What are the opportunities for the young?

[TownieChap]

Walking through town recently, a thought occurred to me (No, it didn't hurt... much!). If I were to be a school leaver at this present time, where on earth in Southport could I look for a decent-ish job?

Now, yes I know that most of the young ones will only require part-time weekend jobs to fit in around their further education at college and university, but what about those that aren't academically inclined?. I was one of these types and I'm damn sure there will still be some just like how I and others I knew were. I was fortunate that I got into full-time work straight from leaving school into a large store on Chapel Street that has long since closed, other people I know went into similar retail and hospitality roles and most of us have gone up the ladder to senior positions having worked up from the shop floor and the front of house, making us in my opinion, invaluable to our respected industries.

So just for a moment try and put yourself in the shoes of young school leaver who hasn't excelled at school but will undoubtedly have so much to give in a working environment. Are they just to resign themselves to part-time shift work for ever and a day?.


EDIT: Note for admin. Time of posts on forum list is well out. It is now 1:20pm and the forum is showing that I have posted at 3:22pm?

[Chris R]

I think it must be very difficult for teenagers leaving school at 16 with no qualifications. All i can think they could do is go into the Caring sector, but you do need empathy, not a common thing with 16 year olds. Shop work, but this can be dead-end.
This is a major problem.
When I left school with GCEs I went straight into nursing, starting as a Cadet. This gave me a great grounding for everything I have done.
I feel very sorry for teenagers nowadays

[greenmachine]

When i left school in the mid 70s life was a doddle. Numerous large employers in the town. Cavenhams, Moy Park, Phillips, Bob Martins, Woolworths to name but a few. Places a kid with no academic ambitions but a good work ethic could leave school on a friday and walk into a job the following monday. As long as little Johnny and Mary worked hard and kept out of trouble by the time they were 21 they on full money. Banks would lend 2.5 times income of 1 or 3 times joint income for 2 making it easy to buy a house, buy a car and have 2 weeks in Spain every year. Sadly those jobs have gone and wages have not kept up with property prices. Its impossible for most kids today to get on the property ladder. As for university the majority of courses have no value.

[Chris R]

Well said greenmachine, i left school in July 1968 had my 2 children in my 20's, a few years off work until they went to school. Then until I had an heart attack recently, never became unemployed. It was very difficult giving up work after never having any time off sick in the 40+ years of working.

[sandGroundZero]

…but what about those that aren't academically inclined?. I was one of these types and I'm damn sure there will still be some just like how I and others I knew were.
…So just for a moment try and put yourself in the shoes of young school leaver who hasn't excelled at school but will undoubtedly have so much to give in a working environment. Are they just to resign themselves to part-time shift work for ever and a day?

I scraped through secondary school more through good luck than good study habits — I do not envy the lot of academically undistinguished young people, today.

Having said that, soothsayers tell us technology is on the verge of displacing very large numbers of people from the workplace. The so-called world of work is not what it was. How to promote a sense of self-worth and how to distribute wealth will be a major preoccupation of policy makers.

[Alikado]

As Greenmachine says there was a large variety of small and medium size employers around providing many different and varied careers but most have now disappeared, the skilled / semi skilled jobs have largely disappeared with many tasks now relegated to assembly of prefabricated components and employers gobbled up by the bigger ones now centred of the larger areas. The only option now seems to be to join the forces and get trained by them, forces training is still valued in the work market.

[muddyboots]

multiple opportunities......if i was young,,i wish,, get into training for a plumber, electrician, builder, or the new industries wind power and solar...all very well paid, not to mention i.t....

[greenmachine]

multiple opportunities......if i was young,,i wish,, get into training for a plumber, electrician, builder, or the new industries wind power and solar...all very well paid, not to mention i.t....

Train with whom though? Ok going to college and learning all the theory leading to getting the right tickets. But 90%of plumbers / electricians time is spent on their knees lifting floor boards, crawling round under floors or in roof spaces, the colleges dont teach the "coal face" aspect of the job and few companies or one man bands are prepared to employ a kid as an apprentice.

[silver fox]

multiple opportunities......if i was young,,i wish,, get into training for a plumber, electrician, builder, or the new industries wind power and solar...all very well paid, not to mention i.t....

Certainly always work for qualified or skilled trades, but getting the practical training is another thing altogether, plus of course the semi skilled jobs where anyone could start at bottom, keep their heads down, do and learn the job, becoming skilled in their own right, if not a qualified trade, those are the jobs which have disappeared.

[said]

Certainly always work for qualified or skilled trades, but getting the practical training is another thing altogether, plus of course the semi skilled jobs where anyone could start at bottom, keep their heads down, do and learn the job, becoming skilled in their own right, if not a qualified trade, those are the jobs which have disappeared.

At present, whether qualified or not, becoming employed is a hell of a problem for young people. In Southport, a large number of unskilled jobs are given to the 16 - 18 year olds, or immigrant labour because they are paid less. These jobs used to be done by those in society who although not very bright, were excellent workers, or even the disabled so that they could have a place in society - they, very sadly, have now been put on the unemployable list. Those who do have qualifications are face with employers who are less qualified than themselves - so, are reluctant to employ them - or people are given the position from their existing staff, and this is very common even those jobs have to be advertised by law. Those who are very highly qualified, may be lucky to be given a contract - but it will only have a duration of around 21 months, because after this period employers are obliged to hire them permanently. There is a regular turnover of staff.

[TownieChap]

At present, whether qualified or not, becoming employed is a hell of a problem for young people. In Southport, a large number of unskilled jobs are given to the 16 - 18 year olds, or immigrant labour because they are paid less. These jobs used to be done by those in society who although not very bright, were excellent workers, or even the disabled so that they could have a place in society - they, very sadly, have now been put on the unemployable list. Those who do have qualifications are face with employers who are less qualified than themselves - so, are reluctant to employ them - or people are given the position from their existing staff, and this is very common even those jobs have to be advertised by law. Those who are very highly qualified, may be lucky to be given a contract - but it will only have a duration of around 21 months, because after this period employers are obliged to hire them permanently. There is a regular turnover of staff.

Well that makes for very bleak reading, deary me. If there are, or are ever to be any young people reading this, then please know that you have my absolute empathy. I had it all against me when I left school and it certainly hasn't been easy and still to this day I face challenges that stem from me not taking a lot in from my schooling but I'm doing alright, better than some people I know who went down the academic path and now struggle to find good employment with mounting debts.

[said]

Well that makes for very bleak reading, deary me. If there are, or are ever to be any young people reading this, then please know that you have my absolute empathy. I had it all against me when I left school and it certainly hasn't been easy and still to this day I face challenges that stem from me not taking a lot in from my schooling but I'm doing alright, better than some people I know who went down the academic path and now struggle to find good employment with mounting debts.

I left school at 14 and found work immediately. If I did not like a job I had taken on, I left by lunch time and found another within the hour. I have worked in practically all fields of employment, eventually settling into one that I enjoy. It is a great pity that young people will never have that experience because the work is no longer there. The best advice is to get on an apprentice scheme (easier said than done - unless you get a prison sentence where you are placed on one) then to set up on your own. Or you could hang around a local garage and ask if you could help with the work until you have learned enough that they take you on.
Academics have been cheated. They were promised that after attending Universities and taking out massive loans, that work would be available to them with sufficiently high salaries with which to repay those loans. That was a lie for a huge number of academics with one, two and three degrees - some are really struggling, even with doctorates in engineering, construction, chemistry and physics, etc.,the type of people who could move technology forward but who are being denied the opportunity to do so, because they do not have the work experience which they cannot get until someone employs them.

[Chris R]

Realy wish a youngster of this age would read & reply to this thread. It must be a nightmare what to do when leaving school with very little qualifications.

[said]

Realy wish a youngster of this age would read & reply to this thread. It must be a nightmare what to do when leaving school with very little qualifications.

It will not be easy. Having said that, it is easier for under eighteens to be given work as they are on a lower pay.i.e Hositality sector such as Hotels or CF Global. Once they reach around eighteen they are then on the same rate as everyone else and it gets harder. I would suggest seeking an apprenticeship job - or joining the forces. Failing that, hang around a garage and offer to help out until one has learned enough that they can be taken on as a garage mechanic.

[The PNP]

....Failing that, hang around a garage and offer to help out until one has learned enough that they can be taken on as a garage mechanic.

Now there's a thought....With 'leccy cars set to be the next big thing, training up as an auto electrician would appear to offer a bright future.

In the same vein, there's an obvious opportunity to establish businesses specialising in the installation of home charging-points for electric vehicles. If I was younger, I might decide to give it a go!