Unemployment and Careers Advisors

Radio 4 – PM

17 February 2012

Eddie Mair

Eddie: Here’s what [name omitted] wrote.

I have had 2 years and 2 months being patronised by JobCentre Plus staff and their sub-contracted advisors.  I do not need "help" getting a job.  I can read and write and yes, I have maths O-level (as well as a qualification in architecture, which was a 7 year course).

Eddie: So the reason [name omitted] doesn’t have a job?

It is really very simple.  There is no work.  And, it's nothing to do with my CV, presentation at interview or other spurious psycho babble presented at courses to "help" the unemployed.

The only use these courses have is to keep the presenter employed.

For God's sake stop putting the blame on unemployed people (reinforced by JobCentre Plus processes).  It is very misplaced and to be quite honest, insulting.

Every time I go into town there is yet another shop closed.  Does no one notice?

By the way, I have had no financial help from the Government but have been living on my future.  As someone not too far from retirement age, this is very worrying.

Eddie: [Name omitted] has a similar view of the experts in spying this employment opportunity.

Set up as a careers advisor.  No intelligence or training required.

9.9% fall in University applications in England (2012/13)

Well done the two c-words (Cameron and Clegg).  We can now look forward to a less educated workforce.  I wonder how this will impact on rebalencing the economy towards high-tech manufacturing?  Don't people in that sector need to be highly educated?

Yet another example of the Law of Unintended Consequences?  Or maybe this Government is deliberately trying to trash the future?

I think that the Government needs to work out how free further education used to be affordable.  A well educated workforce benefits all and not just the individual.  Charging for education is so wrong ...it kills the future.  Demotivating an entire generation is really not clever.

Acts of Union 1707

The Scottish National Party's call for an independent Scotland is divisive, destructive and dangerous.  It is as relevant today as the wish to restore the Kings of Wessex to the throne.  I mean Alfred the Great was a most extraordinary monarch.

Alex Salmond needs to take heed from past wisdom - "United we stand, divided we fall" (Aesop and many others).

United we can take on the World.  Divided we will wither and die (metaphorically of course).

Keep the Kingdom United!

"Men in the game are blind to what men looking on see clearly" (Chinese proverb).

Advertising on the BBC

As someone who is never influenced by advertising, I was very concerned to hear that the BBC is going to permit advertising on the World Service.  This is the thin end of the wedge, as once advertising is permitted true independence is lost.  Would the BBC now run a damaging story on a key advertiser?  Well, without advertising that question never needs to be asked and that is the point.

The BBC must at all times and in all places be an advertising free zone otherwise respect for the institution will start to decline Worldwide.  In suggesting this, Jim Egan has demonstrated that he clearly does not understand how precious the BBC is to the World and in my view he should be sacked immediately. Or at the very least his stupid ideas should be consigned to the bin.

Adverts drive me to distraction.  I hate them with a passion.  If I want to buy anything, I seek out reliable third party independent research on products and services.  I identify the best value and most affordable for me and then buy it.  I do not rely on the lies we are fed through advertising.

Who should manage design?

From a thread on LinkedIN dated 16 December 2011:

Design Management is very simple.

1)  Make a list of what design information is required to execute the contract

2)  Decide who is to produce what, particularily who is co-ordinating the design

3)  Decide when it is to be done by to allow sufficient time for procurement and construction to take place within the contract programme

4)  Decide who needs what information during the design process

5)  Do it

Architects are generally rubbish at this, which is why contractors employ Design Managers.

If Architects do not want to loose this skill set as well as having already lost Project Management, then Architects must take the responsibility as leader of the design team and effectively manage the design team.  It really is not that hard.

I am both a Chartered Architect and a Design Manager with many projects under my belt.

All the answers can be found in "Co-ordinated Project Information for building works, a guide with examples" published November 1987 (and in previous and later CPI publications).  There ain't nuthin’ new!

What UK building do you hate the most?

From a discussion thread on LinkedIN dated 16 December 2011:

Sorry, I do not "hate" any building, as I am not a 'Style Fascist'.  Why should I impose my aesthetic prejudice on others? I would however say that I am bored with flat roofed rendered buildings with a few garden sheds nailed up one side.  No, "hate" is what I exclusively reserve for politicians and bankers.

If we'd followed the "haters", the Palace of Westminster would have never been built.  Some prominent people of the time “hated” the Gothic Revival.

I admit that Park Hill in Sheffield is not to everyone's taste (and not to mine) but the point is that it is to someone's taste.  "Hate" is a very strong and dangerous word but I appreciate that this is just a bit of fun to while away the hours waiting for the economy to get better.

I am also so bored with Planners imposing their aesthetic prejudices on Architects.  That is probably why some buildings are "hated"?  Let Architects do what they are trained to do and let Planners colour in maps.

Please get my hometown Effin recognised

I love the classic IT stupidity of Facebook refusing to accept Effin as a place.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Please-get-my-hometown-Effin-recognised/187201111369125

Good luck with the campaign!