What is 'skills conditionality' ?

busy_mom_2

suddste wrote: »

Yes I have an initial assessment. One day seems to be the assessment, and the other seems to be the training. I don't know what skills could be improved, I have a degree after-all?

Well done on the degree but as others have commented it doesnt automatically give you a job. What course have you been referred to? You should have been issued an SCO letter that details the name of the course you have been referred to
Skills conditionality covers anything from an employability course to SIA and FLT courses.

suddste

busy_mom wrote: »

Well done on the degree but as others have commented it doesnt automatically give you a job. What course have you been referred to? You should have been issued an SCO letter that details the name of the course you have been referred to
Skills conditionality covers anything from an employability course to SIA and FLT courses.

Thanks. it doesn't mention the course, it just says "your interview and initial assessment with your skills conditionality provider"?

Will there be more of these to come or is it a one-off?

soupdragon10

The initial assessment should look at all aspects of your job hunting needs as well as the kinds of work that you have put on your jobseekers agreement. The provider should then come up with an action plan that you agree with outlining areas of training that might benefit you.


Not knowing your degree area and the kinds of work you are looking for it is difficult to be more specific.

saintjammyswine

sh0597 wrote: »

Basically you have your time wasted and then the government hands over a large wedge of public money to a "training provider".

Not quite, Skills Conditionality is usually for Literacy or Numeracy but can also cover a variety of other key skills. The training is normally provided by local colleges through their central SFA contract, JCP rarely pay for courses now, especially those that are already paid for.

sh0597

saintjammyswine wrote: »

Not quite, Skills Conditionality is usually for Literacy or Numeracy but can also cover a variety of other key skills. The training is normally provided by local colleges through their central SFA contract, JCP rarely pay for courses now, especially those that are already paid for.

My experience of "skills conditionality" was spending two days listening to a boring lecture on CV skills and doing a pointless literacy and numeracy test. I don't think it would be of any use to a graduate.


At one point we were told to basically waste time as they needed us to be there for at least 10 hours to qualify for some money.

Wozzie

pmduk wrote: »

Many graduates have no employable skills whatsoever.

Let's not pretend all graduates are equal.

I got a first and I worked my butt off for it, people in my class with thirds and 2:2's did nothing but drink and watch pokemon on youtube during lectures when they bothered turning up.

Yet they all consider themselves university educated graduates when they may as well have been on the dole for 3 years.

soupdragon10

sh0597 wrote: »

My experience of "skills conditionality" was spending two days listening to a boring lecture on CV skills and doing a pointless literacy and numeracy test. I don't think it would be of any use to a graduate.


At one point we were told to basically waste time as they needed us to be there for at least 10 hours to qualify for some money.

Sounds like you had a very poor provider then. You should go back to your Jobcentre adviser and let them know if the training they are sending you to is not suitable. This is the only way that weak / unhelpful providers are weeded out.

saintjammyswine

Agree with previous comments about the differing abilities of graduates. I was discussing this recently with senior managers of big corporates (engineering & banking) and their comments were that although graduates had the technical ability from their degree discipline, the majority lacked basic skills such as how to talk to colleagues/management/customers or even how to write a letter. Their comments reflected the job market generally which is why skills conditionality is so big at the moment. There is a real gap that needs addressing regardless of academic achievement.

Your experience, unfortunately, reflects the fact that there are always bad providers giving the good ones a bad name and that sometimes, one size does not always fit all.

pmduk

soupdragon10 wrote: »

Sounds like you had a very poor provider then. You should go back to your Jobcentre adviser and let them know if the training they are sending you to is not suitable. This is the only way that weak / unhelpful providers are weeded out.

In my (admittedly limited) experience Jobcentre advisors are fully aware of the poor services offered by many providers. DWP management seem reluctant to deal with it.

BigAunty

I once recruited an allegedly experience graduate and MBA student with project management process expertise for a business improvement programme.

What I actually ended up with was a bad tempered, deadline missing air-head who operated at a lower level than a GCSE level clerical assistant.