Unemployed but not entitled to any benefits

[BinBandit]

I've struggled to find out any info online so wondered if anyone can help with this.

My DS has recently graduated and struggling to get any work (that's a whole other thread!). As he's never worked he isn't entitled to job Seekers. He has too much in savings to qualify for Universal Credit. We supported him through Uni but he did take the loans and saved them so this would give him a start when he graduated. He's a quiet lad so didn't spend much.

Anyway, he's expected to live of those which is fair enough. Benefits are there for those who need them and he has savings. The assumption is that we will continue to However, I can't seem to find out any info about whether he and/or how he can register as unemployed and get some help with looking for a job or whether he would get NI credits by registering somewhere.

We believe that he probably has ASD issues (Social Pragmatic Communication Disorder?) which we are now looking to get a private assessment for and this is obviously not helping with the job hunting so we think he may be looking for work for a while. We'd all like him to have more independence but whilst he has no income, he can't really commit to using his savings for that as originally intended, as what will happen when those run out?

What does he do with his time? Could he volunteer for experience and a reference, as it sounds like he hasn’t had a job before?

Some of the voluntary roles around here are quite professional, and I imagine many charities would make happy use of his IT skills.

Could help his confidence and people skills too.

Did he not have a plan for finishing uni when he realised he didn’t get onto a masters? I’m afraid this is what happens when you reach graduation age while being enabled to be dependent on your parents

@BinBandit what was his degree in? Does he have a profession he wants to go in to?

If he just wants any basic job (must be legit though to count as having been employed) then he doesn't need to put all his results and qualifications. The way things are at the moment he could just put the year he left school, nothing since, and he would still be taken on. My friends' older kids are working in cafés, shops, coffee wagons, a pharmacy and a phone shop - they just saw a sign and walked in or called a number, no interview, no CD needed. Not amazing jobs, not amazing pay, but so much better than when I was young.

Thank you for the replies, careers service is a good call. he has told them he is looking for work and having no luck but they haven't contacted him. I'll get him to follow that up.

No he has never had a job and yes that is making it worse. We 've obviously been trying to encourage that over the years and should have been tougher but it's hard seeing your child (of any age) anxious and distressed.

He has applied to a pile of "festive" jobs where the fact he he might be overqualified and looking elsewhere should matter less.

Volunteering is a good call but even those things tend to go to people who they know. It's not just my son struggling for these jobs. They just seem to go to the confident more outspoken folk.

I’m afraid this is what happens when you reach graduation age while being enabled to be dependent on your parents

I don't think that's fair when the OP made clear that he has social communication issues. He may need more help to transition into the world of work than another young adult would.

Does his uni offer internships? Maybe that would be a route to employment.

Computer Science. He really isn't fussy. It's very hard to get any real information from him. It's hard even for us to get a meaningful conversation to be honest.

He'd be great at being given tasks and he'd go off and produce great work. He's done team projects and always delivered what is needed (and beyond) in small groups he is funny and well thought off but has made no friends during uni, he's still in touch with school friends but they have also graduated and moved on so he is in danger of being left behind.

My ds is in the process of applying to Uni to do CS so we have been having a look at graduate/junior software developer jobs in Indeed. There are loads in my area (Thames Valley) these aren't large company grad schemes, which imagine are really hard to get but smaller companies. Would it be possible for him to relocate if there isn't much for him in your area? Are there any IT jobs agencies near you?

In the meantime I would agree that getting any job on his CV would be beneficial.

Ahh might be area dependent tbf, round here they’re crying out for people with IT skills!

I know this is a bit of a stereotype, but a lot of the people around here who volunteer during the week are older, and perhaps less confident with IT.

Never hurts to try. Sometimes it just takes that one opportunity for everything to fall into place.

he accepted that Uni as they had great links with employers but they've been really poor imo. He needed a summer internship to progress on his masters and he was struggling to get one and reached out them and they sent him details of one (which he's already applied to).

Hi OP has your DS got this far in life in mainstream education with no support or did he receive support at school or university? If your son is unemployed and looking for work he should contact his local job centre to claim Class 1 credits.

A completely different CV is an idea, although the one he's been using for more basic jobs was deliberately ambiguous about whether he was still a student as it seemed to fit why he was okay with part time jobs as well as full time.

Has he considered local government? Pay is low but they tend to be more inclusive for hiring at entry grade

I'm surprised he can't get an entry level job in IT OP. Has he considered an apprenticeship or traineeship programme. I think there are loads as people are crying out for IT specialists.

The only support he's had is being able to type exams. Everyone has said he needs support but no-one has ever been able to give him any. And as he doesn't casue any bother and does well academically, it's been a struggle. He has now accepted that an assessment might help. GP referred him for counselling and they said they couldn't help him. The problem is that as an adult now I can only go by what he shares so it's difficult to know what he is told.

Try again with the volunteering. The charity sector has been decimated over the last few years. 40% of volunteers not returning in some sectors. All sorts of.places use volunteers. And in all sorts of roles. There will be plent who need some assistance from a computer point of view, even if it's just setting up a simple membership database.

Could he spend some of his money on 1:1 coaching sessions to help with his confidence ? Ultimately he is going to have to put himself out there.

Tough love required?

Can he find any voluntary work, using his IT skills to get practical experience. Is he applying for entry level jobs?

You mention a master's, is he starting one then? If so it's unlikely he will be timetabled in very often at all giving him lots of time to do part time work alongside his masters year. Then in June start interviewing for grad schemes.

What about registering with his computer skills on Upwork? www.upwork.com/cat/dev-it

He will have to pitch himself low at first as he has no feedback but I know many development companies that use this kind of coding "homeworkers".

www.upwork.com/work

What about a junior developer job? careers.mass.co.uk/vacancies/354/junior-software-developer.html

They love Computer Science graduates.

Honestly we have tried all different places, small companies to large, entry level etc. Most jobs where they say entry level still seem to want them to be an expert in something or have a couple of years experience. He can't get an apprenticeship as he already has the qualifications.

It's honestly frustrating.

We live in Scotland within access of Edinburgh and Glasgow so not in a total backwater.

CS graduate should be able to get a job even if socially awkward.

What kind of jobs is he looking for?

Can he do some small projects to build a portfolio? Creating a webpage about his hobby, some commits to open source software.
Just setting up his own gitlab account and saving there several pieces of code and using that instead of CV for entry level coding jobs might be enough.

he was doing an integrated masters but wasn't allowed to progress without the summer placement so that's now off the cards.

Thanks for all the links, we will take s look tonight.

There's work out there, the best thing he can do s to go into places that are hiring and speak to the manager. Dsd struggled a bit but has now got a job - family firms often are a lot more forgiving at interview. It does depend a bit where you are but here a pulse gets you a job they are that desperate