Redundancy

[Keith_M]

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Just got asked to take voluntary redundancy over compulsory, will get to leave a month earlier and still be paid, could affect a few of my work benefits if I go early, seems they want me off the books by the year end. Not sure what to do but now seeing this as a great opportunity to retrain and have taken a lot of hope from others on here

Best of luck mate.

[Jakhog1]

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Best of luck mate.

Cheers buddy

[Hibrandenburg]

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Thats really interesting about the postman thought. 15 years ago I was made redundant, experienced some highs (time with my kids, battery recharging) and lows (feelings of worthlessness, anxiety etc) and then applied for and got a postie job as a lifestyle choice. It sounded just what I needed; fresh air, extra exercise, time to recharge the batteries. I lasted 8 days I think it very much depends on the round you get, certainly in the UK. The cushy rounds are worth their weight in gold, mine was characterized by running away from angry alsatians (stereotype but it’s a true one, check out the stats for hospitalisation of postmen) and getting home well after dark with as yet undelivered mail in a bag at the front door. hopefully you will have an easy round tripping around rural Germany watching the autumn leaves turn gold

I didn't get past day 1. Went in to discuss terms and conditions on Monday and ended up telling them to blow it out their arse, which is a real shame as I was certain this would work out. My main problem was that they were only offering temporary contracts of 3 months that would be extended or not every 3 months until a decision would be made after 2 years to whether the contract would be extended or not. No way was I going work on what is effectively a 2 year probationary period.

Now have an appointment with the employment office on Monday to see how much they are willing to finance a retraining HGV1, dangerous goods, forklift and professional driver's certification. Course would be 4 months long starting on January the 4th, if they don't fund it then I'll pay myself. Have my HGV medical tomorrow which is a prerequisite for the whole process but it shouldn't be a problem as I'd just renewed my aviation medical last month.

Maybe you were right, maybe I was being overly romantic about life as Postman Plod.

[McD]

Does anyone have any experience with these companies that offer training in a given vocation with virtual guarantee of a job at the end?


considering something like this if I get made redundant, but unsure how reliable these kind of things can be

[Since90+2]

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Does anyone have any experience with these companies that offer training in a given vocation with virtual guarantee of a job at the end?


considering something like this if I get made redundant, but unsure how reliable these kind of things can be

My initial thoughts are that sounds abit dubious.

What is the job/industry?

[Speedy]

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Does anyone have any experience with these companies that offer training in a given vocation with virtual guarantee of a job at the end?


considering something like this if I get made redundant, but unsure how reliable these kind of things can be

Not personally but a locksmith I've used in the past said he went on one of these courses (to retrain as a locksmith). Said it was a waste of money and wouldn't have helped because it only covered about 5% of the job. He did an unofficial apprenticeship in the end, shadowing a friend of a friend who was close to retirement for a couple of years.

[McD]

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My initial thoughts are that sounds abit dubious.

What is the job/industry?

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Not personally but a locksmith I've used in the past said he went on one of these courses (to retrain as a locksmith). Said it was a waste of money and wouldn't have helped because it only covered about 5% of the job. He did an unofficial apprenticeship in the end, shadowing a friend of a friend who was close to retirement for a couple of years.

thanks both


I haven’t decided on an industry yet (have a couple of ideas that I’ve seen adverts for training for), was just something I’d picked up on and thought I’d ask about.

I think they operate by charging fairly hefty fees, and are linked into recruitment agencies for those industries.

[speedy_gonzales]

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Does anyone have any experience with these companies that offer training in a given vocation with virtual guarantee of a job at the end?

My brother-in-law done a gas/plumbing course at a place in Dalgety Bay. Cost £1000's and virtually guaranteed a job at the end.
I advised against it as a few good friends I have are in the trade and they say the folk come out with zero experience so are of little use.
He done the course, passed, was offered a sales job with a boiler company in Dunfermline and is still keeping the couch warm watching daytime telly but at least his bank balance is a bit lighter?!?

[Peanut Shaz]

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Does anyone have any experience with these companies that offer training in a given vocation with virtual guarantee of a job at the end?


considering something like this if I get made redundant, but unsure how reliable these kind of things can be

In my last job I dealt with a lot of these companies daily. You will get a qualification but it's not worth much in the real world. I'm afraid it's easy money for them with not a lot of opportunities for you. I'd steer clear if I were you. Apprentices serve years learning a trade, it can't be done in a couple of months.

[McD]

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My brother-in-law done a gas/plumbing course at a place in Dalgety Bay. Cost £1000's and virtually guaranteed a job at the end.
I advised against it as a few good friends I have are in the trade and they say the folk come out with zero experience so are of little use.
He done the course, passed, was offered a sales job with a boiler company in Dunfermline and is still keeping the couch warm watching daytime telly but at least his bank balance is a bit lighter?!?

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In my last job I dealt with a lot of these companies daily. You will get a qualification but it's not worth much in the real world. I'm afraid it's easy money for them with not a lot of opportunities for you. I'd steer clear if I were you. Apprentices serve years learning a trade, it can't be done in a couple of months.

thank you both.

it wasn’t quite a trade in the sense of the traditional meaning of the word I’d been thinking about, but after everyone’s thoughts I’m thinking maybe best to steer clear

cheers again everyone 😊

[Keith_M]

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Hope your Mrs survives the cull Keith.

Ironically, she has survived the cull but I've just found out that my employer is moving most of the jobs at my work to Bangalore.

We have a large and long established tech-hub in Glasgow but most of the mid and upper level IT managers in my Department are Indian and located in New York. There's been some difficulties for quite some time due to 'cultural differences' between them and the employees in Glasgow, i.e. the expectation that we should be willing to work 12 hour days, do support out-of-hours and basically ignore our contracts (as they already do in our Bangalore office).

There's already been a hiring surge in Glasgow in the last two-three years that means that more than 30% of the employees located here are Indian, plus around 50% of the Team Leads (low level managers)... but they've obviously now decided to go the whole hog.

[Hibrandenburg]

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Ironically, she has survived the cull but I've just found out that my employer is moving most of the jobs at my work to Bangalore.

We have a large and long established tech-hub in Glasgow but most of the mid and upper level IT managers in my Department are Indian and located in New York. There's been some difficulties for quite some time due to 'cultural differences' between them and the employees in Glasgow, i.e. the expectation that we should be willing to work 12 hour days, do support out-of-hours and basically ignore our contracts (as they already do in our Bangalore office).

There's already been a hiring surge in Glasgow in the last two-three years that means that more than 30% of the employees located here are Indian, plus around 50% of the Team Leads (low level managers)... but they've obviously now decided to go the whole hog.

****, that's a kick in the nuts. Hope you're safe. My Mrs is a software developer with SAP and they're doing the same in the US. Luckily in Germany employment laws make it very expensive for companies to outsource abroad. They've been offering early retirement packages the last few years, she should bite their hand off if she's offered it again.

Fingers crossed for you mate.

[Keith_M]

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****, that's a kick in the nuts. Hope you're safe. My Mrs is a software developer with SAP and they're doing the same in the US. Luckily in Germany employment laws make it very expensive for companies to outsource abroad. They've been offering early retirement packages the last few years, she should bite their hand off if she's offered it again.

Fingers crossed for you mate.

Thanks.

TBH, now that most people are doing home-working, finding another job isn't as much of a big deal as it used to be.

DLR are actually advertising for people to work remotely on an Air Traffic Control project, but I'd have to be able to travel to Germany at some point in the new year.


I'm not clever enough to work for SAP, though

[hibee]

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****, that's a kick in the nuts. Hope you're safe. My Mrs is a software developer with SAP and they're doing the same in the US. Luckily in Germany employment laws make it very expensive for companies to outsource abroad. They've been offering early retirement packages the last few years, she should bite their hand off if she's offered it again.

Fingers crossed for you mate.

I wish we had employment laws like that in Scotland, I’m losing my job in the next year or two along with most of my colleagues to Indian employees who are both here in Edinburgh and back in India.

It’s going to be bad enough for kids to find a decent job in the next few years after Covid without this continual drive to outsource, hopefully our government will sit up and take notice before it’s too late but sadly I think that’s highly unlikely.

[Hibrandenburg]

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Thanks.

TBH, now that most people are doing home-working, finding another job isn't as much of a big deal as it used to be.

DLR are actually advertising for people to work remotely on an Air Traffic Control project, but I'd have to be able to travel to Germany at some point in the new year.


I'm not clever enough to work for SAP, though

Maybe get that pint after all.

[Hibrandenburg]

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I wish we had employment laws like that in Scotland, I’m losing my job in the next year or two along with most of my colleagues to Indian employees who are both here in Edinburgh and back in India.

It’s going to be bad enough for kids to find a decent job in the next few years after Covid without this continual drive to outsource, hopefully our government will sit up and take notice before it’s too late but sadly I think that’s highly unlikely.

It doesn't have to be that way. But for the life of me I can't understand why the British public stand for it.

[Hibrandenburg]

Had an interview with the German employment agency today, to try and get them to partially fund my retraining. They've offered to fully fund my 5 month course as a professional driver and pay for my HGV1, forklift truck and dangerous goods licenses. I was fully expecting to have to fork out a considerable amount from my redundancy payment to pay for it. I'm absolutely blown away by how easy it was, I was expecting to have to jump through endless hoops to get anything at all. I'm genuinely touched.

[hibee]

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Had an interview with the German employment agency today, to try and get them to partially fund my retraining. They've offered to fully fund my 5 month course as a professional driver and pay for my HGV1, forklift truck and dangerous goods licenses. I was fully expecting to have to fork out a considerable amount from my redundancy payment to pay for it. I'm absolutely blown away by how easy it was, I was expecting to have to jump through endless hoops to get anything at all. I'm genuinely touched.

That’s fantastic and also a sensible approach from them, you get the training and are almost certain to get work at the end of it so continue paying tax and contributing to the economy.

[McD]

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Had an interview with the German employment agency today, to try and get them to partially fund my retraining. They've offered to fully fund my 5 month course as a professional driver and pay for my HGV1, forklift truck and dangerous goods licenses. I was fully expecting to have to fork out a considerable amount from my redundancy payment to pay for it. I'm absolutely blown away by how easy it was, I was expecting to have to jump through endless hoops to get anything at all. I'm genuinely touched.

that’s brilliant 😊

[Hibrandenburg]

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That’s fantastic and also a sensible approach from them, you get the training and are almost certain to get work at the end of it so continue paying tax and contributing to the economy.

Spot on. If all goes well they'll have their investment in me paid back in taxes within a year and will avoid having someone collecting unemployment benefits. I'm so glad that they think longterm rather than just try and save a few €. I've never been unemployed in my life and at 55 it's a great feeling to know that the government haven't written me off and are willing to invest in me.

[Hibrandenburg]

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that’s brilliant 😊

It's clever too. They've put their faith in me and I'm motivated to return the favour.

[Peevemor]

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It's clever too. They've put their faith in me and I'm motivated to return the favour.

In France employers are obliged to pay into a training fund - 1% of the gross wage bill up to 10 employees and 0.55% for more than 10 employees. If you're looking to do some training, CPD or even a complete change of profession you can contact the organising body to see how much is in your individual account - you can then choose how you spend it as long as it's with accredited organisations.

A couple of years ago I did 10 days of Revit/3D CAD training (about £4k IIRC) which was paid from this and one of my workmates, at 45 years old, looks like he's about to retrain to become a chef with the bulk being paid from this scheme.

[Smartie]

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It's clever too. They've put their faith in me and I'm motivated to return the favour.

Germany are head, shoulders, knees and toes above us here in the U.K. when it comes to this sort of thing.

[Jones28]

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Had an interview with the German employment agency today, to try and get them to partially fund my retraining. They've offered to fully fund my 5 month course as a professional driver and pay for my HGV1, forklift truck and dangerous goods licenses. I was fully expecting to have to fork out a considerable amount from my redundancy payment to pay for it. I'm absolutely blown away by how easy it was, I was expecting to have to jump through endless hoops to get anything at all. I'm genuinely touched.

Wow thats fantastic mate thats about £5k worth of courses there.

[Hibrandenburg]

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In France employers are obliged to pay into a training fund - 1% of the gross wage bill up to 10 employees and 0.55% for more than 10 employees. If you're looking to do some training, CPD or even a complete change of profession you can contact the organising body to see how much is in your individual account - you can then choose how you spend it as long as it's with accredited organisations.

A couple of years ago I did 10 days of Revit/3D CAD training (about £4k IIRC) which was paid from this and one of my workmates, at 45 years old, looks like he's about to retrain to become a chef with the bulk being paid from this scheme.

Makes complete sense. Unless of course it's in the UK where the thought of raising income tax by 1% to help the workforce educate themselves or retrain would be seen as Marxist lunacy.

[Hibrandenburg]

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Germany are head, shoulders, knees and toes above us here in the U.K. when it comes to this sort of thing.

Not just Germany, I think most central and northern European countries have found a fairer balance between looking after employees and supporting businesses, there's no reason you can't do both.

[Hibrandenburg]

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Wow thats fantastic mate thats about £5k worth of courses there.

A little bit more buddy. The Germans are sticklers for qualifications and apprenticeships, for example a petrol station attendant would be expected to carry out a 3 year apprenticeship before he could qualify as a recognised "Tankwart". The training I will receive is a fast track course designed for people with driving experience that haven't done the 4 year professional driver apprenticeship that is needed here to drive commercially. Most of my time will be spent in the classroom preparing for the state exam and will cover general road safety, load safety, fuel efficient driving, vehicle maintenance and repair as well as other haulage industry related subject matter. The Germans don't do half arsed. All in all were looking at around €10 000.

[Berwickhibby]

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Not just Germany, I think most central and northern European countries have found a fairer balance between looking after employees and supporting businesses, there's no reason you can't do both.

As I recall the German system had more pros than cons...the Christmas money was my favourite, there was also a savings scheme where the Government gave DM50ish and that was saved for 7 years and then paid out, doing your tax return also once a year normally led to a payout. First year of having a child they paid out DM400 ...yes tax his higher, but it goes back into the system rather than lining Torys and their chums pockets with huge tax breaks.

[Keith_M]

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A little bit more buddy. The Germans are sticklers for qualifications and apprenticeships, for example a petrol station attendant would be expected to carry out a 3 year apprenticeship before he could qualify as a recognised "Tankwart". The training I will receive is a fast track course designed for people with driving experience that haven't done the 4 year professional driver apprenticeship that is needed here to drive commercially. Most of my time will be spent in the classroom preparing for the state exam and will cover general road safety, load safety, fuel efficient driving, vehicle maintenance and repair as well as other haulage industry related subject matter. The Germans don't do half arsed. All in all were looking at around €10 000.

Surely to qualify as an HGV driver in Berlin & Brandenburg you also need to be fluent in Polish?

The language courses must add quite a bit to the cost.

[Hibrandenburg]

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Surely to qualify as an HGV driver in Berlin & Brandenburg you also need to be fluent in Polish?

The language courses must add quite a bit to the cost.

I thought similar, but it's only the pan European haulage that is "fest in polnischen Hände", most internal haulage is done by Germans.