Desperate jobseeker sets himself alight outside Selly Oak jobcentre

[DodgyAgent]

Son went on one of these back to work courses - a six week course.

He did actually go with a good attitude to start with, but was sadly disappointed.

The first hour of each day was taken up with reimbursing travel expenses.

They were then meant to 'search' for jobs - with 2 PCs and a handful of newspapers available between 24 of them. Son asked if he could bring his own laptop in, but was told he would not be allowed to connect to their wireless network for security reasons.

They did get some help with CVs which he found useful.

He got sent for an interview for an IT training program which he was keen to do. They paid for him to get a haircut for it, and his expenses to get there. He spent an afternoon at the interview, got along great, was really fired up, but got turned down because he wasn't eligible (too old). He apparently shouldn't have been sent in the first place.

One week, they spent the whole week gearing up for a recruitment fair on the Friday. When Friday came, the travel budget had run out, so they couldn't get them there.

At the end of the six weeks, not one of them was in employment, but they were all off the 'long term' unemployed stats, as the 'training' period counts as a break.

It must have cost a fortune, and son felt that the actual useful content could have been covered in 3 days.

I think you will find the owner of A4E will end up in jail. I know that the lefties are going to jump up and say "that's what happens when something is handed over to the private sector" Of course what the lefties do not consider is the deliverable service to the people who need it, they will look upon this purely as a political success for their "viewpoint". Before they all start jumping up and down this whole sorry episode is a poor indictment that the public services cannot be trusted to run something efficiently and as such ends up being surrendered to a private sector monopoly.

[escapeUK]

Because one day it might be you.

But it if was me, id find that id get pretty much nothing as I have enough money to live on for 10 years in this rip off tulip hole, a lot longer abroad. So why am I paying for a safety net for others? Let em fall.

Are you paying lots of NI? I do hope so, as otherwise Id hate for you to be another one of those champagne socialists who likes others to pay for their morality.

[EternalOptimist]

But it if was me, id find that id get pretty much nothing as I have enough money to live on for 10 years in this rip off tulip hole, a lot longer abroad. So why am I paying for a safety net for others? Let em fall.

Are you paying lots of NI? I do hope so, as otherwise Id hate for you to be another one of those champagne socialists who likes others to pay for their morality.

havn't you escaped yet ? do you require any assistance ?

[escapeUK]

havn't you escaped yet ? do you require any assistance ?

I suspect there is nothing you could do to assist me.

[EternalOptimist]

I suspect there is nothing you could do to assist me.

I could hold the door, so it doesn't slam on your @rse on the way out

[Diver]

I could hold the door, so it doesn't slam on your @rse on the way out

You are far too considerate EO

Put your foot up his @rse to help speed him on his way

[original PM]

I think you will find the owner of A4E will end up in jail. I know that the lefties are going to jump up and say "that's what happens when something is handed over to the private sector" Of course what the lefties do not consider is the deliverable service to the people who need it, they will look upon this purely as a political success for their "viewpoint". Before they all start jumping up and down this whole sorry episode is a poor indictment that the public services cannot be trusted to run something efficiently and as such ends up being surrendered to a private sector monopoly.

Hmm My missus works for a company who sort out training via government grants - and guess what - the MD seems to think the company's account is his own personal account - £5million quids worth of farmhouse anyone.

Not great really when you also consider the company is scratching around to pay it's bills.

Oh but just fyi - the MD is a mate of the labour mp and this company was set up during the times of labour so nothing to do with being left or right - just being corrupt and taking backhanders.

[Sysman]

Quite

Scandal hit A4e spent £45million securing just 4,000 jobseekers a long-term role | Mail Online

Ta Dodgy. It appears to be worse than I suspected.

Does anyone else think that the woman pictured there has a touch of Cherie Blair about her looks?

[FiveTimes]

my 15 year old has given up the chance of a lie in on weekends by choosing to help out Saturday morning (un paid) at our local swim club, and Sunday (paid by the club) working the desk at the club. We pay her for the time she works on Saturday and the club pay for her on Sunday.
The club have told me and daughter that when she is 16 that the teaching course will be paid for and she will be able to get paid properly for Saturdays.
She like the idea of getting cash at the weekend and we have explained that it will be a good thing to have on CV and she will also be able to carry on when doing A-levels etc..

[shaunbhoy]

Who can think of the best way of getting locked up without inconveniencing people too much.

Refusing to pay your Council Tax seems to work very well for pensioners IIRC.

HTH