JSA: what a joke

[wannabeamillionaire]

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

it was a mistake blubbery. why so catty?

That's sad columbia, so many unemployed seeking work are happy to do voluntary, but they cant

1. Your job centre is shit and not following govnt guidelines which is to have courses specifically for 'executive' (not doughnut) grades to reduce the executive turaround from 13 weeks. Tell them this / send an email to your MP
2. Ask about carer benefits if you are jobless to look after someone else.

This was where I was a couple of years ago. I was unable to work because of ill health, and ended up losing my job because of it. When I became well enough to return to work, I was moved from ESA to JSA. Oh my god. If that's the level of support offered to those without experience and gumption, it's no wonder there are people out of work for years.

I have an UG and MSc degree in Biological Sciences and Medical Microbiology. They made me go on a basic literacy and numeracy course - which I ended up delivering one of the sessions in, because the trainer didn't understand the maths involved. I also had to attend 'Being successful at interview seminars', which included advice such as 'have a shower before you go to an interview'.

Now, there were a few people at these 'courses' who needed this guidance, but there was no common sense used in selecting those to attend. I asked and asked for more specialised training/courses, but was told these weren't available. I found that the local FE College offered the Prince2 qualification, which would have been really useful to me, at a cost to the JobCentre of £650 (after relevant discount and use of ILA) and they wouldn't cover it. I'm sure the 'courses' they made me attend cost at least that. In the end I found my own job with no help at all from them. I was experienced enough to do this myself, but I really feel for those who are given deeply unhelpful 'assistance' like this.

Rant over. And breathe.....

People still send faxes?

Are you registered properly as a carer? Do you get carers allowance? Sorry to be nosey. I am a carer for two people and am not working elsewhere. I have never been asked to do any type of training and would say no to it anyway. Why are they asking you to train for a job when you have one - caring? My advisor i used to speak to always said i can't look for a job because i already have one - caring. It has to be at least 35 hours per week, which mine is. For fifty odd pounds! Although it is made up with IS because i am a lone parent. If i got a job i can only earn so much before carers allowance is took off and i would still have to look for someone to take my place as a carer (for family members). I would check it out again to make sure. Some advisors are awful. One i saw just wouldn't accept that i was a carer and that i can go to work and find someone else to do the caring!!?? Like you op i am saving the government loads. Was told by age concern at the beginning that for an outside carer to come in and make three meals for 2 people it costs them about 600 a week.

"They can't have one rule for you and one for someone who has never worked and has no confidence at all. The government work on a 'one size fits all' policy, they have done for years. It's a case of grin and bear it I'm afraid"

Yes they can. Recent changes were brought in and it's now supposed to be about fit for need.

YANBU

Where are you located OP? It seems like there's lots of jobs along those lines on the website womenlikeus.org. Try there?

I think it is daft to send you on this course but I really don't think the government should pay for you to do ACCA. It would cost them about the same amount as JSA for a year. Yes there should be better courses for unemployed professionals but paying for professional qualifications is a step too far in my opinion. Would the course even guarantee you a job as the problem seems to be lack of jobs and your break not your lack of qualifications.

If you want to get an accounts assistant job why not dumb down your CV a bit. Or in your covering letter state that you want to take a step down. Are there any credit control jobs you could go for as a step back in?

YANBU, definitely. I'd been signing on for 6 weeks when I was sent on a 2 week basic computer literacy course with the explicit threat that my money would be stopped if I didn't go. I was 26 weeks' pregnant at the time and had been working as a company administrator for 10 years, using numerous computer packages, databases, advanced spreadsheet applications etc, until the company folded.
Add to that the fact that you're only meant to see a personal adviser at your 12 week review and every 12 weeks after that, but I was given an appointment with mine every time. That's a total of 6 meetings before I was signed off JSA and onto IS, with every one at a different time to what should have been my normal signing appointment.
I got hormonal and stroppy at one point and complained to the job centre but was asked if I was sure that this was happening, because they never send people on courses unless they'd been signing on for 26 weeks and people only met their personal adviser at their 13 week appointment. Er, they could just check my signing on record to see that I was telling the truth but they never bothered to make the effort .

Actually I can't quite see why it wouldn't be an idea for the government to pay for people to do more sensible courses if that's what they needed to get themselves back into work. If someone has been working for twenty years and needs a smallish qualification to get their CV looking better and a bit more up to date so they can get their foot in the door again, cos all their qualifications are actually experience, then why not bung them 500 squid and skip all the tedious 'remember to get up on time' bullshit?

I can't believe it's beyond the whit of man to manage this sort of thing somehow.

Clearly there'd have to be some limit on how expensive the courses were (or perhaps the government could give you a bit of dosh to help pay for it and said ex-employee could pay for the rest?) but it sounds rather more constructive support for someone who's had a few jobs, is reasonably well qualified (at least in terms of actually having done some 'proper work') and just needs a bit of help to get back on track after a bit of bad luck or whatever.

Is there any way you can start your ACCA at all? You will probably be entitled to help if you do it at a local college, when I did my qualifications years ago there were some students on bursaries. It is so hard to get high level jobs without being qualified so its well worth it. Its not that people won't take you unqualified its just that there are a lot of people out there with both qualifications and experience!

You may also be excempt from some parts if you have a degree or other relevant qualifications etc.

Well I said the same as you when I was sent on one last year and it actually turned out to be invaluable. I discovered my CV needed serious work for a start and I didn't do as well as I'd expected in my fake interview.

It also put me in touch with people who could really help and I was able to access an awful lot of free support, guidance and mentoring

It's a shame the government doesn't put some money into actually helping people to find work, rather than continuing to throw millions at shysters like ATOS and A4E.

My friend got sent on a similar course (very basic level on how to write a CV). He was reluctant to go but went along. He was asked to leave the room after pointing out mistakes on three of the 'after' example CVs (things like 'grammer school' etc.)

or move to where there is a suitable job for you and your experience. As you say, you moved to care for your father but he is now in an institution. so you could move again? There are plenty of finance jobs in my area.

I have just finished my 6 months contribution based JSA and signed off as I am entitled to nothing else now cos DH works. I think I was lucky with my advisor who I saw every two weeks for up to an hour. He did very little but told me everything he was meant to assess me for, I said it was very patronising in my case having been made redundant from a well paid well qualified job and he agreed but said it was his job. I was told about job clubs and the day after my 50th birthday was told about courses for 'older people' all a bit tongue in cheek really so he could tick boxes. I kept smiling through gritted teeth refused the cv writing course but kept an open mind about showing willing to apply for minimum wage unskilled work even though I knew they did not want me but some young unemployed person really. still looking for work but as someone said they really are not geared up for the well paid redundant who have worked all their lives and some advisors are only capable of treating everyone like an unemployed person with no hope and no ambition even though loads of people there are simply not the stereotype off Jeremy Kyle were a few though good luck to anyone going through it, keep an open mind and smile sweetly.

YANBU. Total waste of money. They should have different courses for different levels of need. I worked for an IT organisation for 10 years and was sent on a similar course to you! I learned nothing. Just wasted a day that I could have spent looking for a job!

Blubb I was not bragging about being a Accounts Manager I was just saying that the course for me personally is a waste of tax payers money and a waste of my time. Surely it would be better spent looking for a job instead of them training me how to send a email :)

I will certainly check my spelling in future, although a little childish of you to point it out

lou: I did ask about starting the ACCA and she said that the funding was not available and that I would have to find the money myself. Also I am not restricting myself purely to finance. I am looking in every direction including Care Work as obviously being around Alzheimer's really taught me a thing or to I can tell you.

YABU
It costs even more to put systems in to evaluate everyone on JSA as individuals which is why it might seem like the course is a waste of money but actually it's not.

I was registered as a carer for my dad. He is now in hospital permanently so came of carer's allowance in Jan of this year. Then went onto JSA. I did not move to look after him just stupidly left work to look after him. Anyway the whole system stinks and just made me so bloody cross

it is a waste of money to send people on courses they do not need. it is also insulting if you are used to working to be treated like an illiterate idiot. people in job centres should not pretend to help when they are incapable of offering anything substantial to their 'clients'. they should pay up and leave people alone. after all, which sensible person would want to spend time in a job centre begging for £67 a week? people who have worked know the value of work in financial, health and social terms, we don't need this to be pointed out by the government or their agents.

Yes more sensible and worthwhile course should be available bit ACCA can cost the best part of £10k if you have no exemptions. There's tuition, exam fees and subscriptions to pay. Also if you do it full time, which isn't available everywhere, you need money to live on. Perhaps it would make more sense for qualifications like this to be covered by student loans like degrees are. They are certainly more worthwhile than some degrees.

If you are interested in care work then your best way in is probably through an agency. You don't necessarily need experience do the fact that you do have some is a bonus.