Poll - JobCentre Plus 'Courses': Useful or Waste of Time?

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  • saterkey
    saterkey Posts: 288 Forumite
    I suppose its like a job really, theres some things, training, staff dev, group things that you dont want to do but have to because its part of your job and your getting paid for it.

    Job Seekers Allowance is a payment, if you want it you have to follow the criteria set down. The courses get you out of the house, meeting and talking to people, access to facilities (for some who may have none), opportunities to go in a different direction perhaps, and maybe see that a life on benefits is not for you and makes you buckle down to finding a job more quickly.

    So although some courses may need tweaking for different people with different standards of education perhaps, on the whole I would consider them a good thing.
  • morganedge
    morganedge Posts: 1,320 Forumite
    Widelats wrote: »
    instead of the pointless, overcrowded and very depressing courses, being treated like a 5 yr old asked where im going when all im doing is going to the toilet, why dont someone help me to learn to drive, the amount of jobs i have skipped for not having a driving licence is massive, more than 90% of my total interest in the job has died when i saw "must have driving licence" i could apply for at least 5 jobs a day if i had a driving licence, instead of searching and searching for a job that doesnt need a licence.

    As a non driver I couldn't agree more!!
    SO SO many jobs now ask that you drive, even if it is nothing to do with the job description whatsoever.

    I actually mentioned this to my adviser, and she said that they did used to help with learning to drive a few years ago?! (I didn't know this before she told me)
    However, obviously some people might need 20 or more tests and so it would be hard for the government to keep shelling out money I suppose, but yes, it would help tenfold more than these laughable 'courses' that they fund instead!
  • red_devil
    red_devil Posts: 10,793 Forumite
    I hate the way people are all lumped together on the courses when they havent much in common and have different backgrounds, different social standing.

    I went on one course and there was a fella on there who was going down to the toilets and taking drugs or drink then returning to the room in a state. He was asked to leave the building and people watched him from the window staggering to the station. He shouldnt have been there he didnt need a job he needed some treatement why was he there? How unpleasant for women in the room who had to witness it and found it quite alarming.

    I actually complained about it but it got denied that it happened even though plenty of people saw it.
    :footie:
  • saterkey wrote: »
    I suppose its like a job really, theres some things, training, staff dev, group things that you dont want to do but have to because its part of your job and your getting paid for it.

    Job Seekers Allowance is a payment, if you want it you have to follow the criteria set down. The courses get you out of the house, meeting and talking to people, access to facilities (for some who may have none), opportunities to go in a different direction perhaps, and maybe see that a life on benefits is not for you and makes you buckle down to finding a job more quickly.

    So although some courses may need tweaking for different people with different standards of education perhaps, on the whole I would consider them a good thing.

    Exactly!

    It is so easy for people to say they are 'pointless' and a 'waste of time'.
    Some people are not fortunate enough to have access to the internet, PC or have been unemployed for so long that doing a CV and using job search sites is totally alien to them

    I had a successful job and believe I am pretty PC competent and intelligent enough. I have been to a few of the courses/sessions in the last few weeks and find them helpful. It makes you realise there are other people in a similar situation and also people who are less fortunate then yourself and need some guidance.

    It's the arrogance and patronising people who believe 'I shouldn't be here' or 'this is pointless' who will fall and are a less attractive as a future employee.

    If it was the case you didn't 'need to be there' then why are you?

    If it is all pointless then why haven't you found a job?

    Also people need to get off their high horse about 'I've paid my taxes for years and years for this rubbish'

    No, you paid your taxes towards health,education,welfare,security to help you and those less fortunate when it arises whether you agree with it or not.

    So easy to be judgemental and bitter but in the long run it doesn't get you anywhere.
  • imatt
    imatt Posts: 356
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    Anyone who is misguided enough to think these "courses" are good value should take half an hour out of thier busy schedules and listen to this:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVbq-d6MmMA&feature=feedu

    and

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfMfwHssap0&feature=feedu

    and then they may learn something by visiting:

    http://watchinga4e.blogspot.com/
  • morganedge
    morganedge Posts: 1,320 Forumite
    It's just the word 'course' which makes me snigger in relation to the jobcentre.
    Maybe it was different in the older days, but my parents couldn't really believe it when I told them what courses i had been offered (CV writing, confidence building etc etc)
    I imagine that in my parents days, there were lots of REAL courses like skills/trades such as plastering etc that were offered.
    'On the flexible new deal' that lasts for a year, you will likely go on a 'CV course' every month or so, lol.
    ''not got a job yet? make an appointment to see Paul (for the 5th time) to see if he can help with your CV'' haha. It honestly makes me laugh.
  • Jowo_2
    Jowo_2 Posts: 8,308 Forumite
    I expect that some of the courses are pitched at a low level and are wholly inappropriate for some of the attendees, not least those with skills, qualifications and experience. My local job centre seems to recruit mainly cleaners, telesales and avon ladies and by the time a person weeds out the fake self-employment opportunities, non-jobs, relief and zero hours contracts and so on, there's not much left!

    However, I did watch some episodes of the Benefit Buster and Fairy Jobmother series and it's a real eye opener about how poor the standard and attitudes are for some of the job seekers who are virtually unemployable in their current state - scruffy, bitter, dozy, lazy. Some of the candidates are so out of touch with what employers are seeking and how little they can offer, it takes lots of time and effort to even bring them up to a standard whereby they can even do a bit of unpaid work experience in a simple role!

    I think there's only so much the state can do to get a person trained, qualified, experienced and skilled in some way to make them attractive to employers and very much more that a person can do if they set their mind to it, which they can do in their own time and at their own pace.
  • morganedge wrote: »
    It's just the word 'course' which makes me snigger in relation to the jobcentre.
    Maybe it was different in the older days, but my parents couldn't really believe it when I told them what courses i had been offered (CV writing, confidence building etc etc)
    I imagine that in my parents days, there were lots of REAL courses like skills/trades such as plastering etc that were offered.
    'On the flexible new deal' that lasts for a year, you will likely go on a 'CV course' every month or so, lol.
    ''not got a job yet? make an appointment to see Paul (for the 5th time) to see if he can help with your CV'' haha. It honestly makes me laugh.

    You may 'snigger' at CVs etc but have you and can you make one? Do you have any understanding what Employers look for in CVs and covering letters?

    Because they are not 'manual labour' based they are still real courses.

    Employers are in a position where they can be extremely picky about prospective employees so having a good CV and covering letter that stands out gives you the edge when it comes to getting an interview.

    If hypothetically you are 'seeing Paul for the 5th time' then there would be something clearly lacking in your applications and job search.

    There are tips and tricks which people can be given to help them improve their chances of even reaching an interview stage.

    I think it's the older generation who deem anything other then a trade as not 'real' work which is ridiculous.
  • dseventy
    dseventy Posts: 1,220 Forumite
    Is this just another "Oh no, I have to do something for my JSA?" thread? I refuse to read the thread until its confirmed.

    D70
    How about no longer being masochistic?
    How about remembering your divinity?
    How about unabashedly bawling your eyes out?
    How about not equating death with stopping?
  • Jowo_2
    Jowo_2 Posts: 8,308 Forumite
    dseventy wrote: »
    Is this just another "Oh no, I have to do something for my JSA?" thread? I refuse to read the thread until its confirmed.

    D70

    It's a poll. At the moment around 78% of those polled have been unhappy with the back to work courses or not found them useful that they've been forced to go on while around 18% have positive responses to them.
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