Coronavirus - how is it/has it affected you?

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Sometimes (and many times as a consultant) I have had to tell businesses that the 'first loss is the best loss' and the things they plan for the future will soak cash and may not improve. Do your research or you will end up throwing good cash after bad because having sunk one bunch of money it would be hard to stop and easier just to add a bit, then add a bit more until you wake up one moring and you're broke.

You and your son might want to take a hard look at the business/industry he is in. Your investment might be better spent on training him in another area. When things improve and after he's saved a bight of cash then he can get back to his musical ambitions. (there are training for machine operators, fork lift drivers, truck drivers as well as diggers and construction kit - they may not be at the top end of the pay scale but often they can provide a reasonable wage much higher than the £27k average and the courses are not that long/expensive). The music and entertainment business is full of kids from those already in the industry prepared to work for nothing and supported by relatively wealthy parents with connections.

It's good advice. And we have been talking with him for some years - not just now - about the nature of the business he is in and what next...

He knows this. But of course when you are actually doing your dream job - not just any job, or a job you enjoy, or a job you are good at - but your actual dream job - the one that career advisors and life consultants tell you to imagine - it is going to very hard for him to change his focus - but he is - looking at teaching.

So just in the context of the schools opening it strikes me that there is great opportunity (need?) for the government to very quickly train up such as my son ( a 2:1 Journalism graduate) to a level that would enable him to be a support teacher (he would do such as Media and Comms Studies or English)

He could easily be employed to help a teacher out when a class is split; the teacher is with half the class; and the other half is doing class work - at school or maybe at home through video conferencing - with such as my lad providing the support to the teacher - working with the students; helping them understand what they are being asked; explaining things; helping them structure their research and thinking. And so at the same time as helping get students back into schools - he gets a feel of what teaching is all about and whether it would be for him. And he would earn some money.

He is keen on this sort of thing. Just needs the government to step up and get going with it for September. Meanwhile we decided to let him have a toss of the music production and download dice...if his Club DJ work comes back this will stand him in good stead.

But all said - your words are of course so true...

 

[Slab]

It's good advice. And we have been talking with him for some years - not just now - about the nature of the business he is in and what next...

He knows this. But of course when you are actually doing your dream job - not just any job, or a job you enjoy, or a job you are good at - but your actual dream job - the one that career advisors and life consultants tell you to imagine - it is going to very hard for him to change his focus - but he is - looking at teaching.

So just in the context of the schools opening it strikes me that there is great opportunity (need?) for the government to very quickly train up such as my son ( a 2:1 Journalism graduate) to a level that would enable him to be a support teacher (he would do such as Media and Comms Studies or English)

He could easily be employed to help a teacher out when a class is split; the teacher is with half the class; and the other half is doing class work - at school or maybe at home through video conferencing - with such as my lad providing the support to the teacher - working with the students; helping them understand what they are being asked; explaining things; helping them structure their research and thinking. And so at the same time as helping get students back into schools - he gets a feel of what teaching is all about and whether it would be for him. And he would earn some money.

He is keen on this sort of thing. Just needs the government to step up and get going with it for September. Meanwhile we decided to let him have a toss of the music production and download dice...if his Club DJ work comes back this will stand him in good stead.

But all said - your words are of course so true...

Why is it the gov that suddenly needs to jump & do all the work to train your son, now that he's decided he's willing to chance a career change? And how do you feel if by doing this he's taking away someone else's 'dream job' of being a support teacher?

from the future looking bright and exciting with the promise of a decent solid income

What form did this "promise of a decent solid income" take, and if it was contractual why isn't he still getting that income? (there's little doubt that a 'promise' of a decent income would be a part of everyone's dream job)

While I wish him the best I doubt that hastily arranged training will be the major obstacle he'll face


edit to add:
You twice mention the Gov need to get a wiggle on and train him so that’s clearly the current obstacle. So in preparation and anticipation of him taking training for this lesser job, is he himself ready? :

• Has he already contacted the local education authority (or whoever manages the network & registration of support teachers) and completed application forms/expressed an interest in being trained (otherwise how will they know how to invite him along)
• Or, if like you, he believes it’s the governments job to train him, has he written to his local MP to get himself registered?
• Has he researched the skills and experience needed to be a support teacher and is he actively filling in his own blank spots through computer based distance learning etc
• Doubtless his CV has already been amended to highlight the skills that support teacher employers will be looking for (as opposed to skills he has for roles in the music industry)

Basically is he ready to successfully apply and start training to be a support teacher and does anyone outside his parents actually know he’d like to do this training… Oh, is there actually a need or shortage of support teachers in his area or is this ‘opportunity’ simply based on it ‘striking you’ that they might be needed as schools go back?

 

[drdel]

It's good advice. And we have been talking with him for some years - not just now - about the nature of the business he is in and what next...

He knows this. But of course when you are actually doing your dream job - not just any job, or a job you enjoy, or a job you are good at - but your actual dream job - the one that career advisors and life consultants tell you to imagine - it is going to very hard for him to change his focus - but he is - looking at teaching.

So just in the context of the schools opening it strikes me that there is great opportunity (need?) for the government to very quickly train up such as my son ( a 2:1 Journalism graduate) to a level that would enable him to be a support teacher (he would do such as Media and Comms Studies or English)

He could easily be employed to help a teacher out when a class is split; the teacher is with half the class; and the other half is doing class work - at school or maybe at home through video conferencing - with such as my lad providing the support to the teacher - working with the students; helping them understand what they are being asked; explaining things; helping them structure their research and thinking. And so at the same time as helping get students back into schools - he gets a feel of what teaching is all about and whether it would be for him. And he would earn some money.

He is keen on this sort of thing. Just needs the government to step up and get going with it for September. Meanwhile we decided to let him have a toss of the music production and download dice...if his Club DJ work comes back this will stand him in good stead.

But all said - your words are of course so true...

With respect you are making excuses for him: an adult. Frankly a 2.1 in journalism ain't the bees knees and teacher training is not quick or cheap. He needs an income now. The training I indicated is quick and would allow him to access paid work quick. They may be below his dignity and 'manual' but there are shortages and these jobs have the advantages of casual opportunities as stop gap fillers because the music industry is often feast and famine.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Why is it the gov that suddenly needs to jump & do all the work to train your son, now that he's decided he's willing to chance a career change? And how do you feel if by doing this he's taking away someone else's 'dream job' of being a support teacher?



What form did this "promise of a decent solid income" take, and if it was contractual why isn't he still getting that income? (there's little doubt that a 'promise' of a decent income would be a part of everyone's dream job)

While I wish him the best I doubt that hastily arranged training will be the major obstacle he'll face


edit to add:
You twice mention the Gov need to get a wiggle on and train him so that’s clearly the current obstacle. So in preparation and anticipation of him taking training for this lesser job, is he himself ready? :

• Has he already contacted the local education authority (or whoever manages the network & registration of support teachers) and completed application forms/expressed an interest in being trained (otherwise how will they know how to invite him along)
• Or, if like you, he believes it’s the governments job to train him, has he written to his local MP to get himself registered?
• Has he researched the skills and experience needed to be a support teacher and is he actively filling in his own blank spots through computer based distance learning etc
• Doubtless his CV has already been amended to highlight the skills that support teacher employers will be looking for (as opposed to skills he has for roles in the music industry)

Basically is he ready to successfully apply and start training to be a support teacher and does anyone outside his parents actually know he’d like to do this training… Oh, is there actually a need or shortage of support teachers in his area or is this ‘opportunity’ simply based on it ‘striking you’ that they might be needed as schools go back?

I simply made the point that in the context of the pandemic and the short time afterwards, there seems to be an opportunity to help many individuals whose jobs have or may well have gone to help them to get into new work. So the government have created 22,000 new jobs as Contact Tracers. Not previously required - a completely new role.

I suggested that one way that could be done, and for which the government would appear to have an urgent need, would be to employ many new 'support teachers' so that schools can double up their teaching resource for a class so that the class could be split as students return in September. These would not be teachers as such, so not taking a teaching job, and would have to be new positions as the need is coronavirus driven - and so also hopefully they would be short term.

If you think it's a rubbish idea then fair enough. It's simply an idea - and it would be something that many unemployed (graduate or otherwise) out there could do without having to go through formal teacher training.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

With respect you are making excuses for him: an adult. Frankly a 2.1 in journalism ain't the bees knees and teacher training is not quick or cheap. He needs an income now. The training I indicated is quick and would allow him to access paid work quick. They may be below his dignity and 'manual' but there are shortages and these jobs have the advantages of casual opportunities as stop gap fillers because the music industry is often feast and famine.

I am NOT suggesting something that requires formal teacher training. Simply thinking short term positions to enable secondary schools to reopen and then to support the teachers for however long it is that class sizes have to be halved. There are many out there who will be unemployed who would be very qualified, given a bit of training, to provide support to teachers in some capacity. I appreciate that it might be a non-starter of an idea - but just thinking of one possible way of connecting unemployed with new roles coming about as a result of the pandemic and getting back to a normal.

And not making any excuses for him. Besides it's not as if there are going to be millions of jobs suddenly appearing for a forecast possible 3m unemployed.
But anyway. Maybe I just won't bother. Maybe I'll just go and take hope from Grant Shapps doing the briefing.

 

[SocketRocket]

Massive discussions about bubbles with grand parents demanding they have a bubble despite being relatively socially distantly active. The real victims are the children, my son is an only child. He hasn’t had other children to play with for 3 months .. where as adults have been able to socialise by talking to one another at a distance, which is not what children do. So yeah I am annoyed with the grandmother who doesn’t interact with him on any level is demanding her right to have a bubble without thinking beyond herself.

Families eh!

 

[GB72]

Massive discussions about bubbles with grand parents demanding they have a bubble despite being relatively socially distantly active. The real victims are the children, my son is an only child. He hasn’t had other children to play with for 3 months .. where as adults have been able to socialise by talking to one another at a distance, which is not what children do. So yeah I am annoyed with the grandmother who doesn’t interact with him on any level is demanding her right to have a bubble without thinking beyond herself.

I was lucky with my mum on this one. We agreed that she was better off with a bubble in her village with someone she can see daily rather than me who she would see once a week at most. I can see her for a cuppa in the garden

 

[NWJocko]

I am NOT suggesting something that requires formal teacher training. Simply thinking short term positions to enable secondary schools to reopen and then to support the teachers for however long it is that class sizes have to be halved. There are many out there who will be unemployed who would be very qualified, given a bit of training, to provide support to teachers in some capacity. I appreciate that it might be a non-starter of an idea - but just thinking of one possible way of connecting unemployed with new roles coming about as a result of the pandemic and getting back to a normal.

And not making any excuses for him. Besides it's not as if there are going to be millions of jobs suddenly appearing for a forecast possible 3m unemployed.
But anyway. Maybe I just won't bother. Maybe I'll just go and take hope from Grant Shapps doing the briefing.

It is a complete non starter for a whole range of reasons, financial and otherwise. You are intelligent enough to understand that.

Do you or your son realise there are bursaries ranging from c. £10k up to £25/6k for teacher training if he’s actually serious about it!?

All this “dream job” nonsense is tiring, I’m sure I’m part of the 99.9999999% of the population that have never had their ”dream job” but do what they can to earn money to support themselves/partners/families.

Its painful reading your continual woe is me tales about your son when he could get off his backside and earn money in a number of different roles.

 

[Hobbit]

It's good advice. And we have been talking with him for some years - not just now - about the nature of the business he is in and what next...

He knows this. But of course when you are actually doing your dream job - not just any job, or a job you enjoy, or a job you are good at - but your actual dream job - the one that career advisors and life consultants tell you to imagine - it is going to very hard for him to change his focus - but he is - looking at teaching.

So just in the context of the schools opening it strikes me that there is great opportunity (need?) for the government to very quickly train up such as my son ( a 2:1 Journalism graduate) to a level that would enable him to be a support teacher (he would do such as Media and Comms Studies or English)

He could easily be employed to help a teacher out when a class is split; the teacher is with half the class; and the other half is doing class work - at school or maybe at home through video conferencing - with such as my lad providing the support to the teacher - working with the students; helping them understand what they are being asked; explaining things; helping them structure their research and thinking. And so at the same time as helping get students back into schools - he gets a feel of what teaching is all about and whether it would be for him. And he would earn some money.

He is keen on this sort of thing. Just needs the government to step up and get going with it for September. Meanwhile we decided to let him have a toss of the music production and download dice...if his Club DJ work comes back this will stand him in good stead.

But all said - your words are of course so true...

If the class sizes are halved, at least, there'll be a need for double the amount of classrooms. Can you see there being double the amount of classrooms built/available in the near future? Can you see the govt funding the rent for the extra classrooms, i.e. using empty office blocks or industrial units? It may happen short term but I expect all the children will be back together by the end of the year = no need for classroom support. If it runs a full year, your son will be out of his new classroom support role by July next year. Let's be realistic, with all the extra debt the govt has taken on, and a jobless total expected to push 3,000,000 do you think the education budget is going to be doubled?

He's going to need something that, if it happens, has more than a year's lifespan.

 

[Slab]

After 50 days with no new cases in the general population our beaches will reopen on Monday! ?

 

[chellie]

I simply made the point that in the context of the pandemic and the short time afterwards, there seems to be an opportunity to help many individuals whose jobs have or may well have gone to help them to get into new work. So the government have created 22,000 new jobs as Contact Tracers. Not previously required - a completely new role.

I suggested that one way that could be done, and for which the government would appear to have an urgent need, would be to employ many new 'support teachers' so that schools can double up their teaching resource for a class so that the class could be split as students return in September. These would not be teachers as such, so not taking a teaching job, and would have to be new positions as the need is coronavirus driven - and so also hopefully they would be short term.

If you think it's a rubbish idea then fair enough. It's simply an idea - and it would be something that many unemployed (graduate or otherwise) out there could do without having to go through formal teacher training.

Contract Tracers are on the whole are call centre operatives working from home. Not medically trained. Pay is £10 an hour for a 38 hour week. Call centre experience was needed.

Teaching - my daughter is one. She decided it was her dream job. She did her degree whilst working full time and also saved up money so that she could then do her PGCE. She didn't get a bursary.

How old is he? Sorry, but you just continually make excuses for him.

 

[Wolf]

I am NOT suggesting something that requires formal teacher training. Simply thinking short term positions to enable secondary schools to reopen and then to support the teachers for however long it is that class sizes have to be halved. There are many out there who will be unemployed who would be very qualified, given a bit of training, to provide support to teachers in some capacity. I appreciate that it might be a non-starter of an idea - but just thinking of one possible way of connecting unemployed with new roles coming about as a result of the pandemic and getting back to a normal.

And not making any excuses for him. Besides it's not as if there are going to be millions of jobs suddenly appearing for a forecast possible 3m unemployed.
But anyway. Maybe I just won't bother. Maybe I'll just go and take hope from Grant Shapps doing the briefing.

Excuse my lengthy reply & please don't think I'm jumping on the band wagon here bashing you or your son. As i think the support you and Mrs SiLH are willing to give him is admirable, and I can understand to a degree what you feel. There is a big BUT though and that seems almost like your having an apologetic attitude to his plight with constant lack of work(income) & by keeping ploughing your hard earned life savings into his what seems a somewhat pipe dream career, you're merely adding to the thought of "oh well if it doesn't work mum & dad will bail me out as usual". It's not helping him take responsibility for his own life, finances or long term future.

We've often heard you blame the government for his financial plight, now we're hearing you believe the government need get their finger out and help retrain in an industry he has no experience and has no short term future let alone long term. His lack of income through his dream career choice has nothing to do with any government letting him down & keep blaming government for his potential future short term career is equally unhealthy, surely its time as a grown man in his mid 20s its time for him to accept its his own choices to continue working in an industry that offers no security and keeps him running back to you for financial support is actually a poor life choice, that he gave it a go but now its time to change whilst he's young enough to take advantage of a new opportunity. He could continue to do his dream as a side project so he wouldn't need to let that passion go.

My own daughter is 20 and at 18 won a dance scholarship to a very well known national academy which was her dream, but she made an incredibly grown up decision that as much as that's all she had wanted to do she understood that the risk of that career choice and future income was just to unstable. So she got herself a job in Wilkinsons, nothing great as jobs go but 2 years later she earns £11ph & has paid her own way through a 2 year college diploma that's due to finish this month and has a new career lined up that will be something she can achieve a lot of success in. I use her as an example as its a similar industry to your sons and is something she still does on the side now as a hobby and passion.

As I've said this isn't bashing your son or the support you as a parent give lovingly, but I'd suggest now is time to have a hard conversation, stop blaming or seeking answers from government and if you wish to help him financially, rather than pouring your money into another dream of music production with no guarantees, that money could still be given as support if you wish but instead to perhaps help him retrain in a career that helps him have stability and stand on his on 2 feet forever more.

Whatever choice is made I wish you and him well, I hope you all manage to resolve it and have future success and less troubles ??

 

[Old Skier]

6,000 attend raves in Manchester. Who'd have thought

 

[Deleted member 18588]

6,000 attend raves in Manchester. Who'd have thought

No doubt Andy Burnham will find some way to blame the Government.

 

[Old Skier]

No doubt Andy Burnham will find some way to blame the Government.

Always liked the man, shame he gave up on the Labour Party

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Always liked the man, shame he gave up on the Labour Party

Personally I always felt that for him it was more about Andy Burnham than it was about either the Labour Party or the electorate.

 

[huds1475]

As mayors go. The bloke is alright ?

 

[Slime]

No doubt Andy Burnham will find some way to blame the Government.

And no doubt Piers Morgan will find some way to blame Dominic Cummings!

 

[Lord Tyrion]

And no doubt Piers Morgan will find some way to blame Dominic Cummings!

After applauding his son going to an unlawful gathering at the weekend surely that ship has sailed. Then again, it's Morgan so maybe not.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Today I can go to my local supermarket and browse through clothes, magazines and books - pick something up - have a look - and put it back. Yet if I go into a clothes shop or book shop if I pick up a shirt or book then the shop has to take it from me and quarantine it.

What is the rationale and science behind that difference?

Confused.