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Teens hit hard in hunt for jobs (From Swindon Advertiser)
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with 'SWINDON NEWS'
Teens hit hard in hunt for jobs
10:50pm Wednesday 24th June 2009
SINCE leaving school a year ago Karina West has been turned down for more than 100 jobs.
But the 17-year-old is not alone. Karina is one of more than 1,500 unemployed youngsters in Swindon.
And, according to a new report, that number could treble over the next two years.
According to research institute Centre For Cities, the number of unemployed youngsters in Swindon has rocketed from 2.39 per cent in February last year to 7.67 per cent last month – the highest increase in the country.
Karina, who has never had a job, and currently lives with her parents in Stratton Road, Stratton, said: “I have been looking for an office administration job for about a year now.
“I was sending out three CVs a week at one point but now I am sending out less because I started to get disheartened about the whole thing.
“Most of my friends are unemployed, some go to college and others just keep looking for work, there is just nothing out there at the moment because of this recession.”
The former Kingsdown School pupil added: “I am losing hope at the minute, I have had two interviews out of all those applications.”
Despite failing to secure a full-time position, Karina says she is lucky because she has managed to enrol on a hairdressing course in September.
Her boyfriend Kristian Chichester, 19, from Hathaway Road, Upper Stratton, who is also unemployed, said most of his friends are currently unemployed and looking for work.
He said: “It is because of the recession, there are jobs out there but they are all skilled, usually ones that teenagers wouldn’t be able to get.”
Claire Maugham, a spokeswoman for Centre For Cities said: “Karina sounds exactly like the sort of person that suffers from the scarring effect.
“She sounds like the sort of person that would, under normal circumstances, already have got a job straight out of school.
“However, when people spend a long time unemployed early in their careers their futures suffer, whether that be her confidence, the way employers view her, or her skills going out of date.
“She is the kind of person that Government’s £1bm fund should be going to help, it should be a recession-fighting fund.”
She added that Swindon could receive more funding in the near future because of the large rise in youth unemployment.
Other cities in the north of England have higher youth unemployment but Claire said those are not as significant as Swindon because rates in those towns and cities began at higher levels.
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Your Say YourSwindon
Bobfm, South Marston says...
7:43am Thu 25 Jun 09
This is of course appalling but what does he do, his terms and conditions did not give him accommodation per say, he had been living there because it was not needed.
The irony is that another foreign worker who has a room in the house virtually lives with her boyfriend elsewhere.
Readers will remember I asked when the Jury Hotel opened how many of their staff were actually Swindonians. The answer was never forthcoming. I have had quite a few phone calls from school leavers, but like many small businesses I am not hiring.
I do feel sorry for those youngsters who want to work but what can businesses do when many are struggling to pay the staff they have.
Chowmai, Swindon says...
8:26am Thu 25 Jun 09
woodlums wrote:One way to gain experince and prove ones ability is to take up voluntary work.
teenagers now are in a catch 22 as most jobs advertised ask for experienced workers. how do they get experience if no-one will give them a job in the first place???
It shows a prospective employer that you have a work ethic, a provable voluntary employment history and the benefit of the experience gained whilst volunteering time.
And, school leavers have to start setting realistic goals for themselves. If you want a job as an Office Administrator and you have no experience then you have to lower your sights and seek work as an office 'junior' and work your way up.
I do not say this to belittle or criticise teenagers as I have found that in the main they are NOT the stereotypical hoodied yobs as portrayed in the media and in the commments section of this site.
Sadly we are in a recession and employers will be looking for those with the best skills for vacancies they have.
Its not impossible for anyone, whatever age, to find a voluntary placement to improve their employabilty, they just have to have the will to do so.
Bobfm, South Marston says...
8:59am Thu 25 Jun 09
The other problem of course is that this Government has created an environment where even 'voluntary stuff' should be rewarded. Look at the system of paying children to stay at school, how bizarre is that.
go4broke, swindon says...
9:13am Thu 25 Jun 09
Meanwhile, she can still look for employment...
nobody, Swindon says...
9:18am Thu 25 Jun 09
Bobfm, South Marston says...
9:41am Thu 25 Jun 09
As an employer one sees first hand the inability of some young persons to even write with clarity let alone spell.
go4broke, swindon says...
10:04am Thu 25 Jun 09
Bobfm wrote:It's what C.S Lewis called a society of "sub-literate" people: People that can read and write at a basic level, but sadly, not able to appreciate, for instance, the joy of literature.
nobody, sadly there is of course the issue, though denied, of qualification dumbing down. As an employer one sees first hand the inability of some young persons to even write with clarity let alone spell.
The world is a worse place for this, I'm sure.
ItsPavAgain, Swindon says...
10:27am Thu 25 Jun 09
Casual Observer, Swindon says...
10:53am Thu 25 Jun 09
Bob your grammar is laughable on many occasions and when you've had a few drinks it's positively hysterical.
I hardly think you are in a position to crow about the grammatical skills of your bar staff.
Bobfm, South Marston says...
11:37am Thu 25 Jun 09
ItsPavAgain, I don't know about National Service the PC brigade according to my son have made training recruits substantially more difficult, mind you the discipline certainly worked with him.
swindonistani, swindon says...
12:07pm Thu 25 Jun 09
There are plenty of opportunities for the ones that want to work and serve.
None might be glamourous or make you rich, but with hard work and saving hard, lots of things are available.
Shame our children have this want it now mentality, they would find dealing with the crisis easier like we did in the past: patience & hard work
coops300, Swindon says...
2:50pm Thu 25 Jun 09
babygirlzoe, Westlea says...
3:08pm Thu 25 Jun 09
give people a break please we need a job
bigbossman, swindon says...
3:52pm Thu 25 Jun 09
When there were lots of jobs available going straight into work and earning £14000 might have seemed great, but years later i'm sure a lot will regret that decision, when they see colleagues with a degree moving up the ladder much faster.
It could be a blessing for them to not be able to fing a job now, either get some academic qualifications or learn a trade, so you end up with a career.
go4broke, swindon says...
4:14pm Thu 25 Jun 09
babygirlzoe wrote:What was that on an earlier post about writing with clarity?
100 jobs is nothing i been looking for a job for four yeasr i have applied for 6500 jobs full time part time contract and have had not even ONE interview and a few replys saying sorry you are not sucessfull im only 20 and finding it hard as i live with my mum and job seekers dont last long with bills. I know how she feels. Its not right as were young we need a good start in life it use 2 be so easy but now its not why cant we get a break the government dont seem to be doing much even with the recession they seem to be spending more money we just had a new hotel open in swindon town centre. give people a break please we need a job
woodlums, highworth says...
6:40pm Thu 25 Jun 09
swindonistani wrote:i have 3 sons, 2 of whom are already in the armed forces (army). my third son of which i refer to in my original quote, has applied for the navy. but they have a year to 18 months waiting list to get in. whats he supposed to do in the mean time? i agree, the armed forces is a great career and i am profoundly proud of my boys serving their country but its not for everyone.
How about jobs in the armed forces, serving their beloved country, how about a job in the police to serve their community, or how about a job in education or care? There are plenty of opportunities for the ones that want to work and serve. None might be glamourous or make you rich, but with hard work and saving hard, lots of things are available. Shame our children have this want it now mentality, they would find dealing with the crisis easier like we did in the past: patience & hard work
babydollzoe, Westlea says...
6:44pm Thu 25 Jun 09
Casual Observer, Swindon says...
7:17pm Thu 25 Jun 09
babydollzoe, don't be put off by insensitive comments on here - in my view gaining success in life is 20% ability and 80% attitude.
Getting the second bit right will stand you in good stead, you can learn the rest as you go.
Failing either of these, you could always become a pub landlord.
Bobfm, South Marston says...
9:23am Fri 26 Jun 09
Ninety five percent of applications fail at this stage. So I would respectfully point out you would be wise not to reject advice, albeit in a rather sarcastic manner.
go4broke, swindon says...
9:52am Fri 26 Jun 09
The online government initiative "learn direct" (google it) offers training in Maths and English to GCSE grade C standard for free! There are centres in Swindon that you can attend and you won't have to pay a penny. Go for it!
bigbossman, swindon says...
12:17pm Fri 26 Jun 09
college is free for teenagers, and if you are from a poorer background you actually get paid £30 a week to go! So money isn't the problem with people going to college now.
I agree Uni can be expensive but the government gives loans and grants to help.
Unemployed teenagers Kristian Chichester and Karina West
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woodlums, highworth says...
7:14am Thu 25 Jun 09