If you are am employer who cannot find qualified staff, blame
yourself.
There are tens of thousands of highly qualified and skilled
people who can do the jobs you require.
DO NOT blame the person you need when they see jobs with long hours and minimum wages, it's easier for an engineer to do petty jobs for the same pay, often for less hours.
DO NOT blame the person you need when you demand six programming languages and then offer pathetic pay. I know of one who can do machine code to C++ java script, macromedia director, Lightwave etc to the latest HTML implements and who writes superb programmes used by top news firms, but who cannot get a job as a programmer. He has to drive taxis. Don't blame the skilled people either give the job and pay due, or stop bleating.
DO NOT blame the person you need when you demand long hours. Far better to offer what hours they want, then encourage them to stay. Better half a loaf than none at all. My last emplyer said I did thirce the work of the previos draughtraman. So employ the best for 10, 20 hours a week and get 30, 60 hours work.
DO NOT blame the person you need if you demand silly government
qualifications for everything. People simply don't want to spend
much of their lives getting pieces of worthless paper, simply
for complying with rediuculaous ammounts of EU regulations. If
you want the job done, then simply employ someone who can do it.
-
If you need the latest piece of paperwork then YOU have the
problem, not the person who can do the job. Employ them anyway,
then get the paperwork sorted while doing the job. Change the
job descitiopn, redesign the product, modify the specification.
Lobby parliament to get the crap cleaned out of EU regulations.
Do not blame the person who can do the job.
I am often been told I'm overqualifed for the job. Conversely,
my Autocad 11 was not adequate as the employer wanted Autocad
12. No one could applly for the job, as the jobcentre girl would
not put me and others on the list, so there were no apllicants
after three weeks. Blame yourself, Blame the jobcentres. Don't
blame the worker. Employers cause the problems.
I think you get the picture.
If you need advice finding staff, please e-mail me. I know the other side of the story, that employers and agencies have not the foggiest about.
Here's a letter recently published in the local press.
Dear Sir,
I have just heard the news: One in four firms cannot find
qualified staff.
As just one of many thousands who apply to these firms and
employment agencies, I'm something of an expert in the problem.
I can open the eyes of employers who cannot find qualified
staff. The problem is in two parts. 'Firms cannot find', and
'Qualified staff'.
Qualifications first, here is a cautionary note. Trained as an
engineer and draughtsman, my Jobcentre advised me to retrain as
a technology teacher. Like an idiot, I took their advice, and
have been unemployed for six years.
To give them their due, the Jobcentre tried to enlist me in the
army, until I pointed out an obvious age limit. On far too many
occasions I'm told that I am overqualified. Plant engineer, lab
technician, teacher, engineer, the list is interesting and long.
Not wishing to sit on my butt, I did an O.U. science degree, yet
still remain unemployed, in a country supposedly desperate for
science and technology teachers. A local school even had the
audacity to state in writing by the board of governors that my
B.Ed, and B.Sc. are 'not suitable' for a part time school
laboratory technician.
Let's face facts. Neither adults nor our kids have any hope from
a British education system so stupid that it holds British
education and science degrees in complete and utter contempt. So
much for being qualified.
Sorry folks, but there is something wrong, and its simply not my
being male and over forty. It is much, much wider than that. I
decided to find out more.
Now for 'Firms cannot find. . .' As an interesting sociology
project, I recommend profiling the modern personnel manger and
the politically correct 'human resources manager', it's a
frightening experience. It's even more frightening as they are
supposed to be 'gatekeepers'. (Are humans resources, or are we
people?)
Any reasonably competent firm should employ a gatekeeper to
ensure they have sufficiently wide and experienced knowledge and
skills to expand or improve the firm. Only similar incompetence
by competitors will save them. The underlying problems are
politically incorrect, but any reasonably intelligent person can
figure it out.
Clue One. A friend and I applied for the same job as a lab technician. (Plymouth university.) Despite only a tenth of my relevant knowledge, she got the job. I, not even an interview. I now help her with the maths she needs. She finds the job difficult and often takes sick leave. I could do the job blindfolded. She is embarrassed.
Clue Two. I recently walked past my local school as an open air science lesson was being taught. It was flawed by a fundamental lack of understanding by the teacher. I suspect our children will soon leave school worse than a generation ago. Employers who can't find qualified staff now, will find it much worse all too soon.
From a little research and first hand experience, I have
observed that many local firms are now so 'organised' that they
actually discriminate against, and filter out the qualified
people they seek.
British firms are now so anal, (to use an Americanism,) that
they actively castrate their own long term prospects. Yes, they
are that stupid, there is no other explanation. Strange times
indeed. I can only refer them to the works of Tom Peters.
Throughout history, Britain has traditionally wasted far too
many good brains. We are so good at it, that a professional
careers advisor, paid by our government, has advised me that I
should leave my qualifications off my CV if I want to find work.
Today, we can no longer afford this level of stupidity. When
Britain goes down the toilet, there will be many thousands, just
like me who are only too happy to pull the flush. If employers
are too stupid to tap this wealth of expertise, at a time when
they need it to offset the onslaught of multinational
take-overs, then heaven help us all.
This traditional British sickness is spreading, and personnel
managers(esses) are the plague vector.
Open your eyes. If you look closely, you will see that the original statement is indeed correct. One in four firms cannot find qualified staff.
John Partridge.
Email jhpart@btinternet.com
Where are all the engineers, technicians, scientists ? - Just
ask !
For employers who haven't the slightest clue, I now run the SSR
Southwest skills register for the vast army of unused skilled
people, where employers can access those with the skills they
need. I do not charge a penny for the service, but expect high
standards. Search SSR or email me above including SSR in text.
Always try to improve society rather than just
take from it. Until then, lawyer stuff. Copying, duplication or
transmission of this material whole or in part is not permitted
without the written permission of the author. The contents of
this text are for illustrative purposes only. Errors and
omissions excepted. Contents subject to change without notice.
All material herein is subject to copyright, patent and other
intellectual property rights. All rights reserved. Copyright (C)
J.Partridge. 2003.