Youth unemployment
Author
Discussion

DonkeyApple

Original Poster:

70,473 posts

199 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
This is arguably one of the worst area for unemployment as you stand a strong chance of setting a youngster on the road to a lifetime accustomed to welfare.

However, in the last few weeks I have met a couple of kids who quit jobs in restaraunts because they were being mocked by their mates because they couldn't sit in the park drinking cider.

Also, I have recently met a bunch of graduates from odd Uni's with odd degrees who are refusing to accept any job that isn't seemingly well above their real status.

So the question is, outside of the real and serious problem areas how much of this youth unemployment is down to unrealistic expectations and poor work ethic? And if so, who has been responsible for leading them down this road to destruction?

andyroo

2,469 posts

240 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
You're absolutely right. So many people are able to sponge off parents until well into their twenties (and even thirties) so they have no need to get a job. Thus they wait for something easy, well paid and part time to come up. When jobs were aplenty, that was fine - now jobs are in short supply, that kind of work isn't readily available, but these people have no need to alter their behaviour. It was mentioned on the radio the other day that if you take out all the people looking for a job but aren't too bothered about it, it changes the unemployment figures quite dramatically.

Jasandjules

72,632 posts

259 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
DonkeyApple said:
However, in the last few weeks I have met a couple of kids who quit jobs in restaraunts because they were being mocked by their mates because they couldn't sit in the park drinking cider.
But surely they reply that in time they will have money for cars and holidays etc

Or am I just being silly and those sitting in the park drinking cider (where do they get the money from?) will be able to also have cars and holidays!?

andyroo

2,469 posts

240 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
Jasandjules said:
But surely they reply that in time they will have money for cars and holidays etc

Or am I just being silly and those sitting in the park drinking cider (where do they get the money from?) will be able to also have cars and holidays!?
Bank of mum and dad. I know a 27 year old who lives at home and still goes on paid-for family hols

thinfourth2

32,414 posts

234 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
Add in the ones who aren't suited to working.

Was speaking to a guy who took on an apprentice who could only be arsed to turn up 3 days a week

He was fired after a month

fido

18,918 posts

285 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
DonkeyApple said:
So the question is, outside of the real and serious problem areas how much of this youth unemployment is down to unrealistic expectations and poor work ethic?
It pretty much puts them out of the game, which has moved on considerably since i left university. Just walked past our new intake of graduates and they were all foreign students - and i'm including quite a few americans in that. Put it another way, if you need your mum to help you get out of bed, or can't even be arsed to spellcheck your CV .. how far do you think you will get through the zillions of rounds needed to land a graddie job these days. My cousin had to work for three months - unpaid - just to get a foot in the door. Took her 15 months after leaving university to get a job. It's hard out there.

Edited by fido on Thursday 14th April 09:37

Puggit

49,821 posts

278 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
It's a whole mix of things causing this. Top of the list is an over-generous benefits systems, poor educational standards, unrealistic expectations - and a global economy.

elster

17,517 posts

240 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
DonkeyApple said:
This is arguably one of the worst area for unemployment as you stand a strong chance of setting a youngster on the road to a lifetime accustomed to welfare.

However, in the last few weeks I have met a couple of kids who quit jobs in restaraunts because they were being mocked by their mates because they couldn't sit in the park drinking cider.

Also, I have recently met a bunch of graduates from odd Uni's with odd degrees who are refusing to accept any job that isn't seemingly well above their real status.

So the question is, outside of the real and serious problem areas how much of this youth unemployment is down to unrealistic expectations and poor work ethic? And if so, who has been responsible for leading them down this road to destruction?
A lot of it is down to discipline and poor education standards.

I always felt as though the school was teaching me to be an adult and you progressed through the school to leave as such, however such discipline and moral standing of the teacher seems to have been lost in a lot of schools. I don't blame the teachers at all, they are constantly restricted on what they can and can't do or teach, this attitude holds down children's development as a person as well as their broader education outside of the national curriculum. This is creating a whole gap in the population of people that don't have the drive and ambition that I had on leaving school, or those that do have great ambitions and don't want to put in the hours and hours and years of work to attain their target of a super car or whatever it may be

AndyClockwise

689 posts

192 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
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Reports today suggest that one third of new jobs are being given to people over 65 as they don't have enough money to retire on.

This is affecting younger people as there are not so many vacancies. Is this a knock on effect of Gordon Brown's pension raid a few years ago?

RichardD

3,608 posts

275 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
Puggit said:
... unrealistic expectations ....
Oi Mr Party Pooper, are you saying that me quitting my job last week to sit on my arse until my lottery numbers come in or I win Factor X Britain Dancing Talent - is foolish !!?

Digga

48,439 posts

313 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
We've had limited exposure to yoof over recent years, but it's mostly been positive; kids willing to work and learn and aware that they do have to come into an organisation at or near the bottom and work their way up.

However, a few years back we had an 18yo girl who reckoned (we never verified the claimed qualifications on her CV) to have a grade 'C' in English. yet was totally incapable of working out how to address an envelope...

The latest conversations with schools is extremely encouraging. There seems to be a return to the apprenticeship ethos and both the education system and (most) of the pupils have a very much improved attitude to work.

As to the original question, Labour - through the benefits system, 'degrees for all' and the huge swell of PS non-jobs - undoubtedly caused nearly as much damage to the economy with their meddlings in this area as they did with their impecunious bookeeping.

RemainAllHoof

80,133 posts

312 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
Puggit said:
Top of the list is an over-generous benefits systems
Can they actually get much if they are healthy and 20 years old without a baby? And for how long?

andyroo

2,469 posts

240 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
RemainAllHoof said:
Can they actually get much if they are healthy and 20 years old without a baby? And for how long?
Not really - that's why they then have a baby!

Jasandjules

72,632 posts

259 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
RichardD said:
Puggit said:
... unrealistic expectations ....
Oi Mr Party Pooper, are you saying that me quitting my job last week to sit on my arse until my lottery numbers come in or I win Factor X Britain Dancing Talent - is foolish !!?
Of course not, he said unrealistic.


JagLover

46,815 posts

265 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
Digga said:
As to the original question, Labour - through the benefits system, 'degrees for all' and the huge swell of PS non-jobs - undoubtedly caused nearly as much damage to the economy with their meddlings in this area as they did with their impecunious bookeeping.
yes

BoRED S2upid

21,073 posts

270 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
There is also the worrying fact that many places are now into second generation unemployment, if your mother and father have never worked a day in their lives why would / should you?

Prime example I heard yesterday young lad had to quit his job as his alarm clock waking him up for work was waking his mother and father up who were going to kick him out so homelessness or a minimum wage job?

Fittster

20,120 posts

243 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
AndyClockwise said:
This is affecting younger people as there are not so many vacancies. Is this a knock on effect of Gordon Brown's pension raid a few years ago?
Or maybe the coalitions tax rises, and the Bank of Englands refusal to tackle inflation.

fido

18,918 posts

285 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
Fittster said:
Or maybe the coalitions tax rises
Jeez, where were you during the last decade? Winky put up taxes during the Boom years .. at least the coalition have a good excuse to put up taxes!

DonkeyApple

Original Poster:

70,473 posts

199 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
fido said:
Jeez, where were you during the last decade? Winky put up taxes during the Boom years .. at least the coalition have a good excuse to put up taxes!
In fairness, Winky only increased basic rate from 10% to 20%, the higher rate to 50%, increased NI, increased petrol, increased VAT, increased council tax, increased stamp duty, increased tax on dividends, taxed pensions etc etc and introduced countless fees, charges and fines.

He also managed to spend all of this, everything we had before he arrived and everything we are going to generate for the next 2 generations.

Apart from that, I'm not sure what you are getting at biggrin

Fittster

20,120 posts

243 months

Thursday 14th April 2011
quotequote all
fido said:
Fittster said:
Or maybe the coalitions tax rises
Jeez, where were you during the last decade? Winky put up taxes during the Boom years .. at least the coalition have a good excuse to put up taxes!
And that's aren't going up even further under the current administration?