Posted earlier this evening on a thread on workfare on the wall of Shoe Zone. Christian Garland What is being referred to of course, are the two vacancies at Shoe Zone in Manchester (Vacancy Reference Number VAC000398914) and Peterborough (Vacancy Reference Number VAC000401850), both delivered by Babcock Training Limited. In advance of you offering a PR response claiming this is not workfare, it needs to be stated that it most certainly is - and you know it. The vacancies seems to think that simulating an actual job vacancy advert - but stating the unpaid nature of this great opportunity for unemployed youth - will further help veil the true nature of what Apprenticeships are, that is, workfare. It is not difficult to see that what is being advertised, is not a high quality work experience placement, though Babcock and Shoe Zone hope they can make it appear so. This traineeship work experience is part of an education and training programme that is focused on giving young people the skills and experience that employers are looking for. At its core is work preparation training. At its core is making use of unpaid labour which makes use of youth unemployment without actually doing the slightest in giving anyone preparation for work, with the awareness that costs are £0.00 for Shoe Zone and Babcock will get its fee. That is in effect how the billion pound workfare industry makes its money, cashing in on the misery of others, all the while using positive thinking twaddle to claim this to be about empowerment and fulfilling potential. The other favourite is overcoming barriers to employment, this biggest of those however, being what it always was: unemployment. No actual, paid employment is involved in this cynical sham, and no training is given beyond anything that is not quickly acquired on the job - when someone is recruited for a paid role - but such an arrangement does allow the DWP to reclassify those unfortunate enough to be sent on it, as no longer being unemployed, so the ONS total can *appear* to be lower than it is. It is interesting to hear, Traineeships offer clear progression routes within the industry to those interested in a career in Retail. What exactly is the clear progression since after the substantial amount of time the young person - who remains without actual work - has been made use of at a branch of Shoe Zone, and expected to put in another 30 hours including off the job training, there is only the possibility of paid employment dependent on vacancies and suitability? The work experience with Shoe Zone will mean you will be offered work experience each week, in conjunction with “off the job training”...It isnt work experience though, but exploitation, and it really isnt offered to anyone, but uses plenty of fake smiles and first names to try to hide the *compulsion* at its core. An offer you cant refuse is no offer at all, but the big game of pass-the-parcel that comprises the world of tendering and contracting out, allows all those involved to say Not us! the moment they are faced with criticism for choosing to play. We dont force anyone to be there, We dont sanction anyone, blah, blah blah. The evil twin of PR technical pedantry speaks. So whilst *technically* true, that is a very long way from an honest statement of facts or what underline them. Technical pedantrys twin, ambiguity makes something *sound like* something it actually isnt, and when used at the same time, can be overwritten by pointing out that it was not what was actually said. PR and also advertising, marketing and sales just love them both. Apprenticeships claim to provide training to support your job search and applications, so a useful reminder - as if one were needed - that those working unpaid at Shoe Zone and getting unaccredited qualifications for their trouble such as a certificate of completion, will still be applying for jobs in the meantime - something they would be doing anyway, and have much more time to devote to were they not having to jump through hoops for Babcock and complete worthless training at the same time. Learning is work-based, but the young inductees must also attend to “off the job training” as well, supposedly to give valuable knowledge which will prove essential when applying for a job, but once again, it doesnt at all, and offers no openings to speak of either, so really nothing more than an unemployed young person could get through their own efforts until they manage to snare something, and which would meanwhile at least not raise their hopes and insult their intelligence. Shoe Zone withdrew from earlier versions of what is referred to using the umbrella term workfare, so it really needs to re-think involvement in this latest workfare sham, which does nothing for its reputation - thank you.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Mar 2014 22:37:54 +0000
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