2am. Just woke up again and can't sleep.

When I am sleeping it's just nightmares.  I've just woken up from one.

So I'll just blog about my days.

My days are busy,  but I can't find a paid job to pay the rent. 

I get referred from one advisor to another.  My mental health employment advisor has now referred me to scope, the scope advisor has recommended more training and courses to fill my skills gap.

In the last few weeks I've done week long courses on:

  1. Introduction to customer care. 
  2. Customer care plus.
  3. Introduction to business administration. 
  4. Introduction to retail. 

One day courses on:

  1. Managing personal finance.
  2. Health and safety. 
  3. Equality and diversity 
  4. Healthy living.

Now I'm taking the functional English course, trying to get up to an acceptable level 2 in English. The formal grammar and jargon is gobbledegook to me.

Tomorrow I also have an interview for more unpaid volunteering work, greeting people arriving in hospitals.

What a life. I wish I was born an eccentric millionaire. 

Parents
  • Glad Tidings to Mr.Math-Photographer from Me...

    I just panned down the History and saw this Thread. Hmmm, No replies? Meh. Not good. So, sorry if this is not a good one, but I know I can say something and You forgive My foibles as We have spoken before and it can become somewhat peculiar...

    There is a good reason for My writing that seemingly silly sentance, just then. I think that, when confronted with these People, You need to try to remember to state that You have done many so-called "courses" BEFORE... and that they resulted in Your having to wind up right there stating that You "Have done many so-called 'courses' ALREADY." Keep pressing at them to check Your own History with Them, and that should (!) get Them to put a bit more effort into so-called "helping" You, Sir.

    With regards to a "Skills Gap", if I recall You correctly, what they actually mean is a "RECENT EXPERIENCE" Gap, something like that. I know what this means, because I have *always* been said to have this: no matter how good/excellent One is at something, there is always the barrier of "recent experience". I know not what do do about it, since experience may be gained via some Certificate which upon the very next Day may be discounted. (!!!) This is very very bad, and unfair, but is what can happen...

    Finally, the Main Thing I would say is to keep on INSISTING upon Your Own SKILLS. NOT what They say You have, but Your Own Skills. I know from here that You are *The* Mr. Mathematical - Photographer... and so keep at least those two skills in mind, and keep pressing anyone or advisors about YOUR Skills -- not what They think and want of You, but what You Yourself know You can do.

    I cannot emphasise that enough... challenge them to find a role which fits what YOU can do... and if that fails, tell them that it was *their* fault. Try to keep it calm and polite, though - that is also important!

    ...You have Skills and Expertise... and it is supposed to be their Job to fit You to the correct Calling/Employment... stay calm and keep trying to Push For What You Know You Can Do.

    End of Post (!)... Good Fortune, Sir.   Slight smile.   (& perhaps someone else can give another/better reply than this as I push it to the 'fore again.)

  • It's nice to hear from you.

    I actually have two jobs at the moment,  both are casual on a zero hour contract, on a as required basis.  I am an exam invigilator in both a school and a university.

    The jobs I am applying for this week are:

    1. Bus service analyst
    2. Bus network planner
    3. Database administrator 
    4. Project assistant
    5. Customer service assistant.

    My Maths is excellent but my English is dodgy, I never passed my English language O level.  The highest grade I got at school was a 'D'.

    One of my employment advisors told me to use my common sense and just say that I passed.  Because nobody will check or ask to see a certificate. 

    So now I'm taking a part time English course.  It's quite enjoyable and the place is more tolerable than the schools I attended.  We have a nutty secretary /administrator,  who livens up the place, she told me that she suffers from ADHD. 

    To break the training monotony she comes into the training room and announces, 'would you like to play a game?'  games include: Hangman, the alphabet game, speed dating and quizzes. 

  • ...Umm... Yes, Thank You Kindly, and "Nice to hear from You" is certainly reciprocated. Continuity is a thing important to My own life, certainly. Not sure what else to say, there, apologies (!), since I meant what I said with My previous Posts. Really, very very much. I guess that I shall see how this Thread goes, then, Y'know... 

    I really meant what I said with My previous Posts, though. Seriously. Good Fortune, again.

  • Good Fortune Sir, I shall try to be succinct, with this Post.

    I appreciate Posts about "enforced courses" since they show Me how very many different manners in which a Person can be caught out or put into a trap. I still stand by what I said at first and to try to press it... and also here what I replied to "ItsMyMind".

    But this...

    'what do you understand by equality and diversity? ' and 'how would do ensure equality and diversity in our organisation? '

    It sounds as if they were sort of fishing for specific answers, and if the correct answer is given, then One is accepted, otherwise, 'ooh, no maybe not, not sure of *that* person!'... I have had this as well happen to Myself, so I TOTALLY understand it! I hope it helps to know that You are not alone in this Multiple-pathway-Quandary (including Age) as well, Sir...

    I would maybe not be forced that way Myself, since I am clearly  "an ethnic minority" (*ahem*)... but if I were Your Good Self,  I would have explained exactly as You wrote there (explained the history of One's own Family). Then I would have added that I did not know about how their "Organisation" yet would "try to do the best that I can." (i.e. flatter them. (!))

    ...The thing is, a lot of Companies think that They 'are the only ones in existence'... I am not joking, there. They expect People to have known their Own entire history, before applying for a Job there... They have no concept of Money, or Unemployment... only their own Company. This is what I have found out, and is another thing which is not fair.

    I shall finish by saying that I completely understand Your "bluffing" there now. And I STILL mean absolutely everything which I have so far said upon this Thread. (Plus look into what "ItsMyMind" said below, about an "Agency". And I did say to get an official diagnosis, which does open up certain areas of good support.)

  • To clarify a few matters.

    The equality and diversity interview questions, were along the lines of:

    'what do you understand by equality and diversity? ' and 'how would do ensure equality and diversity in our organisation? '

    I thought on my feet and tried to bluff.

    The English problem is a long term issue.  I am white and I was born in the UK.  But my father was a wartime refugee arriving in 1942.  My mother was a not quite legal immigrant who arrived in 1957.  And I only started to learn spoken English at the age of five.  Then, I missed weeks and months of school at a time.

  • I also need the English qualification for teaching maths.

    ...Hi, Me again. I wrote a longer reply to "ItsMyMind", below. Also, to reply, My (uninformed?) opinion, including asking You about any "Equality / Diversity" business... Maybe, as an "ethnic minority" Myself, I might get this less blasted at Me (!)... but I would just press forwards, as I said, with emphasising the SKILLS. I know that life here is not fair, I honestly cannot emphasise how good at what I said You are that You are, Mr.Robert123...

    I guess that there once was a time when skills spoke for themselves, but now it seems to depend upon Luck and Money. Of course I cannot advise about that! I can only support You.

    To close for now, I would just say not to "bluff" through anything and just be honest all of the time, except in feeling threatened/in self-defence. It helps with the memory not to bluff or to lie, and pathways present themselves clearer. But it might still not be easy or fair. (Once I get too negative, I tend to leave off from Posting --- But again I say that I really meant what I said!)

    Just recognise any limits and push through them, or push harder to get others to recognise them to gain correct support... I do not know what else to say apart from that.

  • Is that Belfast?

    It looks like the view from the train close to Lanyon Place Central Station.

  • For reasons of anonymity and confidentiality,  I decided to delete two of the photos.

    Some of these courses are very useful, such as the equality and.diversity one.  This year I had two interviews where they asked equality question.  I tried to bluff my way through.  Now, I realise,  how and why I failed.  Now, I understand the equality act of 2010, the protected characteristics and in the way they are applied legally in society.

    I also need the English qualification for teaching maths.

  • ...Hey! As I was typing, there were 3 pictures, now only one? What happened?

Reply Children
  • Good Fortune Sir, I shall try to be succinct, with this Post.

    I appreciate Posts about "enforced courses" since they show Me how very many different manners in which a Person can be caught out or put into a trap. I still stand by what I said at first and to try to press it... and also here what I replied to "ItsMyMind".

    But this...

    'what do you understand by equality and diversity? ' and 'how would do ensure equality and diversity in our organisation? '

    It sounds as if they were sort of fishing for specific answers, and if the correct answer is given, then One is accepted, otherwise, 'ooh, no maybe not, not sure of *that* person!'... I have had this as well happen to Myself, so I TOTALLY understand it! I hope it helps to know that You are not alone in this Multiple-pathway-Quandary (including Age) as well, Sir...

    I would maybe not be forced that way Myself, since I am clearly  "an ethnic minority" (*ahem*)... but if I were Your Good Self,  I would have explained exactly as You wrote there (explained the history of One's own Family). Then I would have added that I did not know about how their "Organisation" yet would "try to do the best that I can." (i.e. flatter them. (!))

    ...The thing is, a lot of Companies think that They 'are the only ones in existence'... I am not joking, there. They expect People to have known their Own entire history, before applying for a Job there... They have no concept of Money, or Unemployment... only their own Company. This is what I have found out, and is another thing which is not fair.

    I shall finish by saying that I completely understand Your "bluffing" there now. And I STILL mean absolutely everything which I have so far said upon this Thread. (Plus look into what "ItsMyMind" said below, about an "Agency". And I did say to get an official diagnosis, which does open up certain areas of good support.)

  • To clarify a few matters.

    The equality and diversity interview questions, were along the lines of:

    'what do you understand by equality and diversity? ' and 'how would do ensure equality and diversity in our organisation? '

    I thought on my feet and tried to bluff.

    The English problem is a long term issue.  I am white and I was born in the UK.  But my father was a wartime refugee arriving in 1942.  My mother was a not quite legal immigrant who arrived in 1957.  And I only started to learn spoken English at the age of five.  Then, I missed weeks and months of school at a time.

  • I also need the English qualification for teaching maths.

    ...Hi, Me again. I wrote a longer reply to "ItsMyMind", below. Also, to reply, My (uninformed?) opinion, including asking You about any "Equality / Diversity" business... Maybe, as an "ethnic minority" Myself, I might get this less blasted at Me (!)... but I would just press forwards, as I said, with emphasising the SKILLS. I know that life here is not fair, I honestly cannot emphasise how good at what I said You are that You are, Mr.Robert123...

    I guess that there once was a time when skills spoke for themselves, but now it seems to depend upon Luck and Money. Of course I cannot advise about that! I can only support You.

    To close for now, I would just say not to "bluff" through anything and just be honest all of the time, except in feeling threatened/in self-defence. It helps with the memory not to bluff or to lie, and pathways present themselves clearer. But it might still not be easy or fair. (Once I get too negative, I tend to leave off from Posting --- But again I say that I really meant what I said!)

    Just recognise any limits and push through them, or push harder to get others to recognise them to gain correct support... I do not know what else to say apart from that.

  • For reasons of anonymity and confidentiality,  I decided to delete two of the photos.

    Some of these courses are very useful, such as the equality and.diversity one.  This year I had two interviews where they asked equality question.  I tried to bluff my way through.  Now, I realise,  how and why I failed.  Now, I understand the equality act of 2010, the protected characteristics and in the way they are applied legally in society.

    I also need the English qualification for teaching maths.