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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

JSA: what a joke

85 replies

wannabeamillionaire · 24/04/2012 23:06

ok, so long story cut short, will not drip feed.

Two years ago I was on £30k a year, then my dad was diagnosed with alz so it was decided that I was going to look after him. I was quite happy to do this because I had not seen the family properly for a long time (that is another story).

ok, so dad now is totally of the wall and in a MHU now so I am now on job seekers.

Went for a JSA interview today and the consultant has decided to send me on a course. Normally you have to be on JSA for 13 weeks, I have been on it for 6, thats ok no problem I am getting bored at home anyway.

The course is for me to train in
Sending emails
Sending faxes
excel
Word
Talking on the telephone
How to work the internet for job searches
How to act in a interview
blah blah blah

Without sounding like a big head... I up until two years ago was a Accounts Manager who headed teams ranging from 3 to 30. I am computer illiterate and know my way around a spreadsheet... :)

So my AIBU is why the fxxck would the government waste money sending me on a stupid fucking course that I could train the fucking government on.......sorry really pissed of

OP posts:

Columbia999 · 24/04/2012 23:47

Have you put your CV on a site like Totaljobs.com? Or registered with an employment agency that specialises in accountancy jobs? Sorry if I'm stating the obvious!
I agree that those courses are just a cop out to massage the figures, and a complete waste of time. The people who run them are generally really thick, and only interested in filling quotas, and the people who get sent to them are either unemployable or not interested in working. My son went on one course, armed with a perfectly good CV, and came home with one that they deemed more suitable, filled with spelling and basic grammar errors, that looked as if it had been written by a total idiot. It's madness threatening to take JSA away from people who can't even get an interview because they have no experience of anything, and there are only about ten useless jobs in the jobcentre anyway.
I hope you find something soon.

thedogsrolex · 24/04/2012 23:49

I'm underqualified for Accounts Assistant wannabe, I have a little experience but nothing to prove it. Now if they'd send me on THAT course I might have a chance. But no, "basic googling for fuckwits level 1" is what i'll be forced to do.

DoesItComeInBlack · 24/04/2012 23:49

I Signed on once for 6 weeks when I was between jobs(redundant from one and the next didn't start until September. They wanted to send me on those courses, I told them I didn't think I needed it and the woman asked what made me think I was so well qualified that this was the case. I replied, 10 GCSEs 4 A levels, a degree, a masters, and a PGCE. But if she really wanted me to take a level 2 literacy and numeracy course I would be willing to teach it, for a fee. At least she had the good grace to laugh. I also offered to do her job fro the afternoon, but she said I was probably too well qualified.
The whole system is a joke, it wastes money left right and centre on stupid courses people don't need and won't support those who do need the damn courses.

WorraLiberty · 24/04/2012 23:51

There's nothing wrong with working in a shop while waiting for a job of your choice to come along surely?

When my DH was on JSA, he took some disgustingly shitty jobs while waiting for the good job he's in now.

I agree the course does sound like a waste of time though, given your CV.

theDevilHasTheBestMNNames · 24/04/2012 23:51

I think it depends on the staff member at job center you see.

I claimed briefly during first pregnancy for short time between end of contract and picking up temp work of my own bat with no help from them. Some seemed to assume I was thick and lazy others realised the pregnancy was complicating
matters.

DH was lucky when made redundant the advisor took one look at his CV the job's he already got interviews for/had and said he'd not be long finding work and they couldn't really offer much help to him so sign on every week and good luck.

Original poster

wannabeamillionaire · 24/04/2012 23:53

lady: you have to be out of work for 13 weeks or more and even then they send you on the basic of courses... What I am saying is that they are really are teaching me how to suck eggs and what a bloody waste of time and money.. There are so many more people out there that need this basic training (please do not take offence anyone)

I have a adviser that is trying to do her job to the best of her ability but and this is a big but has not looked at my CV...... for fucks sake what a waste of time and energy on her part and mine.............

OP posts:

theDevilHasTheBestMNNames · 24/04/2012 23:54

In this case I assume advisor though have a space on course - lets fill it up with this body not bothering/or having leeway to asses its suitability for you.

BuddhaBelly · 24/04/2012 23:54

Ask your advisor if they have a provider who supports professionals and executives in returning to work. You would get more from this.

Oh and just an aside i must be doing my job wrong as I don't have a script to read from

thedogsrolex · 24/04/2012 23:56

Columbia, "the people who get sent to them are either unemployable or not interested in working". "

That kinda goes against the point of this thead?

Though I have to admit to talking to someone on my work program who told me the jobcentre only update every Monday....erm no, there are new jobs on there every day...I know this because I look...every day.

thedogsrolex · 25/04/2012 00:03

Worra, i'd be happy to work in a shop, my first two jobs were in shops. Trouble is in my area, all the retail jobs are in a local shopping centre where they require flexible shifts as they are open until 10pm. No childcare. Cleaning jobs...7am start, no childcare. I know that wasn't directly addressed to me but it's just not possible for a lot of folk

WorraLiberty · 25/04/2012 00:07

I know rolex it's not for everyone but the OP hasn't mentioned she cant do the hours.

On another note, I think your NN is one of the best I've ever seen

PomBearWithAnOFRS · 25/04/2012 00:09

It's not about whether you can do the things on the course already or not, it's so that they can incomvienience people who are working and claiming. They have to turn up for the course or risk losing their benefit, which means they have to sort out time off work. Of course some of them can just tell the boss where they're going and why and go, but the ones whose bosses have no idea they're also signing on have problems. It's to put you in a certain place, for a set number of hours - you're not allowed to complain because technically you're available for work and not doing anything else

carernotasaint · 25/04/2012 00:11

thedogsrolex those are the sort of employers who have signed up to workfare.

Columbia999 · 25/04/2012 00:12

thedogsrolex My son has been out of work since he finished college and has been sent on about four of these courses. He told me that most of the people on the course spent a lot of the time outside smoking, reading the papers (but not the job section), talking about football or how they were going to get rat-arsed/stoned at the weekend. They weren't really supervised or encouraged to look for work. I think it has everything to do with the point of the thread, as the OP obviously won't get any benefit from being forced to "learn" stuff she already knows.

He himself did a placement in a shop which should have lasted three months, so he could learn the trade. The shop owners managed to get this stretched to a year, for no pay but his JSA, ten minutes lunch, which hardly left time to eat a sandwich. His duties included manning the shop all day, sweeping up, being shouted at, and cleaning piss off the doorstep each morning. Oh and taking their dog for walks, and running errands. He was taught very little about the actual job and was basically a slave. Luckily he has now managed to build up some good experience running drawing workshops in libraries and schools, with a bit of funding from a voluntary organisation. He doesn't get paid, only expenses at the moment, but is gaining good experience for future job applications.

carernotasaint · 25/04/2012 00:15

the bosses who have no idea they are signing on???? !!!!!! oh purleese! where do these "bosses" think their "employees" are going when they pop off once a fortnight?
And dont insult my intelligence by telling me all these "cash in handers" are all signing on between 12 and 2pm. JEESUS.

carernotasaint · 25/04/2012 00:25

A friend of mine went to a job interview at a local newsagents 2 years ago and he asked her whether she would be willing to work cash in hand while still signing on. She said no and he offered her the job legitimately. So she signed off and was working there for a month then after a month he found fault with her work and got rid (funnily enough shes been working at a supermarket since last Oct and they are perfectly happy with her)
The same steaming great hypocrite has been all over our local paper in recent months moaning about the fact that a tesco express is opening right next door to his shop and hes got loads of people to sign a petition against it (if only they knew) he argues that it wont make much diffrence to unemployment in this town. Well neither does he!

thedogsrolex · 25/04/2012 00:27

I did work placement, yt scheme in "them days". You were treated like shit, had no rights. I saw a 17 old lovely chap have a bucket of water kicked over him by the manager. I worked in a cafe at 15 and had 15 mins for lunch, no breaks, that was it. But I worked and continued to do so. But, that kind of treatment isn't acceptable now. Because it was wrong. Cheers worra

TheCraicDealer · 25/04/2012 00:27

I started on a steps to work program for unemployed graduates, now training to be a loss adjustor. When I rolled into the dole office all they cared about was that I'd applied for two jobs over the previous fortnight, they didn't go over my CV or choices with a fine-toothed comb. Steps to work programs or training courses were never mentioned by any member of staff, I referred myself. I wonder if OP just hadn't applied for many positions and the advisor was discussing options and "next steps" to keep her motivated. Obviously should've looked at her CV though! I'd tell them "Oh, that sounds interesting, but I did quite a lot of that in my previous role. What other courses are there? I'd be really interested in seeing what's out there".

Advisors in DHSS offices have a pretty rough job. I always try to be super-nice to try and make up for the screaming toddlers, chairs screwed to the floor, scent of stale tobacco and the complete penises who try to queue-jump.

AmberLeaf · 25/04/2012 00:32

Pombear do you seriously think that?!

and

the people who get sent to them are either unemployable or not interested in working

Except your son of course, hes the only decent person to ever be sent on a course like that I bet.

creighton · 25/04/2012 00:36

why should the op have to ask for a special adviser to help her? why doesn't her current 'adviser' just refer her on? why does she have to do the adviser's job for her?
job centres are not geared up to dealing with professionals or people who have worked for a long time. their real job is to monitor people who don't really want to work.
advisers do have a script, they keep reeling off the same rubbish about filling in your forms in your best handwriting and giving full answers or they may have to stop your benefit as you are not taking the system seriously.

earlier this year, the jobcentres in london were advertising for staff, the salaries were up to £28k, which is amazing for the lack of service they offer. they don't know anything about job markets, there is no customer service, just contempt for working people who find themselves inconvenienced. we are seen as the enemy, especially if we are not humble enough for their liking. i missed an appointment once and was sent a form stating that they could not start my benefit on the day of the appointment if i could not justify not foreseeing the traffic jam that made me late. these people get paid to write crap like that.

when you are lucky enough to sign off, you get a letter from belfast telling you that your benefit is taxable, even though it is the result of you already having paid tax. they then remind you of the wonderful service they have given you i.e. surly or cocky officers and general ignorance. you feel such contempt for these people that you can't even bring yourself to write a letter of complaint for their appalling arrogant bullshit.

can you tell i hate job centres, job centre workers and everything to do with them?

blubberyboo · 25/04/2012 00:37

"Without sounding like a big head... I up until two years ago was a Accounts Manager who headed teams ranging from 3 to 30. I am computer illiterate and know my way around a spreadsheet... "

Erm maybe not good to brag about your abilities with big fat spelling mistakes in the middle of the sentence....(assuming that you are in fact computer literate, you are pissed off, and you were AN Accounts Manager)

maybe the government could teach you a thing or 2 after all..............

carernotasaint · 25/04/2012 00:39

Another job of theirs is to monitor people who are too ill to work.

carernotasaint · 25/04/2012 00:42

blubberyboo i know you wernt referring to me. But i would just like to point out one thing. Maybe (like me) the OP is with a crap internet provider with intermittent access and has to type quickly before losing the net again

thedogsrolex · 25/04/2012 00:44

Blubberyboo..don't be a twat. I assume you have never had cause to step in the jobcentre. I genuinely hope you never have to. Karma? It's late, it's a website.. Personally I find people who use numbers instead of writing the full word a bit lazy.

Columbia999 · 25/04/2012 00:48

No need to be so snotty AmberLeaf. I didn't say he was "the only decent person ever to be sent on a course like that" at all. The courses are generally an exercise in containment, and do very little to help people to find work. Incidentally my son was doing voluntary work that they made him give up to go on one of the courses, which was run by the now discredited A4E.

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