen that assessors come from all walks of life. Hence me making the suggestion to you.

As it is, my start date for the role I secured may come before the date of the course, so I may not be able to do it.

My point was more about the constant negative responses and refusing to look past the end of your nose rather than doing that particular course. "That's not a role that would suit me or that I'd like to do" is different to "but then I'd have to apply for those kind of jobs" and the various other responses you came up with.

As it is, I provided a link to the course in my of my posts. I found that myself, without help from JCP or WP, with just a quick search on google.

Good luck with your job search.

AP007

You got a job offer yesterday but are still going to train as an assessor...........?

My jobs search is 7am to 2am 7 days a week including bank holidays and I think shop work is nothing like that I have done before in accounts so I am looking at other stuff. I am not qualified in anything to assess others

Honeypie

AP007 wrote: »

You got a job offer yesterday but are still going to train as an assessor...........?

My jobs search is 7am to 2am 7 days a week including bank holidays and I think shop work is nothing like that I have done before in accounts so I am looking at other stuff. I am not qualified in anything to assess others

What are you talking about? I've said, if it's not for you, then it's not for you. I also explained that I've been very lucky in securing a role. If the start date is after the assessing course, then of course I'll still do it! I want to better myself, learn new skills etc. it would also be of benefit to me in the sector I work in.

If you (or anyone) had any accounting qualifications then, perhaps, assessing AAT would be an option. If someone has customer service experience they can assess that. Retail experience - assess retail quals. It's quite simple.

Assessing is about ASSESSING a person in the work place, and helping them build a portfolio of evidence that shows they meet the requirements of that particular qualification. You don't need a degree to do it. You just need decent numeracy and literacy skills, the ability to talk to people, either 2 years experience in or a qualification in the subject you wish to assess.

Like I said before, good luck with your job search.

AP007

For anyone wondering that will become of us after the WP well I spoke to an adviser today who says as yet the DWP have no idea but we will all get a letter a few months before the WP ends for us to attend the job centre for a meeting.

This call was a follow up to the group session I attended last week at the JC. She was not impressed with the feedback she got from the people in the session and said to me on many things 'you are not the only one who has said this today to me'
ie seeing a new person every time you go there, not being able to claim travel every time you attend, the WP having no contacts and not being able to put you forward for jobs, not knowing anything about your work history or the jobs you are looking for and why you lost your last job etc.

She is going to pass the feedback onto the provider but its too little too late as most have been on it for over 15 mths and we are all saying the same thing.

donnajunkie

great fun today. i attended a self employment awareness session that lasted 10 minutes. to be fair the person taking it was nice enough. i then have a 20 minute wait until my appointment with my new adviser whoever it is. after waiting until 10 minutes after the appointment was due to start i asked the receptionist if i've been forgotten about. she checks on the computer to discover the appointment had been canceled because my new adviser whoever it is is on a course. have they made a new appointment for me i asked. no, they will write to you when they have.

SaveMeDo

I had a restart interview last week at the jobcentre, the adviser told me that I would be one of the first "returners" from the work program, and that I would be the first on the "work for your benefit program".

I asker her what it would entail, she said I would be working for a charity, 30 hours a week, she didn't know the duration of the program, but I would be the first on it and it would be mandatory. She said the purpous of the program was that I would have something to put on my CV. I said that I have only just signed back on after five weeks employment, well she said, that doesn't count.

I said that I have already done two month long "placements" and two SIX MONTH placements with A4e, and been declared "job ready" at least six times by the workfare companies.

"Well you will have to do it, you know"

Ho humm....