No sign of a job yet

Not much to report really. Andy is still job hunting (even in areas outside of engineering now) but nothing is coming up. I feel so helpless and I can sense that he’s really starting to panic now.

I also notice that he seems to somehow be ashamed that he’s lost his job. Yesterday at this new church that we’ve joined the pastor was introducing himself to us and I noticed Andy really beating around the bush regarding work. Afterwards I asked him why he didn’t just say that he’s been made redundant and he told me that he felt like the lowest of the low for claiming benefits. Now I despise claiming any sort of benefit myself (not that I’ve had any benefits except 25% off council tax and disabled student allowance) but anyway – I digress. So anyway I despise claiming benefits but he’s paid tens of thousands in tax over the years so £60 a week isn’t exactly anything to be ashamed about. But I can see his point – he’s got a very strong work ethic like I have and its killing him to have no job. But I trust that this is all part of Gods plan and that Andy will have a job that gives him what he needs – when he needs it. Weather that is money or self development or professional growth I don’t know – but God will him everything he needs.

Just when you're starting to feel a bit more positive....

A few people lately have been telling me that they've been reading or watching somewhere that the recession might be turning round now. Personally I have seen no evidence of this and I find it funny that these people are never able to cite specific sources....so I remain sceptical. But I must admit that despite Andy losing his job last month I have actually started to feel a bit more positive recently. But then I go and find articles like this that drag me back down to earth.

Personally I have a feeling that another million won't be made unemployed by the end of the year - but what do I know? If he is right though then that is very worrying especially for those of us who are lucky enough to still have a job in the automotive and manufacturing industry. We are a worldwide major company and have lost nearly a quarter of our workforce in the last 5 months and I just don't know how many more losses we can take before we end up not being a viable business any more. Sure I am so busy I'm meeting myself coming backwards but unfortunately that doesn't guarantee me a job will be there forever.

And another thing that is REALLY beginning to grate on me now is all the talk about the YOUNGER generation being so badly affected....seemingly much worse than any other group. Well personally I think that's a bunch of ********. For a start the very young people generally speaking don't have a mortgage and another thing they tend to be a cheaper workforce and at the moment that's a good thing. Try being older and experienced and nobody wants to pay your higher wage.....and yet your mortgage company still expects you to keep up with the mortgage payments. I dare say that many of the older newly redundant have paid their mortgage by now so maybe its those of us stuck in the middle....those of us with mortgages ....who are the ones that are really struggling. Its not rocket science.

Andrew applied for JSA yesterday

Andrew went to register with the Job Centre yesterday and I think its fair to say that the experience wasn't quite as bad as he's anticipated. Although he did say there was a shocking number of track suit clad young men hanging about outside. Andrew always finds track suits very shocking so to see so many of them in one concentrated area must have been a real eye opener LOL. The reason he was a bit worried was because we've heard these horror stories about people being forced to take the first job that they are offered otherwise they'll loose their benefit. I must admit we were both worried that they'd make him accept a job in a supermarket or something. But anyway it turns out they give you a contract which lists what jobs you will consider - your allowed to refuse 2 I think? So he's got a contract to find work as a design engineer or project engineer within 40 miles of our home and paying 26,000 or more. Its still a good step down from 32,000 a year and a 5 mile trip to work but that's life I guess and beggars can't be choosers.

Job Centre meeting

My husband got his official notification of his redundancy yesterday and today he received his appointment to go to the Job Centre for an initial interview. I really hope they know how to help him but to be honest, I can't say I feel too hopeful about it. The feeling I get from listening to other people is that the Job Centre people are good at finding help for unskilled people but not so good with the professionals. When the JC people came into work to talk to the affected workers about the upcoming redundancies, my husband said they were trying to push him into a career change or plumbing. The thing is he loves his chosen career and he spent alot of money on his education to get there so a career change isn't really an option. I can understand his point. I mean I reckon my education has cost me £70,000 and its going to take me until retirement to pay it all back so a career change wouldn't be an option for me either. I think the professionals are the forgotten people in this recession.

Last week we wrote to our MP about supporting local engineering jobs. We got a fob off just as I susected *sigh*.