Youth Unemployment in the Digital Age

For many centuries, the process of turning wool into thread was performed with the aid of various simple contraptions involving spinning a wheel by hand or a foot pedal. The lumps of cotton would be fed into the simple machine, stretched and twisted by a spindle into long threads ready to be woven into cloth to make garments.  People had been spinning thread like that for hundreds of years, making enough for their own domestic use, or on very limited scales.

One day in 1720, Mr and Mrs Hargreaves from Lancashire gave birth to a bouncing baby boy who they named James. James’ parents were quite poor and so it was, James never went to school; he never learnt to read or write. However in 1764, James Hargreaves invented a spinning machine that would eventually revolutionize the Textile industry. Hargreaves’ invention (The Spinning Jenny), made it possible for spinners to increase their output by a factor of 8, thus laying the foundation for the industrialization of weaving.

From the late 1700s, with key innovations like the Spinning Jenny, Britain led the rest of the world through a massive explosion of achievements from agriculture, transport, technology and communications.  This exciting period in world history would later become known as the “Industrial Revolution.”

By the early 1800s, the industrial revolution was spreading and evolving faster than it could be controlled. It was affecting people’s lives in ways that couldn’t have previously been imagined.  Innovations in production saw factories springing up quickly to meet demand.  However, such production was labour intensive and as a result, armies of men, women and children from the ranks of the underprivileged were recruited to mine raw materials and operate the various machines needed to increase output to match the insatiable demand for new products.

No one was prepared for the rapid pace of industrialization and innovation during this period. It was impossible to command a big picture of how things were evolving and the impact such massive growth would have on society as a whole. Little wonder then that there were no laws in place to protect the workers and with no labour laws to regulate their activities, employers pushed their workers to the limit. Men women and children worked 12-14 hours a day in deplorable (often inhumane) conditions, for very low wages.

The Factory Act of 1833 was the first meaningful law which helped to protect children in that it limited work for children aged 9-13 in textile factories to no more than 48 hours a week. This was followed by the Mines Act 1842 which prohibited women as well as boys and girls under the age of 10 from working underground. Things were pretty tough back then.

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The introduction of the World Wide Web in 1991, marked the beginning of the Internet Revolution. This new Information Age is a shift away from the old analogue methodologies and paradigms that were the backbone of the age of industrialization. Automation (the use of computers to control machines that do the work of humans) has replaced the human labour intensiveness that characterised the industrial revolution.  

The rapid growth and evolution of this new digital age, has caused seismic disturbances in every type of industry and has created new threats to employment. But just as it was at the onset of the Industrial revolution, it is impossible to forecast the full extent the internet age will have on society. But as the rate of innovation increases, it is clear that the demand for new skills will also increase and in contrast; the skills that were so in demand under the old industrial world, are becoming obsolete, therein lays the very real threat to employment.

It is with this rapidly shifting technological backdrop that we find not only a glut of workers with obsolete skills but also a younger generation (people between the ages of 18-24) from less privileged origins who cannot compete in the job market to fill the demand for rapidly changing skill sets.

Notwithstanding the fact that youth unemployment rates are always higher than adult unemployment rates, in this technological age education is all the more crucial.

In the industrial age, it didn’t matter that James Hargreaves was illiterate, that was not an obstacle to inventing the Spinning Jenny. But if Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Ellison, and Elon Musk were illiterate, our 21^st century would look very different indeed.

As the pace of innovation increases, new industries and markets will emerge and existing businesses will find themselves threatened by competitive pressures that were not even relevant last year and in turn they will struggle to prepare for, or respond to those threats… This makes sense if their entire business proposition is based upon the Industrial World order (The old way). Many of these businesses may well see the need to shift their thinking in response to the digital disruption of their market, but even so, many may not have a coherent strategy to deal with those threats and wouldn’t really know what skills to employ to successfully compete in the new marketplace. What we are witnessing is the demise of the traditional business model.

Governments should recognize that the only way to combat youth unemployment in the digital age is through an education policy geared to meet this new reality. For example, perhaps it would be prudent to make coding and internet technology mandatory subjects just like reading, writing and mathematics in secondary schools.

For young people currently between the ages of 18-24, perhaps the UK Government could take a page out of Germany’s book and offer free university or technical college places to academically qualified people.

Perhaps government could have a flat minimum wage rate for all workers including 16 year olds and those on an apprenticeship. And speaking of apprenticeships, perhaps government could create a series of programmes which incentives industry to take on and train under qualified youth with the real prospect of a job at the end of the programme. 

Perhaps government could stop demonising and punishing unemployed young people and instead focus energy and money on creating and publicising high quality vocational courses aimed at meeting the skills demanded by industry, instead of the odd 2 week course in hairdressing.

These measures, combined into a comprehensive, coherent and well publicised strategy would drastically reduce youth unemployment in the 21^st century and make Britain better positioned to take on the challenges of the future as the digital era unfolds.

Mike Enwright

Centre for Leadership and Management Development

18-36 Wellington Street

Woolwich

SE18 6PF

02083177380

www.clmd.org.uk

How to go for the job you want...

Do not HIDE: Get the job you want…

There are many articles written about the ways in which people lie to us. They often explain the signs that we should look for and how to deal with someone when they lie. The police commonly use these tell tale signs to ascertain whether or not someone is telling the truth.  But rarely is anything ever written about how we can decipher if we are being dishonest with ourselves.                                                                                                                                       

On a daily basis here at CLMD, we have young people coming in to see us with the idea of what they think they might want to do with their future. Often these ideas are formulated around preconceived notions based on their social status or what others may have done before them.

Often, once we have spoken to the young people around us we see that they may have been deceiving themselves all along; too nervous to really take a chance on what they want so they go along with what they think is acceptable.

Some think they are not capable, some are following their peers, whilst others might deem themselves too inexperienced to know what they truly want to do. 

I constantly hear at CLMD that students think travelling into central London is ‘too far’.  However we are only in Woolwich, the distance is not too great and the jobs often pay far better.  Also, there are thousands of incredibly successful people working in London that commute in from much further afield.  When I get to the crux of it, one of the key reasons why some service users don’t want to go into the city for work is because they believe everyone there to be ‘posh’ or ‘stuck up’.  Having myself worked in many different countries, I believe Central London to be one of the most vibrant and brilliant places to work, learn and grow as a person in the world. But, perception is everything, and unfortunately some of our candidates would rather miss an opportunity than risk working in a place they wrongly believe that they may not be accepted. 

Blaming other people for the things that are happening around us is a great tell tale sign that you might be deceiving yourself. As an adult, realistically the only person responsible for you is you. So what if the people who work in a certain part of town behave in a certain way? If they are doing the job you want to do then either change yourself or change their perception, but always remember to be an individual. No one should put anyone down. Take the chance and go for the interview in the part of town you think you may not belong in. You may find that the people are friendly, helpful and that you have access job opportunities you otherwise would not have had.

Getting my students to re-examine their perceptions as well as working on their internal messages and self-esteem have been a massive part in changing their attitudes and getting them to try and enjoy new experiences.

Tell-tale signs that you may not be happy with the path you have chosen:

Vices i.e. drinking and taking drugs – this is a clear sign that you are trying to hide from your true feelings and emotions about the situation that you find yourself in.

Not doing what you say you will: Calling into work sick, not turning up to appointments and interviews as well as turning up late are all signs that you are not happy with direction you are headed in. Think about how different you are when you’re really interested in something and this will motivate you to feel that much better all of the time.  This will then, through positive steps, lead us to stop lying to ourselves. To apply for an apprenticeship programme visit. www.clmd.org.uk/apply

Cedainne Hart

Centre for Leadership and Management Development

18-36 Wellington Street

Woolwich

SE18 6PF

02083177380

Website www.clmd.org.uk

Facebook.com/CLMDUK

Instagram: Clmdrecruit

Twitter:CLMD123

 

 

Why is Maths Important?

Why is maths important?

Daily I deal with the question. Why is maths important? Or what will I need this for in the real world? In short my answer is always that Maths gives young people a powerful set of tools to use in understanding and changing the world in which they live to develop logic, reasoning,  problem-solving skills, and the ability to think in theoretical ways. To understand that we can travel forward in time if only we can travel close to the speed of light!!! 

Below I seek to explore the answer to the question more deeply. Not only for my students but for myself.

There is a great deal of inventiveness in Maths. Understanding its rules, and discovering new routes and formulas creates a happiness in many young people as they learn to solve problems. Taking it to the next level by finding more effective solutions to problems.

I remember the amazing day when I discovered how to calculate my 9 xs tables using my hands. Mathematics was never my strong point and no amount of rote learning could help me remember much about multiplication. Understanding the basics was a great way to simplify what for me seemed so far outside my reach.

Maths is used in our everyday lives much more that we know or than we account for. It is used in the calculation of bills, mortgage rates, credit card rates but it goes further. When we paint our homes, how many litres of paint we may need or how far our cars will get us on the petrol we have put it in. Being adept at maths to at least a basic functional level is essential for life. No one wants to go for the highest mortgage rate because they do not understand the product they are being sold. Maybe if we were all better at maths we would have understood that the banks were scamming us with PPI insurance.  Decisions in life are so often based on mathematical information: to make the best choices, we need to be numerate.

Did you know?

Those who have limited or no maths skills find it harder to get into work.  Recent data has shown a direct comparison between your wage and maths skills.

It can also affect your health “UK basic skills reports, the link between poor maths and poor health is clear; data from the British Cohort Studies have shown that there is also a connection between depression and poor maths”.  It also causes social problems. People with mathematic problems are more likely to be expelled from educational organisations. Those with low level maths skills are less likely to attend educational organisation continuing the cycle and exasperating the problem.  A quarter of young people in custody have a maths level below that expected of a 7 year old, and 65% of adult prisoners have maths skills at or below the level expected of an 11 year olds.

In short to all my students. You need maths for:

Your health

Your self esteem

Your job prospects

Your happiness

And much, much more. 

Cedainne Hart

Centre for Leadership and Management Development

18-36 Wellington Street

Woolwich

SE18 6PF

02083177380 

 Website www.clmd.org.uk

Facebook.com/CLMDUK

Instagram: Clmdrecruit

Twitter:CLMD123

Tips to Deal With Stress

5 ways of dealing with stress;

The way that we deal with our emotions has a strong impact on the way we ultimately feel within ourselves. Everybody knows people with specific character traits we associate to that person. We know a happy person will always have a happy disposition or at least most of the time, no matter what is happening in their lives. We become ultimately what we feed our minds and behave how we programme ourselves to behave.

Feed your mind

Every day  I encourage my students to feed their brains with something healthy and positive. Whether it be reading something that will enrich them or listening to inspirational speeches. This helps to both keep them grounded and realign them with their ultimate desires. Believe it or not, I do understand that not everyone has the same passion about education that I do but even the smallest effort can bring great rewards.  

Physically exert yourself

I personally love a long walk to clear the cobwebs away. Being physical, strengthens your body. People who suffer from anxiety for example may feel that they are unable to breathe; depressives may feel overwhelmingly tired etc. Physical activity not only releases endorphins but it helps to link your positive thoughts to a positive action thus reinforcing the behaviour into our subconscious.  It doesn’t have to be hard physical activities, some exercise will give to your body good positive chemicals; your body is the shell that houses your wonderful mind.

Look outside yourself

Aspire to something; find a mission bigger than yourself inspire to something bigger than your pain. Do you know that once stress has passed you do no even remember why you felt the way you did in the first place. Look outside yourself. If what you feel internally is dark then look to the light in other situations.  “Even as fire finds peace in its resting place without fuel, when thoughts become silence the soul finds peace in its own source. When the mind is silent, then it can enter into a world which is far beyond the mind. This is wisdom, and this is liberation.” --The Upanishads

Look to someone else

There are people who have done what you want to do or similar. Look around you, there is inspiration in everything. When I feel low, I look around. I watch videos by Tony Robbins (a great motivational speaker). I watch motivational videos on Youtube. I read the stories of unlikely heroes.  The heroes in the women who paved the way to make it possible for me to do something as simple as vote. For some people, it is just one inspirational person they look at to know they can achieve something, for me, it is many people. But, I do not just look at any role model, for instances pop, movie or sports stars are all around us. We just need to find the right one. Well chosen role models and mentors help us to help ourselves improve.

Help your fellow man

To help your fellow man is the greatest way to help yourself. There is always someone worse off than yourself. But to be kind, is not just to help the sad or poor it is to look for opportunities to share yourself and to build someone else’s strength. Helping others can be a gift to yourself as you enjoy a self esteem boost for making others’ lives better, and make the world a better place. You feel more worthy of good deeds yourself, your trust in the decency of people is restored, and you feel more connected to yourself and to others. Helping others can also put your life into perspective and could even give you that bit more of a push to help better yourself so you don’t end up in the same situation.

Cedainne Hart

Centre for Leadership and Management Development

18-36 Wellington Street

Woolwich

SE18 6PF

02083177380

Website www.clmd.org.uk

Facebook.com/CLMDUK

Instagram: Clmdrecruit

Twitter:CLMD123

A Short Story

APPOINTMENT WITH ALICE 

( A tale of disorganisation by Philip Charles)

Bill and Ben are playing the computer video soccer game FIFA 2015.

Bill shouts “goal! Match over I win again.”

“One more game.” Suggests Ben.

 “No can do” replies Bill, look at the time its 1am, I’m suppose to meet Alice in the library tomorrow at 11am.”

“Is Alice your girlfriend?”

“No she’s my partner; the tutor put us together to do an environmental project.”

“How did you ever get roped into that?” questions Ben.  “Fred and I are doing a football project.”

Bill eventually leaves Ben’s house and gets home at about 2:30am. 

11:30am Bill is awakened by his mobile, he looks at it and sees he has 7 messages from Alice.  He quickly phones Alice, apologises, makes up some excuse about a family crisis and reschedules to meet Alice in the library on Wednesday at 11am.

Tuesday evening, Bill gets a phone call from Ben.

“Hey Bill the soccer game FIFA 2016 is out.  They’re going to start selling it at the big superstore from midnight.  Are you coming along?”

“Sure” says Bill, “I’ll be there.”

The two young men get to the store at midnight, only to find a lengthy queue outside the store.  They were finally able to purchase the soccer video game at about 1:30am.  Ben left the store said goodbye to Bill and got home at about 2:30am.

11:30am Wednesday morning.  Bill is awakened by his mobile; he looks at it and sees he has 7 messages from Alice.  He quickly phones Alice, apologises, makes up some excuse about flooding in his home and promises on his mother’s grave to meet Alice in the library on Friday at 2pm.

Friday morning, Bill gets a phone call from Ben.

“Hey Bill the blokes from the next block have challenged us to a footie match.  It’ll take place in the park, this Friday.  We’re looking for players, will you join our team?”

“Yes”, says Bill “that sounds like fun.”  “Oh no I can’t, I promise to meet Alice in the library, Friday 2pm.”

“Don’t stress” says Ben.  “The match kicks off at 10am; we’ll finish long before 2pm.  You’ll have plenty of time to meet up with Alice.”

Bill agrees with Ben and goes along to play football in the park with him.  During the match, Bill hurts his ankle, and cannot continue playing so he is substituted.  He decides to stay and watch the end of the match to find out who wins.  He starts feeling cold so he picks up a jacket he sees on the park bench and wears it.  The match ends in a draw.  Bill waves goodbye to Ben and catches a bus heading towards the library.

As Bill gets off the bus and starts to walk towards the library, he is stopped by a policeman. 

“Hey young man, somebody robbed a convenience store this morning and a man with a jacket like yours was seen running away from the shop.  You better come with me to the station to answer a few questions.”

Bill is utterly dumbstruck, “no way it was me officer, I was playing football in the park this morning.”

“Have you got any evidence to that effect?”

“Yes,” says Bill “my friend Ben can vouch for me, I’ll just give him a call.”

He rings Ben but Ben’s phone isn’t switched on.

The policeman says “okay, we’ll have to go and find Ben to check out your story.”

Bill replies in the negative, “I can’t, I have to meet Alice in the library.”

“Is Alice your girlfriend?”

“No she’s my partner; we’re doing an environmental project together.”

To Bill’s dismay, the policeman turns down his plea.  “I’m afraid Alice will have to wait, this robbery is more important.”

Reluctantly Bill returns to the park with the policeman, where they meet Ben, who’s just about to leave the park.

“I tried calling you,” says Bill accusingly

“Did you? my battery must have died.  Anyway what are you doing back here, aren’t you suppose to be meeting Alice?”

“I am” says Bill annoyingly,” but this policeman wants to cross me off his list of suspects.”

After pretending not to know if Bill was with him this morning, Ben assures the policeman that Bill was indeed playing footie with him that morning.

Bill asks Ben for a fiver to catch a taxi to go to the library to meet Alice.

“it’s your fault I’m in the park in the first place” he accuses Ben.

“I want the money back,” Ben tells Bill, as he hurries off to get a taxi.

After what seems like ages, Bill manages to hail a taxi.

“Take me to the Central Library, as quickly as possible.” Bill instructs the driver.

The driver says, “why the rush?”

“I have to meet Alice there”

“Is Alice your girlfriend?”

“No she’s my partner; we’re doing an environmental project together.”

Bill arrives in the library and looks all over the place but there is no sign of Alice.

The librarian sees Bill in a confused state and calls him over.

“You look lost young man, can I help you?”

“I’m looking for Alice,” says Bill.

“Is Alice your girlfriend?”

“No she’s my partner; we’re doing an environmental project together.”

“Oh” says the librarian, “you must be Bill, a young lady left this note for you.”

Bill was downhearted as he read the note.  It was a note of dismissal as plain as could be.  It simply stated that Alice had been let down by him too many times, and now she was going ahead with the environmental project by herself and wouldn’t include him in the credit.

The librarian knowing already what was in the note, offered to give Ben some advice.

“If you don’t mind me saying so, you need to get yourself more organised.  We have a seminar in the library on Monday; it’s about ‘Time Management’.  You should attend, you might benefit from it.”  As Ben was leaving the library, the librarian handed him a leaflet about the ‘Time Management’ seminar,

                    

                  “remember it’s at 2pm in the library don’t be late!”

 

The End

I would like to say a big thank you to Philip for writing this for me. Great way to show how as a young person you can let others get in the way their hopes and dreams. I think it really highlights the importance of making sure you put the things you want into prospective. 

Cedainne Hart

Centre for Leadership and Management Development

18-36 Wellington Street

Woolwich

SE18 6PF

02083177380

Website www.clmd.org.uk

Facebook.com/CLMDUK

Instagram: Clmdrecruit

Twitter:CLMD123

The Good Interview

Many people love the idea of getting a job but hate the idea of that initial one-to-one interview. Some people can feel very shy or nervous, for others it can make them quite cranky and irritable. Not everyone has a problem with interviews; some people find them exciting and a better way of getting to know how the business works by asking questions they may not know.

Tips for controlling your nerves

Sometimes when you are nervous you can forget to do things as simple as to listen. This can make an employer think of you as unfriendly or inattentive. Some ideas for combating nerves include:

• Being aware of the interview's structure, and the fact that it often begins with easier questions such as 'What previous working experience do you have?;
• Exercising a few hours before your interview, if possible, will allow you to  burn off negative energy and feel more relaxed;
• Pausing before answering a difficult question to give yourself thinking time, or asking for clarification if, at first, you're unsure what the question means;
• Putting everything into perspective, reminding yourself that the worst thing that can happen is you not getting the job;
• Taking a toilet break before the interview;
• Taking deep breaths and not speaking too quickly, this will help you feel less anxious and easier to understand ;
• Taking notes with you, writing down cues to highlight examples that you want to draw upon, this will also show good organisational skills;
• Thinking about positive and happy experiences before the interview starts, and visualising yourself in complete control during the interview, this will also help you to remain pleasant and well mannered.

How to make a good impression

Making a good impression can sometimes be hard. To make sure an employer does not get a negative first impression of you generally, you should:

• Answer questions clearly and concisely;
• Ask relevant, thought-provoking questions at appropriate moments, as this can show that you're genuinely interested in the role and really listening to the interviewer;
• Avoid talking about any personal problems;
• Be as enthusiastic as possible (Not too much);
• Be well-mannered with any staff that you meet before the interview, how you respond to other employees will also affect you getting the job;
• Display positive body language, speaking clearly, smiling frequently and retaining eye-contact;
• Don't badmouth any previous employers, this could give the employer a bad impression of you;
• Give a firm handshake to your interviewer(s) before and after, this shows respect and confidence;
• Highlight your best attributes, experiences and achievements, based around the skills that you've identified as important to the organisation, and evidencing them with practical examples;
• Inform your interviewer(s) that you're available to answer any follow-up questions;
• Let your personality shine;
• Relax and sit naturally, but without slouching in your chair or leaning on the desk;
• Show your hands, as this is a sign of honesty;
• Wear smart business clothes with comfortable, polished shoes.

TOP 5 INTERVIEW TIPS;

1. Do your research

Fail to plan and you plan to fail. You are certain to be asked specific questions about the company, so make sure you've done your homework on things like their last year's profits and latest product launches. Also take a look at the latest developments in the industry so you can converse with confidence.

 2. Practice your answers
Although there is no set format that every job interview will follow, there are some questions that you can almost guarantee will come up. You should prepare answers to some of the most common interview questions about your personal strengths and weaknesses, as well as being able to explain why you would be the best person for the job.

 3. Look the part
Appearances shouldn't matter, but the plain fact is that you are often judged before you've even say a word. Make sure your shoes are polished, your clothes fit correctly and that your accessories are subtle.

 4. Stay calm
Good preparation is the key to staying in control. Plan your route, allowing extra time for any of those unexpected delays like road works or traffic and get everything you need to take with you ready the night before. Remember to speak clearly, smile and remember that your interviewers are just normal people, and the may be nervous too!

 5. Ask questions

You should always have some questions for your interviewer to show your interest in the position. Prepare a minimum of five questions; some of them will give you more information about the job others may give you a better understanding about the business as a whole.

Cedainne Hart

Centre for Leadership and Management Development

18-36 Wellington Street

Woolwich

SE18 6PF

02083177380

Website www.clmd.org.uk

Facebook.com/CLMDUK

Instagram: Clmdrecruit

Twitter:CLMD123

www.clmd.org.uk/apply

Traineeships and Apprenticeships for the employer

Training to suit your organisation Traineeships and Apprenticeships explained.

 

Often employers are uncomfortable with the idea of taking on young people for apprenticeships and traineeships because they are daunted by what it means to employ a member of staff in this way. In fact, taking on an apprentice or trainee can be a smooth and seamless process, sometimes easier than employing staff through the regular channels. It can be made so much easier when you have a helpful training provider that supports you through the process: this is CLMD based in Woolwich South East London.

CLMD offers programmes for young people to help them gain training alongside employment.  As a business, it is important to make the best use of staff as they are your biggest asset and probably your highest expense. Below is an illustration of the businesses can make use of Apprentices and Trainees and why they should do so.

Traineeships

Traineeships prepare young people, aged 16 to 24, for future careers by helping them to become ‘work ready’. We provide training in Math, English, Work skills, relevant sector training as well as facilitating work placement for work experience. The programme is intended to deliver essential work preparation for onward progression. The time spent in work placement with employers can be paid or unpaid. 

Apprenticeships

CLMD’s apprenticeships are open to candidates aged 16 to 24. We deliver Business Admin, Customer Services, Child care, Health and social Care Adult. CLMD delivers each apprenticeship framework within a year. The time spent in work is paid, see apprenticeship minimum wages as a guide, (https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates). 

We support the employers we work with to ensure that candidates are being trained to support job performance and personal development. Therefore the employers benefit from the on-going staff development of the apprentice. We also encourage our employers to give us feedback so that we can continually improve the delivery of the programme and the support to candidates. Many of the employers we work with are delighted with the progress of the candidates and have offered them permanent positions.  

Cedainne Hart

Centre for Leadership and Management Development

18-36 Wellington Street

Woolwich

SE18 6PF

02083177380

 

Website www.clmd.org.uk

Facebook.com/CLMDUK

Instagram: Clmdrecruit

Twitter:CLMD123