Dear readers. Like the title implies, apologies are in order. I did promise to update this every day of my Options course. However it has been so fucking boring, I doubted any daily updates could be formed. I will be doing a post to fill you in of the last couple of weeks, and as a bonus my "future jobs" experience at a local recycling company.
Ok, so I have been on the course for a couple of weeks now. On my first day we had to sit in a small box room upstairs, as we were not trusted to be near a workman setting up a new water cooler. This was a confidence booster, "c'mon now jobless ones, a real worker is doing his job". The first day I really ruined my time there by reading all of the newspapers. This may seem an alien concept but the way to survive against boredom at TWL is to only skim the newspaper. Then you will at least have a new surprise each day.
As I have got into it more, My search for employment has increased but has become a lot less motivated. If you look on the internet everyday and read weeks old newspapers it seems like fewer vacancies are appearing.
We spend our days sat in a steaming hot office space reading battered and scribbled newspapers, sometimes I go downstairs to where I was with Gateway just to escape the stifling heat (they have many fans). The people who are in the rooms are people on all levels of the course, week 1-13. The main aim for most is too avoid a placement. Many keep score of how many weeks they have missed (9, I think is the current best).
The people there are a mix of people from those who are down on their luck, those who are very under qualified and people who simply don't want to work.
Once we have signed in, in the morning we grab a paper or a computer and start reading. I usually do this for the first hour downstairs and then venture back upstairs. After the first hour the whole working atmosphere has gone and everyone is just sat around and sharing stories.
I must admit that this is the part of TWL I do like, as I get to know the people who share the misfortune of being on this god awful course with me. The bottom line is, that 40-60 people are not going to be employed overnight by all reading papers, the Job Centre know this but say they only have contracts with one organisation "TWL".
The other day I was introduced to the big boss of the building who really belittled me for even the small asking of "where do I put this folder?". In this instance I have no other choice then to side with my fellow learners who describe her quite rightly as "A bitch on a power-trip".
Another tragic character at the centre is a "volunteer" who has finished his Options course and re-volunteered at the centre, as general office monkey.
This slightly annoys me as this person is not actively seeking employment and is rather resting their laurels on their volunteer position. I honestly wouldn't be bothered if when the office door was open, we all hear the person in question calling fellow learners "lazy bastards" and talking about dismissals.
Well that's about all from this scrounging bastard! due to start at a charity shop on Monday wish me luck !
No comments:
Post a Comment