Not offered progression -- how to best handle this?

[Pochemuchka55]

I recently got a seasonal job at an RYA accredited watersports/outdoor activities centre, which has been enjoyable. But, out of my cohort, I was the sole person not placed on a powerboat course (apart from another guy who had his license already) or offered inductions as activities instructor/basic training elsewhere on the premises to progress my skills. I have the same level of experience as the rest of the seasonal team (i.e. those who aren't instructors).

I queried this with management, receiving a vague response (i.e. 'maybe I'll get added to one of the courses in future'). Patiently waited a few weeks, didn't want to make it into a big deal but it kept gnawing away at me. Had another meeting with supervisors who again weren't helpful, saying they can't afford to train everyone and that someone has to miss out. Asked them if it was related to my performance, they said no.

Tried to forget about it again, the job means a lot to me as I was learning new stuff from the instructors every day. I come from a serious sports background (albeit unrelated to what's on offer here). Eventually, a supervisor took me aside saying he was impressed with how hard I work. Later that week I was taken out for my first sailing lesson and on a PB and was taught how to drive it, which went well. It looked like things were shifting.

Until, one day, I found out that a new PB course was added that I haven't been put on yet again. Without a PB license there isn't much you can do in the job, as those with any experience in the industry will know.

I opened up to someone I trusted from the management, asking what I should do. He said that they appreciate the hard work I do, but offered no suggestions.

At this point this has become so painful that I cried my guts out for an hour after every shift. Nobody knows about it and I keep myself to myself.

I don't want to leave the job, but at the same time I don't want to just swallow this and don't think I should.

Long-term, I am pursuing music after a BA from Cambridge / an MA from the Slade, but everyone I know in the industry has another job. Like I said, I have a keen interest in the industry and am attached to this centre, they're just not letting me progress.

What is the best possible way to handle this?

I suspect they think you are over-qualified and will leave as soon as something in your field turns up. In that case there wouldn't be much point training you as an instructor. Is your background very different to the other staff? Is it worth talking to them about your long term intentions in the job Having said that, in a centre like that it would always be useful to have more trained powerboat operators. Could you afford to split costs for course to show how keen you are?

Thank you, thought about getting qualification elsewhere. Both my parents are unwell and off work presently (one in hospital) so I'd feel uncomfortable spending £250 on myself. I already feel guilty about not doing a decently paid office job. I guess this all adds context to how I'm feeling.

Is everyone else seasonal as well?

Yeah til October

Could there be sexism at play?

There is sometimes. The Senior Instructor whose advice I sought, said to me a few days later, 'good to see you smiling!', and when I asked what he meant he said, 'well you had a moan at me last time about not being put on a PB course'.

I wasn't moaning, I asked his advice. And commenting on women smiling is akin to 'cheer up, love' thrown from builders to passers-by

But all other girls were offered PB and activities, so I don't think it's inherently sexism.

Messing me up . No reprieve . Nobody wants me even in a basic job. Applied to work in retail. Rejected due to Cambridge degree. This is painful

Leave your Cambridge degree off your CV then....

Yeah I'm an idiot. Too late now. I loathe myself and have made an embarrassment of my parents all my life.

Find somewhere else to complete & pass your boat license
You never know, you may meet some more interesting people
It could be the best £250 you will spend !

If you have completed your education ?Have you applied for any permanent jobs apart from retail ?
Retail with a BA/MA - over qualified

Some volunteer boating or diving companies or clubs may offer reduced PB
courses

What was your degree?

Have you only just graduated? Just wondering as it seems strange to target a seasonal role in the leisure sector or retail but if you've only just left Uni then that could be why. You're in a far more advantageous position than many having a degree from a RG university. Have you thought of getting career advice through your Uni?

Watersports centres are often poor. My children did voluntary work for a couple of years before any payment at all. The courses we generally paid for ourselves and then once qualified they were paid. The free bit and training for them was around learning to handle boats and manage groups of children etc. Not much point doing a powerboat course unless you can handle a safety boat reasonably competently. Not much point doing your dinghy instructors unless you have sufficient experience at assistant DI level and are confident at handling a dinghy in most conditions- or understand when you shouldn’t be out in a dinghy.

I think your expectations might be too high.
They are likely to invest more in people who are going to be with them a while and where they’ll get a return on their investment.

Apply somewhere else and leave your degree off your CV (if it’s not a degree-type role). No one knows why they are doing this but I think the questioning yourself sounds like it’s destroying your self esteem (I’ve been there).

Apply somewhere else and leave your degree off your CV (if it’s not a degree-type role).

If it's retail, yes leave off a degree. But why in heavens name is the OP not aspiring to use qualifications that most people never stand a snow-balls chance of getting? And which must have cost somewhere north of £40K in fees!

reading between the lines, the OP does want to use her degree to launch a creative/music career, but needs a paying day job whilst she pursues this that gives her time/mental space to pursue creativity.

OP - sometimes your face just doesn't fit at a workplace. Maybe because you have a Cambridge degree. Unless you have niche skills, jobhunting is brutal these days. You've tried standing up for yourself, and it's not worked. You need to decide whether the hit to your self esteem is bad enough that you should leave this job before October. Crying every day because of your job - you are I am assuming you and without children etc to support - you are too young to be trapped like this.

workplace life and politics often isn't fair. hard work and commitment aren't always rewarded.If you take this too personally you will destroy your mental health, you need to value yourself above and beyond your earning capacity/job role.

btw in some areas of the public sector it's very important to have no unaccounted for gaps in your CV, so it's riskier to leave degrees off your application.

Of course you should be proud and put on your CV.

Go back to the guy in management you trust and tell him you recognise you are not being put forward for any courses at all, it is beginning to feel awkward, you are open to all feedback and would appreciate some honesty on your position.

sometimes your face just doesn't fit at a workplace. Maybe because you have a Cambridge degree.

It's ridiculous for a good quality degree to be removed from a CV, and I'm sure the OPs qualification isn't tattooed on her forehead, so there's no reason it should be a barrier to success.

Unfortunately if the OP doesn't engage on this thread we're not able to guide her in anything meaningful, other than to advise to use the clear advantage she already has in life when so many people on here haven't had the opportunity for HE due to background or finance.

Degrees are a door opener if combined with other attributes such as attitude and ability to reapply skills creative in different ways.

creatively

What are the other people doing that you did the degree course with ?

Why are you not applying for permanent work ?

Don’t get stressed about it. Just leave.
Why would they pay to train you if you don’t see this as a long term thing?
How would a power boat licence help you away from this centre? You don’t need one to use a boat in any of the uk waters inland or coastal.so it seems a bit dummy spitting exercise on your part.

But it does make me wonder how you’ll handle a real job in the real world? You may think your the best thing since sliced bread but if the management like another person and they get promoted before you is this going to happen again.?

I work in a dead end job no progression no training total blame culture spending all day waiting for the next snotty e-mail to come through telling you your sh#t. The only thing keeping me there is the wages.

Truly I feel like Marvin of the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy.
Brain the size of a planet and hear I am pressing a button before the time runs out. Over and over and over again.

Crying for an hour after your shift seems excessive, saying you loathe yourself and are an embarrassment to your parents is really not normal behaviour, this level of anxiety must come across, work on yourself