I'm so angry . . . .

[paulhumphries]

I'm sure they can. Must pop in and see if there are any jobs for me too Good luck

Are you Polish otherwise you might be wasting your time - especially in this area (Stoke-on-Trent)
Also no matter what your skill level or qualifications expect no more than minimum wage- probably for shifts and having to travel 20 miles each way for the pleasure of working.

Paul Humphries

Thanks for the cheerful thought...

Sorry to be so cynical but I've a 23 year old son who is in a dead end job with no chance of it ever getting better.
Even as assist. manager he's only paid min. wage - same as the rest of the staff
In our area I've seen all the traditional jobs dissapear and the latest crunch was Indesit closing their factory down, making nearly 650 redundant - and moving production to Poland

Paul Humphries

[aupickup]

its the way of the world and economics but your son can start his own buiseness

[bigginger]

Sorry to be so cynical but I've a 23 year old son who is in a dead end job with no chance of it ever getting better.
Even as assist. manager he's only paid min. wage - same as the rest of the staff
In our area I've seen all the traditional jobs dissapear and the latest crunch was Indesit closing their factory down, making nearly 650 redundant - and moving production to Poland

Paul Humphries

And I'm a 43 year old who has lost his job, house and partner, has multiple sclerosis and job qualifiications that are no longer of any use. I'm quite cynical enough on my own, thanks.
Sorry Paul, but mild offence was taken

[paulhumphries]

its the way of the world and economics but your son can start his own buiseness

That's what he's planning on doing..
He's already enquired about courses at college for plumbing and getting CORGI registered.
Obviously he'd have to work for someone else first to get experience but his plan is to one day be self employed.
Fingers crossed he makes a fortune and looks after his old mum & dad
Just glad my wife & myself took early retirement when offered rather than be still working and worrying about possible redundancy - which ex collegues now seem to be under constant threat.


Paul Humphries

[bigginger]

Snsp - plumbing was/is one of my tentative plans too, but it's affording the training that's the snag

[paulhumphries]

And I'm a 43 year old who has lost his job, house and partner, has multiple sclerosis and job qualifiications that are no longer of any use. I'm quite cynical enough on my own, thanks.
Sorry Paul, but mild offence was taken

Please accept my appologies.
I never intended to cause any offence.
I too am on the scrap heap despite 20+ years as a Civil Servant.
Accepted I'm not able to work but that doesn't stop me looking and realising that there just isn't any decent jobs in our area anymore.


Paul Humphries

[bigginger]

15 years in the same job for me, but nobody wants a broadcast sound engineer any more

[paulhumphries]

Snsp - plumbing was/is one of my tentative plans too, but it's affording the training that's the snag

The training for plumbing is around £900 pa and I think that is over 3 years.
CORGI is a seperate course and much dearer
My son has one day off in week so intended attending college on that day plus nights.
My wife has recently qualified as a NVQ III Teaching Assistant (but no vacancies in this area and not paid enough to be worth travelling round trip of up to 40 miles per day for a part time post).
The college allowed us to pay her course fees monthly via direct debit and this is what would happen with my sons fees too.

Paul Humphries

[aupickup]

the gov may help with courses, i have heard they do, the other way is to work for someone and then do college in their time

[bigginger]

Looking into Gov help just now

[aupickup]

life is never easy, but wish it was just onece in a while

[Kevin]

the other way is to work for someone and then do college in their time

When I was a school leaver that was called an apprenticeship and unfortunately I dont think the modern ones are the same thing at all.
As for starting your own business thats not as easy as it sounds and I personally have never been brave enough to go it alone and I have quite a few friends who are the same.

[aupickup]

apprenticeships are not the same any more of course, but it still helps to try and work for someone as opposed to just doing the course, and of course learn more as well

as far as going it alone, i did at 21 had a wife to feed etc, and could not afford much on the money i was earning working for some one, ok yes it was a lot easier then, of course not so easy now, need more insurances, risk assessments etc etc, and the government dont help

best of luck if u decide to work on your own, but it is not all it is cracked up to be now
but of course the freedom is nice, etc etc

[paulhumphries]

I wonder if this goes towards explaing why there is a shortage of jobs -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7069779.stm

Paul Humphries

[aupickup]

i know of quite a fwe migrant workers in my line
the thing is they are more conscientous than us in their work, they take a lot of pride in their work and are normally more polite

[jonathon]

Suppose it depends on whether the jobs were offered to Nationals or if the migrant workers were contracted abroad.
A lot of companies around by us use Polish workers mainly for the reason Dennis has mentioned, the jobs were offered to Nationals but the attitude and competance were lacking. I understand that now there is a labour shortage in Poland, so quite a few are returning home and being paid a similar amount to being over here.
An aspect of British daft law means that when we wanted to employ a brilliant Australian body man we were unable to, we have by law to advertise nationally and throughout the EU before we could even approach the embassy to concider letting us employ this worker. We were then told that as he was over 26 and was not a surgeon or other prefered specialist we could not employ him anyway.So a Commonwealth member has less chance at a job over here than a recently signed up East European.
Even from our adverts recently for a new bodyshop worker we have yet to receive a single applicant.

[bigginger]

If you only knew how much I wish that I was qualfied to apply...

[paulhumphries]

There are quite a few UK employment agencies who recuit from Poland direct.
A simple search for employment polishwill give you an idea how UK employers are offered the workers - low rates of pay for skilled workers etc.
I sold some 4x4 wheels & tyres to a chap who had a business repairing and maintaing heavy machinery used in the printing industry.
I believe what he told me but obviously it could also be just a story.
He wanted a trainee and part of the job would require a basic HGV & HiAb licence - which he going to pay for successful candidate.
He placed an advert with Dept of Employment who just sent him "non British" applicants that he says just seemed interested in the HGV licence and poor spoken English.
In the end, by word of mouth, he found the ideal person - a local chap in early 20's with young familly who had been made redundant .
He contacted the D of E to tell them he had filled the post himself and they asked why he didn't choose any of the people they refered.
His reply was he wanted someone local who knew the area, spoke English as first language as it was a dangerous job (heavy machinery) so no scope for any misunderstanding of what was being said plus it was someone who would learn the trade rather then just wanting the training and then move onto to another employer soon after.
He was told by the D of E that he couldn't choose a person on those grounds and he was guilty of ethnic discrimination.
Needless to say he told then it was up to him to decide who was best for the position.
Like I say it MIGHT be just a story but after speaking to a friend who is a Benefit Office manager he says that sound about right for the way they are now supposed to work.

I have nothing against anybody no matter where they come from, what colour their skin or religion etc.
It's just I have seem my own area become a dead zone for jobs and the only ones available as minium wage unskilled.
If this is the same thoughout the UK then I worry about the future from my own children.
We have adverts on TV which say learn new skills like computers - and then have the the Govenment sending the type of work these people would then do to the US to be processed (re. recent DVLA lost data) as it's cheaper

I don't know what the answer is but feel that we should be helping "our own" rather than people from other EU countries.

Paul Humphries

[bigginger]

Could we avoid moving into politics again, d'you think? Even 'off topic' isn't really the place for it, I'd say.

[Furrtiv]

What really, really annoys me is that, despite lack of experience/training, I am still willing to give my all for a job and take a relatively low wage - a bit above minimum wage would do, like six pounds an hour, for instance - but no-one wants an unskilled person. At least not around here, and I can't really afford to relocate. Companies around my way don't seem to want to invest in people any more, they want someone who's paid for the training themselves.

But still, two interviews on 3rd, so hopefully something will come of one of them.