Employment/Training with a Criminal Record

Habbakuk

Hi,

This is my first post on here. I've seen some interesting threads and great replies so I thought it's worth a go. Here goes.

I'm in my late 40's and I've been out of work for around a year. Previous to that I was a HGV driver. I was made redundant but in any case, I had enough of the line of work. I do have a degree which would be described as an arts/humanities type of qualification. I know, I should have done something more science/technology orientated. I think that my main problem is that I don't have a clean criminal record. I'm not a hardened criminal but I was rather foolish druing my 20 somethings and got into alcohol related problems. Although that's all behind me, the criminal justice system computer never forgetts. And no, may record is not able to be filtered under new legistlation.

I just don't know what to do. Over the last year I've thought and thought about what should be my next step. But I don't feel I'm anywhere nearer now to an answer than I was when I was made redundant. I would consider going on a training course as long as it would have a good chance of helping me to find work at the end of it. Does anybody who might read this have any ideas? Thanks.



PS There has to be an opening for some career guidance experts to specialize in this kind of work.

Habbakuk

Maybe a social outcast. There are 9 million of us in the UK alone. But many other Euopean countries don't have such a harch criminal justice system.

whitewing

Got a Timpsons near you? They were in the paper the other day as they offer opportunities to ex-prisoners.Of course, it does depend on the convictions.

Chester666666

Dunno if it's helpful
Learndirect does ECDL and other free courses for computers etc

Your criminal record may not be that big of a deal, depends on what it was you were charged with and time lapsed since, that is something you could check as it may or may not put your mind at ease

Habbakuk

Thank you both for your replies. My experience has been that even if you're not a hardened criminal, if you have to disclose, which almost every job in the public sector requires you to, then you will be overlooked for a person with a clean record. Not long ago I went for a position as a taxi driver and even though my record isn't that serious and I haven't been imprisoned, the hassle degradation involved was just not worth it. 20 years have lapsed since I was convicted. But if you ask me, from somebody with a criminal record point of view, it's worse now than it was 10 years ago after the Huntley case who I think didn't have a conviction himself. Believe me, Chester666666, it is a big deal unless you want to spend the rest of your working life doing the most menial of tasks......and even some of those now require criminal record checks. My record will be cleared when I die or when I read a 100 whichever comes first.

Yorkie1

It really does depend on the sort of jobs you're going for, and the sort of previous convictions you've got, as to whether the convictions have to be declared at all.

Have you looked at whether your convictions are 'spent'?

Savvy_Sue

NACRO can give advice on how to disclose (if you have to), and there may be local organisations who support ex offenders into work.

Habbakuk

Thanks for you replies. If you have to disclose, then 99% of the time, you can forget that job. And more and more jobs are requring disclosure. What if you apply to become a an electrician/carpenter/builder/plasterer and that company needs to sent you into a school or care home or whatever to do some work? I was hoping to do something where disclosure isn't an issue. I tried to post an article which showed how difficult it is for somebody with a conviction or convictions to get on with their lives but I can't post since I'm a new site user. It was entitled 'Criminal records ruin lives'.

saintjammyswine

Firstly, this is not an attack on those with a record, I have worked with many (both alongside and supporting their re-training) with great pleasure.

That said, these are some of the consequences of engaging in criminal activity outside the imprisonment/fine/etc that need to be highlighted to young people who see prison as easy and a fine as irrelevant with no income to pay it. If the consequences of their actions can be highlighted in this way it may act as more of a deterrent, NACRO will be able to help/advise and it may be worth acting as an example to young people at risk.

*Scarlett

If you had a conviction 20 years ago that did not result in a prison sentence it may well be spent and would only normally have to be declared if an enhanced check was required - eg you were to be working with vulnerable people, etc.

Have a look here

http://www.justice.gov.uk/offenders/rehabilitation-of-offenders-act

Savvy_Sue

Habbakuk wrote: »

Thanks for you replies. If you have to disclose, then 99% of the time, you can forget that job. And more and more jobs are requring disclosure.

Actually, it's getting harder and harder to justify carrying out DBS checks, so fewer and fewer jobs should be requiring them!