not to beleve in all these jobs

[Orangejuicemarathoner]

Supposedly there are thousands and thousands of vacancies, but if you actually look, most are agencies. You don't so much apply for a vacancy as get lured in to sign up for an agency. They might or might not then put your name forward for something, and it might not be suitable if they do.

And most of the jobs that are not actually just imaginary fronts to help an agency get your details on file, require ownership of a vehicle.

AIBU to believe that there are actually far far fewer vacancies than the news headline figures are suggesting.

I would guess 10-20% at most

@lannistunut

Stupid bloody government. UK has an ageing population, we either need more children to fill jobs (slow process) or immigrant labour. They cut us off from Europe, now we are stuck with labour shortages.

The vacancies are real.

Jobs are often not in the same places as the people looking for work - e.g. Lincolnshire had lots of EU seasonal workers. Then they voted for Brexit. Now they have lots of unharvested produce.

IF we are at all serious about climate change and the long term future of the world, then reduced population growth is essential. And if every country that has a lowered birth rate decides that they need immigrant labour to fill the gaps, or panics and starts encouraging more children - then globally we continue to drive higher population growth.

Countries like the UK have to do some longer term planning around how to get the work done with the population we have.

I don't know what the right solutions will be, but some ideas:

• more young people need to get involved with seasonal work, possibly some types of further education could adapt course offerings to fit better around when labour is needed
• clearer options to pause education post 16 (or thereafter) and work for a year or two or three and then move back into education without disadvantage
• encourage everyone to expect to do some "giving back" to society in the form of care sector work (child care, elderly care, etc) or similar. This for most people might be for a period of time in young adulthood but not necessarily
• identify areas where relatively low-skilled people are needed and likely to continue to be needed, and subsidise the costs associated with doing these jobs such as transport, childcare and short term accommodation - make it possible for people on benefits to work, make it possible for people who think "I would work only I can't afford to", to contribute

• Some areas that might be suitable for young people to work short-term prior to progressing their education and career aspirations, I could also imagine being very suitable for some people with significant learning difficulties to work long term. Imagine the benefits to society of most young people experiencing working beside others with disabilities (who might indeed be teaching them protocols and procedures).

There will be holes in these ideas, I'd welcome people's thoughts about what else could make a difference.

I don't know about other industries - even my own (SAHM now until DD2 is at nursery so out the loop as it where!) - but my DH can't find KPs/Chefs de partie/Sous Chefs for love nor money am the agencies are all working with a backlog so to book an agency chef is now like a 2 week wait rather than what used to be 2-24 hours. I guess it depends on the industry or role? What was it you are looking for OP? (Sorry not read whole thread). Hope you find something great soon if you're looking.

@ZombeaArthur

I see an awful lot of jobs advertised locally, however they require complete flexibility, minimal hours and pay minimum wage. I can see why many people wouldn’t want to apply to be honest.

Yep this exactly. There's lots of jobs but with poor pay, conditions, zero hours etc... No good if you've got a mortgage to pay or a family to support.

There are thousands of low level jobs with not very good conditions, there isn't a vacancy problem but a wages issue and companies are really not used to this, they don't know how to attract staff after many years of being in the driving seat - they now find themselves in the boot of the car wondering why no one wants to work for them....

Will add that aside from KP which is unskilled obviously but not really a student job as they hate it! Can't blame them... The others are £25-£35k secure salaried positions and he can't fill them longterm. Perhaps a lot of people have decided to reskill and change career path after all this in order to find some stability in a new field? Don't know, I'm tired so probably whittering! I'll shush now

There are lots of care jobs, HGV drivers, transport workers, hospitality. Some areas are crying out for workers but many are low paid jobs.

well, I know plenty of people who want them! and can't find them!

What part of the country is this? I find that really hard to believ. I live in a small place with next to no public transport and within 5 minutes walk from front door 2 local businesses have signs up and on Facebook every day I see posts for jobs in the nearest town. Every thing I hear suggests that this is the same pretty much everywhere

It is hard for teenage to find jobs if they don't drive, are not old enough for retail and only want a few months but my daughter found work in a care home from Age of 17 and there is loads of work in care. She worked all through Covid around her college timetable and was earning£800 a month whilst at 6th form.

care companies pay petrol for travel between clients

There are vacancies but a lot of companies are still in a pre-pandemic & recession mindset thinking that they can demand the moon on a stick.

HGV driver shortage is a complex one and has been building for a long time:

• There was a swell of drivers who came into the industry after large numbers left the armed forces a couple of decades ago. These drivers are now retiring.
• Traditionally employers dont pay for training. They rely on people paying for their own training.
• Brexit removed a large number of drivers
• Covid closed the testing centres meaning that new drivers couldnt get started and current drivers couldnt update their qualifications
• Furlough & IR35 (taxing agency drivers at source) meant that a lot of agency drivers decided to furlough themselves

The driver shortage will improve a bit with testing centres opening and furlough ending but there will still be a shortage until employers start stepping up to the plate and offering training.

Brexit and/or the pandemic is a convenient excuse for employers who don't want to pay a decent wage or offer decent hours, or flexibility, hence relying on non British staff.

I hope this surge in unfilled vacancies makes UK employment conditions better.

@vdbfamily most retailers will take on 16 year olds, they can’t sell alcohol but can do everything else.

Well done to your daughter for working while studying!

A lot of the agency ads for part time work don't even mention which days or how many hours they are for. Then when you email to ask, you get no reply.

The pandemic has also highlighted which sectors are unstable jobs and/or a Covid risk - hospitality, retail, care - for example

So why would anyone want to work there now?

*Brexit and/or the pandemic is a convenient excuse for employers who don't want to pay a decent wage or offer decent hours, or flexibility, hence relying on non British staff.

I hope this surge in unfilled vacancies makes UK employment conditions better.*

Hear hear.

I think there are thousands of jobs out there but not if you don’t have GCSEs or are over a certain age

As a family we have now given up on applying for any job. (Our industries have now opened up thankfully)
During lockdown we all lost our income and applied for multiple jobs but either we didn’t hear anything or it was a no.
Friends non driving Dd went to an interview for a supermarket shelf stacker and was told they actually needed van drivers.
I have a clean licence and drive my own van and had applied for a job there. They didn’t want me.
Dd and Ds and myself applied for many shelf stacker/supermarket jobs. Whilst friends Dd has a string of GCSEs, Dd and Ds don’t. None of us got as far as an interview

Not too sure why not being able to analyse a poem would prevent you from putting a can on a shelf

Even applied for fruit and veg picking only to hear that no one suitable had applied so the farmer had to get people from the EU to come and pick produce.
I actually have experience of fruit picking.

When I hear that industries need to recruit from overseas because there are not the people in this country willing or able to do the job, I don’t believe them.

When you actually look at a lot of jobs and look at the reasons why there supposedly isn’t enough people to fill the posts you see how the cards are stacked against those who are from this country.

Not just low paid & insecure jobs available. There seems to be a shortage of accountants/auditors. Heard this from a few firms. I know one has gone to international recruitment from South Africa.

I’ve been advertising for two vacancies since June and I’ve had 3 applications during that time, none of which were suitably experienced or qualified (which is the law in this sector, not just me being fussy). The pay is way above the market average for the role, job share available, decent job perks, option to work term time only is offered as well as hours to suit childcare needs.

The company that my husband works for are currently recruiting, they are looking to fill 6 positions and they haven’t had a single applicant. Again, the pay is way above market average with really good company perks.

I could go on with more stories like this, there are shops/cafes that are temporarily closed where I live because they have no staff, shortage of supermarket delivery slots because they have no staff and jobs are being re-advertised on the council and NHS website time and time again because the positions aren’t being filled.

This is happening and as far as I can tell has nothing to do with agencies or skewed statistics.

@Orangejuicemarathoner

Supposedly there are thousands and thousands of vacancies, but if you actually look, most are agencies. You don't so much apply for a vacancy as get lured in to sign up for an agency. They might or might not then put your name forward for something, and it might not be suitable if they do.

And most of the jobs that are not actually just imaginary fronts to help an agency get your details on file, require ownership of a vehicle.

AIBU to believe that there are actually far far fewer vacancies than the news headline figures are suggesting.

I would guess 10-20% at most

The headline figures for job vacancies only count those notified on the Job Centre system, most will be, but no agency would be stupid enough to out false ones on there. My husband and brother both work in different industries (marketing and film/TV), both are short of people. All the pubs and restaurants around here need more staff despite wages going up 20%+, we are short nearly 100k lorry and truck drivers nationally, lots of companies around here are advertising, even the supermarkets still need more staff, so I can believe it. Try getting your car serviced, getting s plumber, an electrician, a decorator etc. and is it all weeks or months wait, there is certainly a shortage there as well.

The unfortunate situation is that a lot of the people who are looking for work are unskilled and quite a few of them are unemployable.

Just because you're a bit computer illiterate and can't find vacancies, nor can your life apparently find the Tesco vacancy site, doesn't mean there's a great conspiracy. Get some assistance with Google, if you need it.

Lots of vacancies in tech, but you need the skills first.

All the local authorities around me are recruiting to all sorts of roles from lunchtime supervisor to accountants and Senior Developers. I've just gone through a round of recruitment with the post left unfilled for a team manager 35 hours a week flexi time and hybrid WFH on £27K starting salary decent pensions 5 weeks paid leave plus Bank hols. Only 4 eligible candidates to interview and 2 didn't turn up!
Now recruiting again and only have 3 suitable for interview.

@Bythemillpond

I think there are thousands of jobs out there but not if you don’t have GCSEs or are over a certain age

As a family we have now given up on applying for any job. (Our industries have now opened up thankfully)
During lockdown we all lost our income and applied for multiple jobs but either we didn’t hear anything or it was a no.
Friends non driving Dd went to an interview for a supermarket shelf stacker and was told they actually needed van drivers.
I have a clean licence and drive my own van and had applied for a job there. They didn’t want me.
Dd and Ds and myself applied for many shelf stacker/supermarket jobs. Whilst friends Dd has a string of GCSEs, Dd and Ds don’t. None of us got as far as an interview

Not too sure why not being able to analyse a poem would prevent you from putting a can on a shelf

Even applied for fruit and veg picking only to hear that no one suitable had applied so the farmer had to get people from the EU to come and pick produce.
I actually have experience of fruit picking.

When I hear that industries need to recruit from overseas because there are not the people in this country willing or able to do the job, I don’t believe them.

When you actually look at a lot of jobs and look at the reasons why there supposedly isn’t enough people to fill the posts you see how the cards are stacked against those who are from this country.

Your kids have no GCSEs at all?

I think it's going to be harder to find work if they haven't been able to complete basic education, that's a given really. The manager might take the time to ask what happened, but they will probably assume there are behavioural issues at play which could affect the workplace.

@listentomydeclaration

The pandemic has also highlighted which sectors are unstable jobs and/or a Covid risk - hospitality, retail, care - for example

So why would anyone want to work there now?

Why wouldn't anyone currently unemployed want to take a paid job?

You aren't seriously suggesting that hospitality and retail can't fill vacancies because the jobless are worried that they might lose their jobs in a future pandemic are you?

Of all the possible reasons for a shortage of workers that one's not vying for the top slot

Someone posted on local Facebook page saying they couldn't find any jobs and within 1/2 hours it was full of comments of lots of local shops, restaurants, pubs, care homes all looking for staff. I think you need to get out with your CV, looking presentable, and visit places looking to see if they have signs in their windows or speak to them.

A lot of them will be "starter" jobs. Lower hours etc until you prove yourself by fitting in, being capable and reliable. My niece started this way a couple of years ago in a supermarket (she had two PT jobs for a while) with just 8 hrs, but is now contracted for 35 hrs but can work more, has done a couple of vocational certificates and is on a reasonable wage.

Walking into a FT job in these areas to begin with is rare.

DH leaves the RAF in November. He had people desperate for him since March. He’s got a new job, still in aviation, quite easily tbh. The company he’s working for have had difficulty filling some of their positions even after the redundancies throughout aviation this past year.

Round here there’s jobs coming up every single day. We’re very rural, too. There’s a distribution and call centre for a clothing brand near by , but they can’t fill their positions. The call centres vacancies are working from home, too. Unfortunately they’re 40hr weeks, which is too much for me because I’m poorly, however if it was less I’d be applying.