Internships

It's precisely in the public sector where unions are more vital than elsewhere lfn. I understand you have a neoliberal, corrosively capitalist agenda but I fear you must know it'll lead us to extinction.

I think Clegg is making a bit of a prat of himself in view of the fact that he got an internship because of his father's contacts and his first job through one of his father's friends. I certainly don't believe he is setting things right.

This morning on radio four it was said that the new social mobility agenda would be all about helping those people who are most disadvantaged and then went on to say it was aimed at helping the squeezed middle! if these dumb arses don't even know the difference between the real poor and those that simply feel entitled then what hope have they of making policies that will help anyone.

Not at all. I think that latin is far more useful than those wishy-washy subjects like ICT and design and technology and art. I mean, it would be very hard to get a job these days without it, wouldn't it.

glasnost I thoroughly endorse what Gov Walker is doing in Wisconsin. Sadly, I recognise that the British public is not with me on that one.

I do think unions have a crucial role to play in society. That role is limited to ensuring health and safety is not compromised for dangerous jobs.

There is no need for any collective bargaining on wages, conditions, or job security. It fosters a culture of mediocrity. It prevents the sacking of bad workers, and the promotion of good workers.

Finally, there is no case for public sector unions whatsoever. The public democratically elects representatives to set terms and conditions for public sector workers on our behalf. If they take bad decisions, then they can be held accountable by kicking them out at the next election. Why should public sector unions be able to thwart democracy?

yes newwave. i think i heard of that school. i reeeeeeeeealy want my children to attend as I heard that he knows a lot about how children learn and he has lots and lots of experience in this area too .

"And if a union can't hold the public to ransom, en masse, then it is, in effect, neutered."

Why don't we just outlaw unions then longtalons as your hero Walker is effectively doing in Wisconsin ILLEGALLY. I had hoped you were an incisive wind up merchant a la Chris Morris but must now realise you're just a rabidly rightwing loon.

Have fun in feudalism. That's where y'all heading. Set up your very own Tea Party why dontcha.

newwave That's the whole point. Pay in free schools isn't set according to national standards. It is set by the head, according to merit.

newwave I'm not sure if the West London free school is going to be the first - just the most famous. I don't particularly like Toby Young but at least he is improving our country by playing such a pivotal part in destroying the teaching unions.

glasnost That's the point. It's not working for free. It's following round someone who is working for a couple weeks, to see what it's like.

Real internships, where candidates who have almost graduated do actual work for several months (like in big engineering companies like Rolls-Royce, multinationals like Unilever, investment banks like Goldman Sachs, etc.) - are usually quite well paid.

Law and politics are exceptions to this rule.

In any case, though, if companies are forced to pay work experience candidates, the real changes will come in small and medium businesses. They just won't bother. Why would they?

And academies? number for number-really how do they stack up and don't their teachers belong to unions?

newwave In Free Schools and Academies, heads will have the power to promote on merit, not on seniority. They will be far more able to sack bad teachers.

By allowing parents to have genuine choice, the interests of pupils will finally come first, instead of teachers. Sure, a teacher in a Free School might be a member of a union - but they won't be able to blackmail the government en masse like they do now. And if a union can't hold the public to ransom, en masse, then it is, in effect, neutered.

I know LFN, that is my point.

There aren't any Free Schools up and running, as I understand, but they will start from this September I think.

There are of course several academies.

Who can afford to work FOR FREE? Duh. No brainer. It amazes me as an abroad living type person just how the once Great(ish) Britian has regressed. It's just what's happened in the States and you're being dragged back into unelightened times. Where's Voltaire when you need him?

did someone say free school in the UK?

which one worked and was good? have you got the link to the school? am genuinely interested!

Sorry - that last paragraph should start "the real bar to aspiration"

i suppose it depends on what profession they mean though.

The idea of auctioning off internships is disgusting. I fully support it being made illegal. It was a dark day for the Tory party when they did it at their Black & White ball. I can't think of a worse way to entrench privilege.

What should definitely not be illegal though is basic work shadowing/work experience. Companies don't have to offer it at all - if it becomes too expensive and over-regulated, they just won't bother. Why would I bother paying a spotty teenager minimum wage to follow me around all day, asking stupid questions? I do it at the moment as a civic duty - but it is a pain. It's already a chore - if it actually starts costing me money as well as time, sorry, but no way.

In my experience, successful meritocratic companies don't recruit based on who you know anyway - though obviously the world of politics is very different.

At an old company I worked for, a personal recommendation from an existing employee guaranteed that a candidate (at any level) would be interviewed - ie, it meant they automatically got through the CV screening, a process in which about 50% of candidates were rejected - but the interviews were just as rigorous as for any other candidate. Indeed, subconsciously , we probably set the bar higher.

The real bar to education is that state schools are - by and large - crap. The free schools, academies, and destruction of the teaching unions will improve them. Education is the one area of government policy which I endorse wholeheartedly.