I’ve just finished updating my “Jobsearch Diary”, so I thought I’d take a few minutes to post a few thoughts about the process, and some thoughts on the role of external New Deal Providers, when it comes to effective jobsearching… Read More…
A4e – Internal Investigations & My Progress upto February 23rd[long post]
I had my first appoinment with an “Employment Coach” today. For those wondering, A4e caterogise their staff as folllows:
- Personal Career Coach (Who I’ve been dealing with up until now)
- Trainers (Who provide in-house training – more on this later)
- Employment Coach (From the “Promotional book” – “…Your Employment Coach will help you to obtain both work placements and long-term employment. In short, they’ll create employment opportunities for you…”)
- In-Work Mentor (Offer support while you’re in work).
So how did I get to this stage? I guess I’d better catch up on what’s been happening the last few months while I haven’t been super-active in keeping this blog updated.
A story I’d like to tell…
There’s a story I’d like to tell on here, but unfortunately it’s going to have to wait, either until I secure a position somewhere, or I finish FND. It’s worth the wait, however – believe me 
Until then, however, you’re going to have to put up with more boring updates about what’s happening – or more specifically what’s not happening, whilst I’m on FND
JobCentrePlus.gov.uk – Closing on March 31st 2010.
A few weeks ago I mentioned the change to Online Jobsearch, and how customers are now expected to use Direct.Gov, which in my opinion is inferior to the existing system (and that’s saying something). Luckily, there’s a workaround you can use to access the original system, however it doesn’t look like it’ll work for much longer. Having just accessed the site to perform my jobsearch activities, I spotted the following message:
This site is closing on 31 March 2010. All jobs found on this site are available on the DirectGov website. Find a job now using the jobs and skills search
Please save ‘jobs and skills’ as one of your favourite internet pages. The site will also allow you to search for training, careers or voluntary work.
Bydd y safle hwn yn cau ar 31 Mawrth 2010. Mae pob swydd sydd ar y safle hwn ar gael ar wefan DirectGov. Dewch o hyd i swydd nawr drwy ddefnyddio chwiliad swyddi a sgiliau
Arbedwch ‘swyddi a sgiliau’ fel un o’ch hoff dudalennau’r gwefan. Bydd y safle hefyd yn eich caniatáu i chwilio am hyfforddiant, gyrfaoedd a gwaith gwirfoddol.
So it looks like Jobseekers are going to have to either make-do with the inferior option over on Direct.Gov, or failing that, either use the terminals within the Jobcentres, or phone JobSeeker Direct (and incur the related costs).
Updates coming – For real this time…
I’ve been a bit quiet recently, as not a lot has been happening, but I’m hoping to have a few posts written and uploaded, before the end of the week.
Due to Sign-on Today…
Just a quick post – basically I’m due to “sign-on” today, down at my local jobcentre. Now I’m not sure how it works in other JobCentres, but I know if I phone my local centre, to see if theyr’e open, they’ll insist that I come down – even if they’re not actually signing people on.
It happened a few years ago – I phoned the Jobcentre, was told to come down, the buses weren’t running, so I walked the two miles to the jobcentre, only to find that while it was open, they weren’t signing people on – everyone due to sign-on that day, had been automatically processed.
It made me smile, because although the staff are excused from turning up, us “dole scum” aren’t afforded such luxury.
The other irony, of course is the Government issued Travel Advice – Only travel if it’s absolutely essential. From my pov a trip down to the Jobcentre isn’t all that essential, however, getting my JSA next week most certainly is.
DirectGov Jobsearch – Completely useless.
I’m due to sign-on on Thursday, so I’m just updating my jobsearch “diary” for the jobsearch that I’ve done since I last visited my local JCP. Which means, using the JobCentre Plus website, to search for new vacancies.
Now, while the “original” system wasn’t perfect, it was at least useable. The new version, located over at DirectGov, is quite honestly, appalling. It’s completely unintuitive, and makes searching for vancancies a lot, lot more difficult, and time consuming, than the old system.
If I were a cynical person, I’d say they’ve removed the “original” jobsearch website, not in order to streamline everything under the DirectGov banner, but to draw more traffic to JobSeekers Direct, in order to generate additional revenue.
Update -> The “original” version is still online, for the moment – though for how long, I’m not sure. It isn’t linked from the JobCentrePlus website, but if you type in the old address, it’ll work.
Reforms to Local Housing Allownace delayed until 2011?!?
From Page 79 of the Pre-Budget Report:
Pre-Budget Report: Welfare / Benefits specific details:
- Child & Disability Benefits up 1.5% in April,
- Specialist support for the Over 50s, to help then find work,
- Reduced Number of hours needed to work, by the Over 65s, before they’re eligible for Working Tax Credits,
- Guarantee that everyone coming off benefits, into work, will be better off,
- Basic state pension up 2.5% in April,
- Guaranteed training or work for unemployed under 24 year olds, who’ve been out of work for 6+ months,
- 50p per month tax duty, on landlines, to pay for “High Speed Broadband upgrades”,
- Free School Meals, extended to an extra 500,000 children,
NO Announcement Re: Changes to the Housing Benefit System, specifically changes to Local Housing Allowance rates.
I’m not dead – Honest :)
Just a very, very quick update – Unfortunately I haven’t really felt “in the mood” for any real updates – I’m not sure if I mentioned it, but I badly damaged my ankle a few weeks ago, and it’s “knocked me about” more than I thought – however, there are updates and article ideas floating around in my head, so hopefully, at somepoint in the near future, they should make it onto the screen
