Now I'm really depressed :(

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Well just starting to get nervous about this course tomorrow. Good to have had several emails from people here and on LinkedIn wishing me well so thanks for those.

A couple of job prospects have cropped up over the weekend via the Uni job service so I'll be asking for time off straight away to deal with them - especially as the closing date is Tuesday for one of them.

I've also covered my arse by emailing my Jobcentre adviser and telling her what's going on and that I'll be asking for the time off. I've justified it by saying :

Bearing in mind that over the last 18 months I have –

1) Paid for my CV to be professionally prepared (UK Career Services Ltd) – 2 copies for IT Manager and a general “management” one with 6 rewrites still available to me under the contract
2) Had an additional ½ hour CV consultation with The Fuller CV
3) Attended a consultation session (3 hours) with Proteus Career Consultancy
4) Attended a CV workshop (July 2009) arranged by Creative Leadership Ltd
5) Organised a Job Night event (March 2009) with employers, recruiters and the unemployed for and via my professional body – BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT
6) Arranged frequent networking with my peers via BCS monthly events and via LinkedIn (a professional online networking site)
7) Receive regular daily emails from up to 50 online recruitment websites which I follow up on an individual basis each day (and will be unable to do so whilst on the course)

I do not consider my above requests for time away from the course to be unreasonable.

After that, tbh, if they don't play ball I'm likely to walk out and stuff 'em !

(or maybe they could pay me and I'll run the course ! )

 

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Best of luck for tomorrow mate. Sounds like its going to be a test of your patience. Hope the job prospects come through for you. Telling the Job Centre you found a job yourself has a certain feeling of smug satisfaction about it.

Maria

 

Too darn right !

 

Well I'm back home after just 1 morning session

Let's just say I'd rather doss on the streets than attend the course

I'll post later on when I'm calmer and have chased up a few jobs

 

Why don't you? ..everybody else seems to be doing it

Chin up mate! Hopefully these potential jobs will pull through

 

Aah, feeling nice and calm today

To recap on yesterday at Colditz

1) course in room 94, neter main building and follow signs which end up in a dead end cul-de-sac and no room 94. Asked at Reception to be toild the room is in another building on opposite side of campus (course being held at local college)

2) first one in, advised tutor I needed the afternoon off to follow up on two jobs from Uni Jobshop that came in over weekend. Also advised I needed Weds afternoons off (MSc - finally agreed by Jobcentre) and on the last Friday I have an hour long appt at dentist for crowns to be fitted. Was promptly told that missing more thantwo sessions would mean I woud be thrown off the course (!) and sanctions applied (scary !). Resolved by saying I would take it up with my adviser at Jobcentre

3) other "inmates" started to appear - one lad who used to work in a bank seemed ok and was also unimpressed with the course. Rest were real "deadheads" with obviously no interest in finding work

4) Commandant laid down the rules with help of assistant - say no more !

5) Told we would produce a CV to take away at the end of the coursebut it had to be using their template and not anything we already had (hmmmn). Then told we had to apply for a minimum of 16 jobs whilst on the course and from that room (i.e. anything done at home did not count) and it had to be done using their CV (Huh ?!)

6) phone/fax in room kept going off and seemingly no control over participants and constant mobiles ringing

7) told we could use the phone in room to ring up about jobs and we could go outside in the corridor for "privacy" if we wanted - odd that as you could hear every word of people speaking outside (!)

8 ) constant noise and shouting from room next door (heaven knows what class was being "taught" in there !)

9) told we would be completing induction for first day i.e. paperwork

10) day 2 would be transported some 30 odd miles away to an "adventure centre" for team building by doing archery, shooting, climbing etc - so still nothing involving applying for jobs (!)

At this point I must say I came home at lunchtime, spent a productive afternoon on the phone applying for two council jobs and have absolutley no intention of returning to the course regardless of consequences (enough is enough).

My fears were comepltely satisfied - I was sat next to an ex jailbird (he wrote it on his CV) who answered a question about what additional help/assistance he might require with "make a wish" He also seemd very interested in watching me write my address and phone number on forms (!!!) - I'm now hiring guard dogs !

The look into this world of the longterm unemployed was not at all pleasant and, although I am resolved not to continue the course at any cost (even loss of benefits), if nothing else it has given me a kick up the pants which, maybe, was needed.

Lots of possibilities with contacts have come up in the last few days as well as job opportunities and I feel re-energised to tackle them.

A big "thank-you" goes to all here and on LinkedIn who have offered their support - you've no idea how helpful that is compared to the attitude presented by those who are supposedly trying to assist you back to work (i.e. Jobcentre) !

 

ugh
nevermind mate... i'm sure one of these jobs will pull through

fingers crossed

 

Wow! That is the biggest waste of money ever (second only to the money they're wasting on sending you to Stalag 19 in the first place). A team building exercise for people who don't need to work as a team.