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Original poster

Would you do a low skilled job all your life?

57 replies

SurreyMan93 · 15/09/2021 22:01

Hi all,

I’m just wondering would you do a low skilled job all your life with low pay of around £20,000 a year. Also what would be the least amount of money you would take home per year?!

Thanks

OP posts:
GTAlogic · 15/09/2021 22:33

Why?

Yes I would if I earned enough to live on and I enjoyed the job.

EspressoDoubleShot · 15/09/2021 22:34

Because most people I know don’t like doing low skilled jobs because they feel it’s beneath them you know some very shallow and snobby people then I’m afraid

We live in a society were we need a myriad of tasks done to benefit the group and systemically keep things going. Those tasks eg refuse collection, McDonald’s, cleaning are necessary and we all feel it if they’re absent

Mymapuddlington · 15/09/2021 22:35

It does seem like a low salary when you’re looking for jobs etc as it’s an entry level salary!

From that I’ll assume you have a degree and live in London.

Original poster
SurreyMan93 · 15/09/2021 22:43

@GTAlogic

Why?

Yes I would if I earned enough to live on and I enjoyed the job.

It doesn’t seem like to me that it’s enough to live on tbh.. depending on what your lifestyle is like and who you live with etc.. Also considering when the government are putting up the price of food etc and with Income tax going up next year. And also salary’s don’t seem to go up with the cost of living! It just doesn’t seem to me it’s a decent salary anymore!
OP posts:
Wankerchief · 15/09/2021 22:44

What do you want from this thread OP?

Original poster
SurreyMan93 · 15/09/2021 22:46

@Mymapuddlington

It does seem like a low salary when you’re looking for jobs etc as it’s an entry level salary!

From that I’ll assume you have a degree and live in London.

I don’t have a degree, but would be keen to study for one in the future and I live in Surrey which isn’t the cheapest place to live.
OP posts:
blessedbethechocolate · 15/09/2021 22:46

I work in what would probably be described as a low skilled job but I work in a high risk job (a school for violent children) and earn 16k a year full time. I am trying to drag myself up though and would think I was loaded at 20k

Mymapuddlington · 15/09/2021 22:47

It doesn’t seem like to me that it’s enough to live on tbh

How do you think people on disability live? Or single mums who can only work part time?
Or literally anyone on minimum wage?

Original poster
SurreyMan93 · 15/09/2021 22:48

@Wankerchief

What do you want from this thread OP?
I’m just wondering what’s peoples views on doing low skilled job’s for most of their life’s and wondering if they felt it was beneath them.
OP posts:
saleorbouy · 15/09/2021 22:50

I would feeling beneath any job if I need tge money and an opportunity presented itself but I would want one with a bit of progression in terms of pay and promotion.
Doing a hard physical job until you're 67 or older is not a prospect I would look forward to.
I have always strived to earn more than my age in salary and have managed that with promotion.

Original poster
SurreyMan93 · 15/09/2021 22:52

@Mymapuddlington

It doesn’t seem like to me that it’s enough to live on tbh

How do you think people on disability live? Or single mums who can only work part time?
Or literally anyone on minimum wage?

I’m sure they get help from the Government in the help of Universal Credit, but that they live from pay day to pay day. But that in the form they don’t go on holiday’s or on not many holidays and that they use Food Banks etc
OP posts:
Unreasonabubble · 15/09/2021 22:53

You could be part of a couple and both have low skilled jobs but if between you you made enough to live on and be happy for the rest of your lives, then you would not have to worry.

Lots of people I know are so stressed, in well paid jobs, that if they could afford it, they would hand their notice in tomorrow if their outgoings were not so huge (due to lifestyle).

Money does not always buy happiness and contentment.

MorriseysGladioli · 15/09/2021 22:54

I've done a low paid job for most of my life, and I don't feel its beneath me.
I find it much more satisfying than my previous role; sitting in a boring tax office, sending out boring tax returns to people who didn't want to pay them. Yawn.

LordOfTheThings · 15/09/2021 22:55

I don't think any job is 'beneath' me. I'd do whatever was necessary if I needed the money.

Mymapuddlington · 15/09/2021 22:56

Yes but help from the government doesn’t add up to much when minimum wage is only around 18k a year before tax.

Do you not think there is more important things in life than money?

hotmess19 · 15/09/2021 22:57

You'd have to work a lot, A LOT of hours at McD's for 20K/year

xprincessxjanetx · 15/09/2021 22:58

Yes, I think most people would do what they needed to do in order to get by.

Iggly · 15/09/2021 22:59

How do you define low skilled?

For example, retail work is actually quite difficult if you’re not confident dealing with the public for example. Or being a career

  • having to deal with people who are ill/disabled etc. That’s hard.

So I don’t buy the notion of low skilled = low paid.

Nat6999 · 15/09/2021 23:00

When I worked for the Civil Service I would have got more money per hour working for Aldi. The majority of the staff who are still there are on UC or tax credits especially if they have a family. That's when you know that the government are no good when their own staff had to have a pay rise when NMW came in.

VladmirsPoutine · 15/09/2021 23:07

I have done low skilled work as you call it but I don't think it's necessarily low skilled. Some of those jobs like in supermarkets etc require a great deal of skill in dealing with the general public who on balance are quite awful. Or say for example care workers who have to learn all manner of things very quickly sometimes with next to zero support/training about people's conditions and how to lift/manuovre them etc.

I guess if you spend your life worrying about how people perceive you you'll always be unhappy. A job is a job.

Original poster
SurreyMan93 · 15/09/2021 23:08

@Mymapuddlington

Yes but help from the government doesn’t add up to much when minimum wage is only around 18k a year before tax.

Do you not think there is more important things in life than money?

Yes I do think there’s more important things than money like being around family and friends etc. But we need money to pay are bills and have food on the table etc!
OP posts:
Noluthando · 15/09/2021 23:08

I earn less than this and my job is on a low NHS band but quite highly skilled. I like the work, colleagues, Job security, pension. I don't think it's beneath me. But I would like a job with more money and all the same benefits 🙂

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 15/09/2021 23:15

If I needed to to pay the bills, no question. However my DP was made redundant (like many others, I know) last year and applied for loads of low paid jobs just to tide us over with no joy because he was over qualified and used to being in a fairly senior role. He now thankfully has a job in his field, but I can’t even think about how distraught he was at the (genuinely) hundreds of rejections.

Mymapuddlington · 15/09/2021 23:21

But we need money to pay are bills and have food on the table etc!

Yes but if people can do that on minimum wage, why is over 10k more than minimum wage not enough?

NortieTortie · 15/09/2021 23:37

How do you think the world works, mate? Obviously there are people willing to do those jobs, they don't have their head up their arse or the privilege to turn their nose up at it. Jesus Christ.