I HATE TEENAGERS!!

[2002EarlMarischal]

Returning to topic gentlemen.......

Did anyone watch "The Town that Never Retired" programme last night where Nick Hewer and Margaret Mountford (former sidekicks of Sir Alan Sugar) examined the relative merits of 70 year olds returning to the working environment against unemployed teenagers being given the same opportunities?

The difference in attitude, work ethic etc was startling, though not surprising. Interesting TV though for once.

[harvester]

My first steam? Probably something LMS or a WD in Horbury Cutting next to Slazenger's Cricket ground, where my father used to play in summer. We boys would drink pop, help with the scoreboard, then run down to the fence as soon as we heard anything coming - which was pretty often in those days. Once the bug hit we would route our Sunday walks past the railway (we had no television until 1964) and in summer be in time for the "ten past eighter": Mars, Glorious, Dauntless and 45517, the unnamed Patriot, were the regulars on the run.

Why the switch to the LNER? Well after I had finally saved up the 2/6 to buy an Ian Allen for the Eastern and North Eastern Region - after all, we lived in the North East - I was horrified to find it had no 4ers, just 6ers! When I asked around, I was told the place to go was Wakefield Westgate. Wow, real engines! I think my first spot was Papyrus pulling the down Queen of Scots. After that, no looking back.

Peter

A Haymarket A3 to start with!, but I well remember Dauntless, Glorious, Mars and 45517. The the WDs that clanked their way down the Calder Valley. But my first "namer" was 61040 Roedeer I saw it many times over the years but always in appalling external condition.

[strang steel]

Returning to topic gentlemen.......

Did anyone watch "The Town that Never Retired" programme last night where Nick Hewer and Margaret Mountford (former sidekicks of Sir Alan Sugar) examined the relative merits of 70 year olds returning to the working environment against unemployed teenagers being given the same opportunities?

The difference in attitude, work ethic etc was startling, though not surprising. Interesting TV though for once.

No, I didn't see that, but I am not surprised. However, the work ethic is not what many employers consider the first priority these days. They are more interested in how little wages they can get away with paying, and in that case the teenager will win hands down.

[Boris]

I wonder if this system still applies?

Some years ago I was thinking of starting a business and went to somewhere in Leeds where they gave you a load of govenment info.

One thing that has stuck in my mind was they told me to employ some callow youth and they would subsidise his wage for a year.

After that I was to sack him and they would subsidise another for the second year,this way it kept thier numbers up of finding employment for younger kids

I kept the lad for the first year,then found out he was so good I could stay at home most of the time, so I kept him on and took another, subsidised, to help him out.

Watching the progamme,Thank god my guys were better than those erks

[strang steel]

Yes Boris, that is exactly the experience my youngest son had.

He was taken on aged 16, for a 6 month period by a plant nursery, where his minimum wage was subsidised by the government as part of the plan to reduce the unemployment rates of those leaving school with few qualifications.

He is dyslexic and had always found exams extremely difficult because he could not understand many of the questions.

I was happy for him to have found work, but feared for what might happen at the end of the 6 months when he would no longer be a statistic that the politicians could boast about, but he was so good at the work that his employer kept him on, and he is still there 13 years later as one of the senior employees.

However much the over 65s believe they should have the right to carry on working, I think they ought to think of those at the beginning of their potential careers, whose need to earn money is far greater than those who could retire and live on their pension.

[PGBerrie]

A Haymarket A3 to start with!

Somehow Papyrus and the Queen of Scots are linked in my brain, but it might not have been that way.

However much the over 65s believe they should have the right to carry on working, I think they ought to think of those at the beginning of their potential careers, whose need to earn money is far greater than those who could retire and live on their pension.

With the current shortage of engineers, a lot of employers would be happy if people stayed on longer. Also, with less people coming up behind and no other economic model than "growth, growth, growth" in view, we are all going to have to work longer anyway.

Peter

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up!

There is a problem.

Firms are getting rid of their older workers because they have to pay 'em too much and getting kids in who know nowt. When you are in any business, it helps to have someone with experience on hand to advise and guide. B&Q get this right by employing older folk who know what they are talking about when faced with a question of "How do I do this?" rather than Wickes etc where you get a fresh-faced youngster who guesses.

If we are to work longer, which looks inevitable, then we need to change the business world's outloook on older people because, at the moment, a "Youthful, Mobile Image" is regarded as better than folk with some experience.

For example, my father was a time-served fitter who spent 6 years of his life learning his job. A modern appreantice does it in 18 months. Can't be compared, really, can it?

[PGBerrie]

Apprenticeships still go the full distance here - I think some even for four years. The system is supported by employers and unions alike, and the number of vacancies and contracts each year is national news. I don't recall much of the like in England when I was young, which is a pity because what makes news is less likely to be handbagged out of existence.

Peter

[Blink Bonny]

Ay up, Peter!

Nah, our Press tend to be rather fond of nasty things happening and tend to ignore good news.

However, Mrs BB is being driven mad by her class. She teaches Special Needs kids. I do a bit with them from a position in the background, mostly taking piccies and the like, plus performing admin tasks.

A room full of kids is enough to give me nightmares!

What always amazes me is most of our kids look like Trouble. Once you crack the shell, decent kids lurk beneath. The trick is to get their attention.