To feel sad about this?

[hiddenhome]

I like classic 60s movies. Those gritty drama ones set in grim industrial towns 'opp north' etc.

I watched Up The Junction the other day and felt sad watching all the townspeople all setting off for work each morning. There's so much unemployment now and I know the 60s wasn't some sort of golden age, but it would just be so much better if youngsters grew up knowing they'd walk into a job when they leave school. There's so much insecurity about now.

I did feel this myself when I was a teenager in the late 80s which is why I chose to train as a nurse, because I figured there'd always be sick people I used to fear unemployment so much.

We started talking about our experiences at work this morning and all the others had walked straight into jobs and could just leave at the drop of a hat if they didn't like their job - just get another one straight away. People are so stuck and trapped now.

I know the past wasn't great, but I'm just talking about the employment side of things.

A lot of the problems began when YTS schemes and apprenticeships were abolished, and almost every 16year old became expected to go into further education.

Hi hiddenhome :)

I agree and i hope you still feel happy in your job.

I agree. I hope we don't look back on this time as the point where we created a generation of hopeless (meant literally) people with no aspiration left. I don't have a solution.

Yes, we talked about apprenticeships. One of the carers wants her grandson to become a plumber, but he wants to work with computers instead. I think he'd probably earn more and be happier being a plumber because there's a shortage of skilled people, but people are brainwashed into thinking that only certain types of jobs are acceptable. He considers those types of jobs to be 'old fashioned' and not very good.

Its the modern 80's... only those with jobs aren't being forced to do 3 day weeks, and there's no rubbish mountains or miners strikes.

I think in some ways its almost worse than the 80's. Because if you haven't chosen your career at 14 you are going to find things very difficult and you cannot just turn up at a company and show your face/willing, because you have to apply to advertised positions only via central offices. (among other reasons)

Plus there's a lot of shit music out there that doesn't really speak to the yoof.

I was watching Newsnight and the strong advice for youyng people in the UK is gain a manual skill/trade ie - plumbing, as that is where most of the work shall be very soon.

No, your post isn't pointless Secrecy. I worry about the same things. I feel sorry for them now and feel that they're being robbed and sold down the river. Everyone needs a reason to get up every day and it's criminal to deny people a chance of doing that. A job gives you so much, even if it's not that exciting (I have a non exciting job).

ds1 wants to be a teacher, but I'm scared of him going down that route because I read that so many teachers are very stressed and unhappy.

They expect everyone to go to Uni and leave up to their eyes in debt. In the 80s you received a grant, now there's nothing.

By 'eck I never thought I'd see the UK getting like this (must be old) I bloody hate these politicians. Can't they see what they're doing?

Computers in the early 90's was the business to be in.. lots of new technology, and the pay was fantastic.. but times have progressed, and with the internet less people need the help with computers, it is all much easier now to navigate, and it is no longer the high earner that it used to be unless you are at the top..

Plumbers, electricians, and other skilled tradespeople will always be needed, in every walk of life, and it is a job that can last for life too. Again sadly, too many people want to walk into highly paid jobs from day one, and dont see that a trade has to be learned, meaning low wages for a few years. People are greedy.. and lazy too. That is where this country has gone wrong, and why people from other EU countries, with equally good skills have come here, willingly worked for lower money, and "taken our jobs". We have dug our own grave.

And before anyone knocks me for being racist or prejudiced.. my husband is in the building trade, as well as every male member of my family, and every male member of my husbands family, and I have worked in the construction business for over 20 years too.

I'm not old enough to know what things were like in the past, but I do have friends who have graduated and are struggling to find a relevant job. It is very demotivating.

good points squeakytoy

The posts about people working in supermarkets for JSA puts the chills up me. Things aint good. Dunno what the answer is. I wish we had a way of fighting back against those in power. And they're screwing the health service too. Dark times.

splashy I thought the 80s were bad, but they weren't as bad as now. We were warned when we qualified in '93 that there were shortages of jobs for nurses, but we didn't struggle. We all ended up with jobs somehow.

I personally think you're going to be screwed in the future if you don't posses a decent knowledge of pcs and internet use.

Success or failure will affect even a plumber without these skills.

I do agree that people need trades.

Unfortunately even the teaching trade/plumbing trade aren't attractive. Soon it will be unlikely that you can own your own home, get respect, pay your way in these trades. Teaching is fast becoming a vocation rather than a career that will enable you to support a fairly pleasant life, if its not already.

Perhaps teaching plumbing is the way to go? You could teach during the day, then moonlight, mending people's boilers and burst pipes

My husband is a plumber by trade.. and other than googling for the occasional part, and pissing around on facebook, he really is computer illiterate.. there is no computer knowledge needed in plumbing.. water and electrics rarely get on well anyway.. no matter how fancy a bathroom is, it still gets plumbed pretty much the same way it did 50 years ago.

Teaching... once a good career with prospects... but like many other jobs that involve dealing with the public, it is now a job that only the brave or naive want to do.. the pupils rule the classroom now, god forbid a teacher ever raise their voice. I spent a few months doing payroll for the public sector and the number of teachers who quit, or were off with stress related illness was astronomical, and to be quite honest, I am not surprised at all. I wouldnt want to be a teacher for any money these days.

I agree squeaky. I'm going to try and put my son off entering that particular profession. He's always wanted to be a teacher, but I don't think he knows what the reality is

All kids are told to get gcses, get a levels, go to uni..... And a job will mysteriously appear. Nvqs etc need to be pushed as just as acceptable as academic subjects.

My ex was not academically bright, he struggled through a levels and was kicked out by college. So he went off to do a diploma in electronics, got onto an electrical engineering degree and (as far as I know) is doing well.

Your post has made me feel really nostalgic Hidden.

I am just about old enough to remember the halcyon days of full employment in the early/middle 60s, not me personally but for my Dad. If he was getting stressed out with his boss he could just walk, knowing that he could start another job the next week. For a time there it really was a buyers' market, whereas now so many people are over a barrel, assuming they are employed anyway. Sigh!

Btw I am with you on kitchen sink dramas and Up the Junction is a belter but Battersea is hardly 'oop North'

I think teaching is a vocation, and you shouldn't do it unless you have that vocation.

I have been on the job search sites today, and there were more teaching jobs advertised than any other kind. I don't know what to make of that though!

Billy Liar is my favorite. My dad was an extra in that!

I am also feeling very down atm...modern life is getting to me so much. feel sad about what my DC are growing up into.

I long for a simpler life.

My DS (19) has been very lucky. He decided against Uni, took an advanced apprenticeship and as a result got a job in IT. He started on £11k almost a year ago and has done OK & been promoted twice and is now on about £16k. I know it isn't a fortune, but when compared to his friends who will be up to £30k in debt in 3 years, I think it's not too shabby.

My DD is 17 and 1 year into a 2 year course at college. She is thinking of taking an apprenticeship when she finishes, but I worry about what her future holds.

DH & I have both been working for the same employer since leaving school, something which I guess is practically unheard of these days and I feel very lucky.