AIBU and PFB or is there a serious flaw in our job market?

[Fatstacks]

I may be over reacting and pfb about this so prepared to be told so.

DS 18 is at college, 13.5 hrs a week so needs a job as well.

After many many applications he got a job at a bakery, night shifts on £4 per hour which ended when he turned 18 and his nmw increased risk

Next he got an interview and two day training course to sell heating boilers.
No salary, all commission, no expenses, he needed a suit and it was doorstep selling..... exactly where people buy boilers

Then he started work at a nearby factory on the production line. A zero hour contract where he turns up at 6am to be either put to work or sent home. He hasn't had a shift for four weeks, he gets up at five and goes to wait at the gates and is also charged £3.50 per week admin, whether he works or not

Now on Wednesday he has an interview for a pot washing job, it's a care home staff bank and they told him he will need a DBS certification which he has to pay £65 for! To wash pots!

I'm older and luckily have had the same job forever so no clue but surely we are doing something wrong?

It's costing Him money to try and go to work.

I'm thoroughly pissed off.

AIBU?

[TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams]

Is ITC an IT course?

I set up my own 'business' at 18. Printed some flyers and washed windows for the summer before uni. Parents ladder, some buckets etc and I was off. Had to rope in two friends within a week. I remember clearing £1500 in two months along with two friends so £4500 was not a bad slush fund to start uni with.
As three girls a lot lot of people did a double take but we ended up doing all kinds of stuff. Clearing ivy, emptying garages, cutting grass while people were on holidays.
It was a very weird conversation starter at interviews.

[TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams]

Oh and that's shit OP.

[OrangeVase]

It is so very hard for them - and my heart goes out to them. My DD has job on zero hours and min wage. Every day she checks her phone for the text giving her her next shifts. Sometimes she does three hours, sometimes six. She works Saturday and Sunday.

My DS is younger but he will really struggle.

I am also struggling for work. And yes older people take retail jobs - but they have rent to pay and kids to support. Most of the other jobs are taken by EU migrants. All our dustbinmen are EU migrants as are the leaflet deliverers, the gas meter reader, the postmen, the dental receptionist, the majority of the ancillary staff in the local hospital, most of the drivers on my bus route- to name but a few. Of course they are doing the jobs - - and it is not racist to say that.

[OrangeVase]

OP, Your DS sounds like a really steady, reliable lad. He is doing all the right things. Didn't meant to sound negative - I just feel for the kids today.

There are more people needing jobs than work to go round so unfortunately that is the way it is at the moment. It is not a government priority to sort it out either.

[TheHouseOnBellSt]

Fire Service?

[OllyBJolly]

It is so tough for young people now. We've managed to erode and sell off much of our indigenous industry and deskilled so many jobs there are very few careers any more. Add in the nonsense of zero hour and casual contracts and it's damn near impossible for kids to get any kind of income that gives them any independence.

I'm a consultant and work with a number of SMEs. I hate to say it, but there is a real issue with people staying on past 65-70. In one company, it's hard physical labour and they are desperate to bring in some apprentices but can't afford it because they have three employees 70+ who refuse to go, are not doing a day's work because they just can't (i.e. not attitude), and the employer doesn't want to take the undignified route of capability because they have been loyal for years. It's not a cash rich business, but does keep 60 people in work.

The other side of the coin is a couple of engineering companies who have struggled to attract candidates for apprenticeships (despite being great employers and paying very well). Once they do get young people on board they have a huge issue with attendance and punctuality. Now, this is not isolated - it appears widespread. One company estimates that they have to hire four under 21s to have one who will still be there in six months.

And it's not that easy to set up a business these days. Legislation is a lot tighter and it would be folly to set up some sort of customer facing business without a lot of insurance and training. It's particularly crazy to think this would be an easy option for a school leaver with limited insight into the business world.

[EllieFAntspoo]

I set up my own 'business' at 18. Printed some flyers and washed windows for the summer before uni. Parents ladder, some buckets etc and I was off. Had to rope in two friends within a week. I remember clearing £1500 in two months along with two friends so £4500 was not a bad slush fund to start uni with. I guess some poeple have it, and others do not. With business startups, if people spend their time looking for reasons to fail, they tend to find them, and they ignore the opportunities to succeed. I'm sure some here will point out your lack of public liability insurance, failure to provide a method statement and risk assessment before each job, and the absence of both a first aid trained professional and health and safety training and working at height training for the three of you. Clearly some people have no idea how to succeed.

[EllieFAntspoo]

How many people here are (including partners) are doing what they are truly passionate about in life? And how many are just working for a wage? Not judging, Just curious. I've done most of the shitty jobs you can do in the job market.

[NotSparta]

Sorry if I've missed it but is he intending to go to uni after college? If so you might find that if he just sticks with the work (no matter how crap) and then works while at uni and over the summer, it'll pay off when he graduates.

I have a friend who worked all sorts before and during uni, did a placement year, was first out of us to get a placement, and then graduated and employers loved him. The poor bloke can't spell (I saw his cv!) but he still was employed straight after graduation.

Your son sounds like he has good work ethic and I hope it pays off.

[NotSparta]

Argh. That sounds snobby about people who can't spell!! What I mean is that his CV looked a mess, but employers didn't seem to care due to his work history.

[JassyRadlett]

How many people here are (including partners) are doing what they are truly passionate about in life? And how many are just working for a wage?

Oh Ellie, your giant assumption that the two are mutually exclusive is showing a tiny bit there.

[Fatstacks]

The NHS idea and life guard, fire service, red cross are great, hadn't thought of those.

We have loads of call centres locally and he has had two interviews the turn out is massive though.

He doesn't want or expect someone to provide him work Ellie he just wants to do a days work for a days wage.
Myself and DP don't love our jobs, in fact DP has just resigned after 30+ years in the Army, we do appreciate though the transfer of life skills we gain from being at work, being told what to do, chain of command etc. maybe too much

The company he works for now charge him admin each week £3.50 yet they don't even text to say if there is a shift he just has to turn up and chance it.
I get that some are just self starters, the people who will be successful in their own enterprise and who keep at it regardless but not doing that isn't a bad thing.

I don't know how migration has changed the job market. I do know that the factory he is at now has a Polish translator on shift and very few of the staff shift of 120 speak English.

Maybe because they are prepared to put up with waiting at factory gates to be sent home.
When he went to call centre interviews the other candidates were overwhelmingly Muslim females, so much so that we checked we were at the right place when he attended Virgin media!
Likely because VM allow three way split shifts and is a tolerant place to work.
Most of our odd job people who collect scrap and do labouring are from the Traveller community, our window cleaning squad is Roma (there are seventeen, really) our fast food places are staffed by Slovak supermodels, the car wash people Albanian and so on.

There isn't a mix in each type of job it's like the old closed shop system.

He has advertised on gumtree offering pc tune ups and anti virus services.
His ICT (IT) is in cyber security and systems networking so not the kind of thing that translates to casual work.

I'm chuffed that you're all being understanding and these ideas are a real help

[Athenaviolet]

Get him his drivers licence so he can look for jobs further afield.

I wouldn't have got my first proper job without my licence.

It will open up lots of doors to potential delivery work and he could potentially do bus or hv driving with extra training/qualifications.

Does he have any special skills? Eg did he get high enough grades to do tutoring? What about music, can he play an instrument and give lessons? Wgat about sport-anything he could coach?

It is so much harder for young people everyone these days.

Graduates are fighting over call centre jobs so no wonder there's nothing for non graduates.

What about cleaning? There's offices & hospitals not just domestic work.

Does he like kids? After school/holiday clubs often want young men as play workers.

How are his admin/clerical skills? Could he get a pt office job?

If nothing else he needs to get some voluntary work to avoid a gap in his cv. Plus it shows he can work as part of a team, is reliable and gives him a current work reference.

Is there a volunteer centre in your area? If not contact all the charities/social enterprises. Charity shops are usually quick & easy to get into.

[Tryharder]

Haven't read all the thread but had to jump in when someone accused a poster for being racist for pointing out that a lot of low skilled jobs have been take by EU migrants.

It's not racist to point out facts. I am a believer in EU expansionism on the whole but you only have to walk into a restaurant or hotel these days and a significant proportion of the staff will be East European.

Same goes for farms, factories, warehouses and supermarkets.

There are agencies run by EU migrants who supply staff to big companies who recruit solely amongst their own citizens.

As a result UK has a source of cheap, reliable labour which is what the Government at the time wanted/still wants.

But this is at the detriment to our own school leavers and working classes. But hey, there's always a cost, right?

[Dowser]

I could weep when I read what is happening in this lovely country of ours.

I live in an area of high unemployment . Two friends have sons that are good lads. One does bits of labouring when he can. He's 22 the other is yet to get a start. These aren't academic lads but if we had had the factories like before they would have found a niche and worked their way up.

It's so heartbreaking. When are these boys ever going to leave home. I just can't think of them as men. It's so hard for the families having these big boys under their feet all day.

They are good lads and need a chance.

I remember my dad cleaning windows when he wanted to save up for a bike. Got his money and gave up. I also remember when we had a little cottage our window cleaner fell and died. So not the safest of jobs.

We need proper jobs.

[SomewhereIBelong]

Think bigger.....

doing cyber security at college - apply to GCHQ, other government services - they have recruitment right now - and will supply full on the job training whilst paying c. £18,000pa to do so.

[ghostyslovesheep]

For a part time student job macdonalds are really good and you can move around the country with them -so take the job to uni etc

Also I used to work all summer with Ladbrokes doing summer evening racing

Try local stores for pt work as well

[sashh]

That's a ridiculous amount for a DBS. I have to fund my own because I'm a supply teacher, the cheapest option I found was with SMILE - www.smile-education.co.uk/ - they don't charge to take you on and they don't lump a huge amount on to the cost of the DBS which should be £44.

The update service is then £12 per year so the £44 is more of a one off cost.

He shouldn't need one foir just washing up but it is good to have on your CV.

And he should also fill in a tax return, he should be able to claim back that admin fee (if it is legal) and the cost of the DBS.


Here's a list of places that will process a DBS for him dbs-ub-directory.homeoffice.gov.uk/

He should phone around and find the cheapest, although some require you to meet in person, so maybe find one local as well.

[EustaciaBenson]

Try wetherspoons, they generally dont do zero hour contracts, or they didnt not long ago, they do employ young men, they pay okay and they promote good workers well. Also MI5 were recruiting not long ago and I know they take on IT staff, someone I know who had done IT at college works for them and they pay really well.

[plecofjustice]

What's he actually doing at college (what is the qualification?)

If he's doing an industry standard course, or would like to and you are able to support him (Cisco networking, the early SANS courses for security, etc) he will be much more marketable. Can he drive? Could he sign up with one of the specialist IT agencies who supply staff for big events - Wimbledon, Wembley, etc? He would need to be able to get there, but, especially if he has industry recognised qualifications, he could well find contracts. The hours are long and the work is pretty tough, but the pay is good!

[lagirafe]

Awful. Fair play to him for carrying on.

I worry about the future for young people....

As a society we really seem to be focused on the wrong issues. We need change.

[WorktoLive]

OP upthread you seem to suggest that pubs and fast food places are discriminating against young men - thats shocking. He absolutely should have the same chance as anyone going for these jobs.

Have you tried all your local restaurants, supermarkets, fast food places, coffee shops, Greggs, retail parks, other shops etc. Local shopping centres often have coll

[WorktoLive]

Sorry - fat fingers, was just going to finish off by saying that shopping centres often have collective vacancy listings for the shops and restaurants in their centre. Would also employ cleaners, security and customer service people too.

[sparechange]

I don't know what area you are in, but it might be worth going to lettings agents and estate agents, who are often looking for Saturday staff to just be an extra pair of hands, with potential to increase hours into the week etc?