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Letter: Problems of being young and out of work - 01/07/09
I decided to write to The Evening Telegraph to express my view of young people out of work in Peterborough industry and elsewhere.
I decided to write to The Evening Telegraph to express my view of young people out of work in Peterborough industry and elsewhere.Firstly, I have been out of work since I left Bushfield Community College. I didn't come out with the grades that I wanted, but I achieved good grades in curriculum subjects such as art and design and drama.
Since leaving school, I have been to the Education and Youth Service (EYS), in Oundle Road, Peterborough.
It does Asdan level 1 and 2, which teaches basic skills, such as maths, English, puzzle solving and general knowledge.
It also gives you free driving lessons and advice on looking for work.
Yes I have had interviews through EYS in the past, and literally attack the city centre applying and posting CVs in shops.
I have received no replies and have been unsuccessful in job interviews.
Then I went on the Prince's Trust, this is where you get to an interesting point.
The Prince's Trust is a 12-week course to help you gain confidence around other people, work as part of a team and get help with getting a job.
They say most people who have come out of the Prince's Trust have got a job, but this is not the case.
I was really nervous when I first began, but once in a while I slowly started to develop a bit of confidence as the weeks went past, and I was an influence to my team members.
However, come the end of the course, I didn't come out with a job.
So, from January, 2008, to December 1, 2008 I went to Peterborough College of Adult Education (PCAE), in Dogsthorpe. I spent ages trying to build up my skills in English, maths and even IT.
I managed to get a certificate for IT, which is another thing to put in my CV.
I went on work experience with firms such as the Football League, working with computers, but I wanted a job in which I got paid.
Then they decided to put me at Tesco Extra for six weeks without getting paid. I felt this was too long. The college said that Tesco would only offer me a job if I'm on the scheme for six months without getting paid.
I thought this was outrageous. I finally had a real job interview in JDs. I went into the course and said that I had a job interview, but the course thought that it was for work experience, so someone gave me a lift to JDs to the interview and actually came into the interview room with me. Maybe it was to boost my confidence that he came in with me.
At the end of the interview the manager said: "I like what I see, but you shouldn't have brought him along with you." This is when I left PCAE, and signed on for Jobseekers Allowance, as I felt this is the only route I can take.
Being on Jobseeker's is highly regrettable. I have been searching and searching and searching for a job in the city, but the recession is out of hand. Now people on benefits who have been on Jobseekers for more than six months are ordered on to courses of the Jobcentre's own accord.
I feel this idea is outrageous, if you don't accept going on a course, you do not get paid any money or you are off Jobseekers.In Peterborough, the Jobcentre is trying to place people in Shackletons. I think this is disgusting. I'm 19, and I am going to be 40 and still on courses with no job.
Even retail has gone dead in Peterborough. If firms want staff, why don't they take people on, they probably are, but they are probably taking on better students with higher grades.
Young people are out of work, with not much money in their bank accounts, even I hate watching my money dwindle when their is so much stuff to spend it on in shops. But job searching is impossible for young inexperienced students 16 and above.
Michael Hodgson (19)
Peterborough
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