Get Britain Working is totally missing the current employment crisis economy

[myotheraccountsa]

Just read the BBC article about rate of UK unemployment up to 5% - the gvmt saying people should question the accuracy of this data, but also that it ties into their campaign to "Get Britain working".

I am mind blown. Are they not seeing what I'm seeing? This isn't an issue with people on benefits etc -

There's a huge new tidal wave of very highly qualified people who have been merrily working for all their lives, now made redundant or upon leaving theor jobs literally cannot find anything. There's a Mid-Senior level crisis all over LinkedIn - 500+ people applying for every 1 job. People searching for over a year with hundreds of applications, interviews, and getting nothing. Basically being told that nowadays the only way to get a job is through networking - it's back to who you know, not what you know.

And then the government act all surprised and like they haven't taxed businesses on workers to the point that they're cutting heads wherever they can? Or that they are oblivious to this and everyone should "get back to work" like it's easy for an ex-SVP to persuade the local chippy they're the ideal employee (even if they're desperate and would willingly work there).

Madness.

I had this discussion recently with one of my bosses. We had advertised for positions in our coffee shop and the amount of professionals who had been made redundant who applied was shocking

Even nurses!

Is it a message that schools are giving out - that only academic gifts mean anything?

My DD was friends with all the brightest girls in her year and constantly devalues her own people and thinking-on-her-feet skills, which are actually pretty good.

She thinks none of these are important, compared to a string of A stars.

I can believe that.
DM has a cleaning company and she has people apply for 8hr a week jobs who have post grad degrees and recent experience in high paid jobs.

FGS. Is that all the Cost of Living Crisis means to you? More propaganda, more lies, more ignoring the lived reality of working class people? All we need to do, as we’ve been told for decades, is be more change positive and take these massages figures and statistics? Eat more shit?

Employment at record high when fewer people are supporting various claimants on the welfare state than ever before?

I could throw stats back, I could direct you to read a few things, I could call out your complete ignorance of reality but you know what, I think the only really appropriate response is ha ha ha ha you’re either lying or playing some kind of ‘entertainment’.

All the young people i know are seriously worried and fucking angry.

@MidnightMeltdown Universities market to parents. The ones who believe a university education is a must. Like in their day. Except it’s not. Their day was probably 15% to university, not over double that. The jobs haven’t kept pace with demand from grads. Parents need to guide dc. Yes, decisions are made at 16 but A levels aren’t just for university.

Influx of African domiciliary care works in our village currently. Presume it's a job that people here don't want to do?

My two older boys are in reasonable jobs but I worry for my younger two. Youngest ds graduates next year and with the degree he has done is going to find it very hard to find a job, any job. He has really struggled even to get holiday work through his Uni years. DD is doing a Nursing degree and new Nursing graduates can't even get jobs. the job market is dire. I will be out of work myself from march. It's a massive worry.

Are you doing it?

I likely will when my current job ends.

Regarding the seasonal fruit picking mentioned up thread: if you take on a seasonal job, you lose your benefits for a period AFTER the job has ended (I think six weeks for some). So it isn’t worth it.

Relatex to that, I know someone who turned down an inheritance that would have cost her twice as much in lost benefits (two disabled children and a single parent, before anyone gets tetchy about voluntarily living on benefits).

@Minty25 Most nurses get jobs. I would strongly suggest your DS volunteers. Do something for the cv! What’s his degree in?

This is important.

I’ve been looking for a new role for at least a year, because I have a long and expensive commute.

The problem is that wages seem to have absolutely collapsed; some similar roles to mine are now advertised at around 30k - I couldn’t pay my bills on a salary that’s one full third of what I earn now.

Redundancies are coming for NHS and local govt with the formation of unitary councils. I don't know what people will find instead. There isn't much around.

He does currently have a part time job for the Christmas period and has done voluntary work in the past. Degree is Pyschology. He is also hindered by social anxiety ( possibly ASD ). I hope he will be ok, he is trying his best. I just keep reading MN threads regarding Nurses not being able to get jobs and dd says this is the case for lots in the cohort a year ahead of her. hopefully the situation may change by the time she graduates in 18 months time.

I think nurses have to be flexible about where they will work. Good luck to her anyway. If DS has some work experience, that’s a great start. If he’s volunteered, does that sector employ grads?

I have to agree. I've interviewed people recently and the ability of people to give a decent interview and be prepared was quite low.

I personally went to some interview skills training in my 20s delivered by an amazing recruiter who I'm sure was neurodivergent as she literally prepped the hell out of me in the best way possible.

We literally did an entire mock interview, then I prepped, then we did it again, over about 4-5 days. My success rate with getting interviews and securing roles has been really high since then. I never reveal age on my CV.

She doesn't offer training anymore sadly. Defo a gap for this kind of service. I was diagnosed ND in my late 30s.

You’re out of date. All NHS trusts have frozen recruitment. It’s not that we don’t need the staff and it’s not that we don’t have people who could do it, it’s that the government will not pay for healthcare staff.

I know several youngsters who have been used to staff wards on placement, have come out with the huge debts - have effectively paid to work - only to be told there’s no jobs.

I know several others who have, seeing this, dropped out of nursing courses or are abandoning plans to pursue this career.

These are dedicated people who have been economically exploited and abused.

@Jasperisthis is true, my mum has been offered early retirement.

You re just making stuff up now.

There has been some trust recruitment freezes but it is not a universal one at all.

Just been on my local trusts vacancies page, nurses and midwifery section - many jobs, not all entry level but there are some, same in Allied Health.
Livewell, a private company that is basically an NHS communities provider, also has job vacancies, across all levels.

The numbers IN work has increased by over 400k in the last 12 months.

As been said many times before, the right wing moan about tax rises but still, apparently, want the the things they would pay for, unable to say how they would fund these.

Streeting is implementing change, this means disruption, how do you get change if you just carry on as before.

As an employer, I would argue that the people skills/ability to think on your feet are actually far more important than the grades.

Not saying that intelligence and analytical/critical thinking skills are not important - in some cases, they are essential. But there are very few roles in which these qualities will be of much use if you can't actually apply your knowledge effectively, communicate your ideas to others or work well as part of a team.

I agree with you, but it does feel as if a lot of employers are not looking for those things and are rewarding something else. I know of brilliant people with a fantastic track record who are being managed out. I know of people whose hiring process went for months- in one case it was nearly 6 months from interview to start date, and four months between job offer and start date. The delays were entirely due to the HR department, the candidate had provided everything promptly and so had the line manager. That isn’t right, but it’s not an isolated case, and it’s not the only failing in that department.

Do you know people with similar companies? Are they having the same problem?

Yes and yes.

Then it could be a sector salary issue. If you’re all benchmarking against each other it’s too low compared with other options outside the sector. Like anything paying more is more attractive.

Because clearly none of us have ever considered benchmarking against comparable roles from other sectors?