Ingeus

[Hoysey]

and forgot to add...whilst there you can inform the other people there how to withdraw consent etc....that should get you out of attending any more of these mickey mouse courses

 

Good thinking, I'll make sure I spread the word

[osdset]

Another useful ploy especially on the first visit to the pimps is to declare loudly that you are a militant trade unionist, and as such are duty bound to spread the word.

 

This is also very effective on the CV the pimps in their stupidity often insist that a personal profile goes near the top of the CV, listing all sorts of rubbish like hobbies etc leave all that nonsense out and type that your only interest is furthering the trade union cause and membership, this may be handy with regard to mandatory work activity, no bosses want a uber left wing bolshie trade union fanatic on the workforce subverting all the staff.

[Bakatcha]

Good idea!

I think I will update my CV with my active membership of Anarchists International and the Red Brigade.

As for the courses - it sounds very much like the Learn Direct type [problem] is still going on. Rip off the European Social Fund for each person forced to attend. Pimp share is £1300. This really is a scandal but no one seems to care - I guess because it's European money.

[Hoysey]

So I had my interview today and asked if they had received my letter about removing my consent from the waiver and so on, they had and had sorted it which surprised me as I was ready for a battle, he still kept pushing about the job tracker tho saying I needed to write on addresses and phone numbers.

It seems as tho all they want to do now is put me on a load of courses, first one being this Friday, which is a literacy and numeracy course, to which I replied whats the point in that when I can already read, write and do maths, apparently it's not like that tho. Then he mentioned putting me on another course in a few weeks time, I get the feeling they just want to mess me around now as I've withdrawn consent, are these courses mandatory or can I actually say no to them?

 

Today I have logged into my Ingeus works account and found that my CV is there available for me to download, so obviously they have not removed it from their system like they had stated, this also makes me wonder if the waiver form has also actually been destroyed.

[RebeccaPidgeon]

Good idea!

I think I will update my CV with my active membership of Anarchists International and the Red Brigade.

As for the courses - it sounds very much like the Learn Direct type [problem] is still going on. Rip off the European Social Fund for each person forced to attend. Pimp share is £1300. This really is a scandal but no one seems to care - I guess because it's European money.

If you are assigned to any "Training Programme" (such as Learn Direct), already possess the skills, qualifications, and/or experience, which would make you involvement redundant, and if the W2W Provider is able to claim even £0.01 from any party (such as European Social Fund), then report the matter to the police as an attempt to "obtain pecuniary advantage through deception". ie FRAUD

[debt4get]

Good idea!

I think I will update my CV with my active membership of Anarchists International and the Red Brigade.

As for the courses - it sounds very much like the Learn Direct type [problem] is still going on. Rip off the European Social Fund for each person forced to attend. Pimp share is £1300. This really is a scandal but no one seems to care - I guess because it's European money.

i would also ask for the aims and objectives of the said 'course' to see if it is suitable for you to engage, or whether you already have the necessary skills, and education, and how this will advance your jobseeking skills

[debt4get]

have you also made sure that your cv is password protected and done only in pdf form...there is a free program called cutepdf writer that does this nicely also mine has copyrighted plastered across it, and they are unable to alter anything on it

[SirAnonymous]

Just like to share my experience with these lot.

 

Been with them almost a year now, at first it was OK I didn't mind going in once a fortnight for an informal chat, bit of job searching and the odd 1 hour lecture you are made to do.

 

Now I have been referred to their 'personal route ways' scheme. You have to go in every week on a specific day for one hour, sit infront of a computer and apply for 5 jobs then write them down. You can do this in 10 minutes at home, spending 1 hour searching for jobs you've already looked at, at home isn't productive.

 

They are also signing everyone up to "MANDATORY" (I'm an admin who can sanction benefits) college courses, to get additional support with searching for jobs and these pointless courses that have no added value to your CV.

 

So the routine is, sign on once a fortnight, on that same do go into Ingeus for a 1 hour meeting (sitting at a computer searching for 5 jobs) as well as going in once a week to do the same. On top of that go to college to do the employment course. Not sure if they are getting a bonus for that but they seem to be persistent on you going to college and keep mentioning you will be sanctioned if you don't attend.

 

What a way to build relationships, telling you, you will be sanctioned every 5 minutes. (As I keep being reminded every time I turn up)

[debt4get]

as a matter of interest...what do you do in the college?

[SirAnonymous]

I start on Monday, but supposedly go through my CV and look for jobs I've been told, and the sessions will be longer than 1 hour. With an advisor at the college.

[debt4get]

wonder what ofsted will make of it....courses are supposed to add value to a person, if this is simply another jobsearch club, can see the college getting into all sorts of difficulties...personally i would tie them down, insist that you can see the aims and objectives of the course, how it will add value to your cv etc.....whether you will be learning something new, and useful, i think if you make a 'bit of a nuisance' by questioning everything they do..without refusing to do it, you may find that you are suddenly told attendance is not mandatory

[osdset]

i think if you make a 'bit of a nuisance' by questioning everything they do..without refusing to do it, you may find that you are suddenly told attendance is not mandatory

 

Absolutely, I have an inkling that those that refuse to sign the data waivers, offer redacted CV's etc are ear-marked for 'special treatment' so if that's the case then there is nothing whatever to lose by making the pimps life a complete misery, get it to the stage where they dread your next appointment, do everything to subvert the proceedings that won't attract a sanction.

[osdset]

Ah, and now for the really bad news

Here http://zine.openrightsgroup.org/features/2012/looking-for-a-job-goes-orwellian

[Hoysey]

I've had enough of them tbh, I've got a doctors appointment on Monday, I've got medical issues so I'm gonna ask him to sign me off on the sick, Ingenius can go and whistle..

[debt4get]

Ah, and now for the really bad news

Here http://zine.openrightsgroup.org/features/2012/looking-for-a-job-goes-orwellian

i think it rhymes with 'TRUCKING BELL'

[debt4get]

Ah, and now for the really bad news

Here http://zine.openrightsgroup.org/features/2012/looking-for-a-job-goes-orwellian

i think the 'millions' of claimants involved should 'suddenly' announce that they no longer have internet access at home....this should cause enough chaos

[RebeccaPidgeon]

have you also made sure that your cv is password protected and done only in pdf form...there is a free program called cutepdf writer that does this nicely also mine has copyrighted plastered across it, and they are unable to alter anything on it

Open Office (as with Microsoft Office) also offer the facility to embed a watermark within a document, and to print the document off in PDF format, with password protection.

[RebeccaPidgeon]

wonder what ofsted will make of it....courses are supposed to add value to a person, if this is simply another jobsearch club, can see the college getting into all sorts of difficulties...personally i would tie them down, insist that you can see the aims and objectives of the course, how it will add value to your cv etc.....whether you will be learning something new, and useful, i think if you make a 'bit of a nuisance' by questioning everything they do..without refusing to do it, you may find that you are suddenly told attendance is not mandatory

College Courses may be fine... at least the tutor is likely to be quailified. However, from the New Deal and Flexible New Deal, candidates may have subscribed to "Employability Training" courses. Unfortunately, the agencies which recruited candidates to deliver such training n behalf of Third Party Agencies (such as A4E and Working Links) may it clear that candidates need not be qualified teachers, and neither need they possess any Teaching Qualifications.

 

Within Western Culture, We tend to dismiss people who attempt to practice medicine without possessing a license as being QUACKS.

[Bakatcha]

This sounds to me less lile a college course and more like being passed on to a sub-pimp.

[debt4get]

This sounds to me less lile a college course and more like being passed on to a sub-pimp.

yep thats how exactly it sounded to me as well.....though am surprised a college is getting into bed with these sharks....but then again nothing surprises me in uk today

[RebeccaPidgeon]

yep thats how exactly it sounded to me as well.....though am surprised a college is getting into bed with these sharks....but then again nothing surprises me in uk today

If a College is involved, there may be a case of negotiating a suitable course, something which allows you to acquire additional knowledge and skills, but which doesn't appear to retread training which you may have pursued years/decades ago.

 

Perhaps there may be a case to claim, not only is you internet access down, but also that you computer has experienced a systems failure, and that you need to get a new system.

 

The W2W Pimp will have access to a budget per candidate, and far better that the budget goes to the candidate, rather than to jolly outings overseas.

[osdset]

Perhaps there may be a case to claim, not only is you internet access down, but also that you computer has experienced a systems failure, and that you need to get a new system.

 

That's me going for a MacBook Pro then.

[fightingback99]

yep thats how exactly it sounded to me as well.....though am surprised a college is getting into bed with these sharks....but then again nothing surprises me in uk today

 

The principal (or whatever the head honcho of a local college is called ) near me would take on any additional course work for which she gets additional revenue regardless of how useful it is. They've already got their staff running course fairs twice a year to recruit potential students. They're supposed to target single parents or under 18's who to fulfill some benefit payment requirement sign up to do courses which they have no interest in.

 

Then the lecturers are forced into a bad position when the 'students' don't do the required attendance hours and ask them to fudge the figures to keep their benefit payments. However the principal did get a handsome bonus last year, drives a luxury car, refurbish her office to luxurious standards and pay off 20% staff!!.

[Hoysey]

Well I turned up for this numeracy & literacy course that Ingenius sent me on, when I was asked what grades in English & Maths I got at school she asked what I was doing there, and there's nothing that they can teach me, sounds about right. Apparently it's a 2 week course, but I can just turn up for the first week which is learning how to make a CV, when she told me this I informed her I've known how to create a CV for years and that I have an up to date one at home, she just looked at me with a blank expression and said "I really don't see the point in why they have sent you here"

 

Just goes to show that these Ingenius lot haven't got a clue what they're doing.

[gil_jnr]

Just goes to show that these Ingenius lot haven't got a clue what they're doing.

 

They know EXACTLY what they're doing. They're milking the European Social Fund for every penny of profit they can get their greedy corporate hands on.