Falklands : Public Meeting: Young People Grill Councillors about Employment
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 28.07.2006 (Article Archived on 11.08.2006)
Young school leavers or those returning from University have problems getting adequate pay and employment.
PUBLIC MEETING: YOUNG PEOPLE GRILL COUNCILLORS ABOUT EMPLOYMENT
By J. Brock (FINN)
A public meeting with young people took place in the Court and Council Chamber of the Town Hall at 1700hrs on Thursday, 27 July 2006. A full house of some 70 people attended. Councillors present were Richard Stevens (Chair), Mr. Mike Summers, Dr. Richard Davies, Dr. Andrea Clausen, Mr. Ian Hansen, Mr. Mike Rendell. Absent were Cllrs Cockwell and Robertson.
Cllr Stevens simply left the floor open to comments and questions. One student mentioned that there seemed to be relatively few jobs for people seeking employment. Cllr Stevens said that if one looked around and spoke to potential employers things could turn out better. He also said that there was a problem with employers having to absorb the 35 people leaving the system this year.
Along with this problem is the increasing number of people seeking permits to work in the Falklands. This was the subject of a meeting with the Falkland Islands Chamber of Commerce. The report in the newspaper was a result of that meeting. Employers were concerned about the plight of school leavers but they had to balance that against the needs – the income of employers in the private sector.
Students expressed the concern that rates of pay for school leavers and returning students were not in keeping with inflation and the cost of living. They would like to see a minimum wage but Cllr Clausen mentioned that if employers had to pay out in wages they could not develop their businesses. Students expressed frustration in not being able to earn enough to move out of home and afford separate accommodation from their parents. It was a struggle to pay for commercial rent or a mortgage.
A complaint was raised that people with qualifications are being paid less than those with no qualifications. One example was given but a company director was in the audience and refuted the person’s claim.
Another aspect of the same problem is the pay given to 1st year apprentices. They get £5.90 per hour. Councillors approved these rates to increase the number of apprentices because there was a dearth of them at the time. There seems to be some concern that a young person doesn’t need all that money and that the money was needed when a person got older and had more responsibilities. The fear was that while £5.90 was a good wage the earning power of a qualified person had to exceed that and sometimes it could not.
Cllr Summers asked if Apprentices had a different view and one said he agreed with the first person in that he wanted to work himself up to a good wage. To make things easier the student suggested that FIG pay 50% if the apprentice was in the private sector and the employer could pay 50%. Another student said that minimum wage for a student could be set at one level, while a full time worker over 18 could have another minimum wage requirement, with those over 21 on a higher minimum wage. Inevitably the costs for wages would be passed on to the consumer, whether it be on Government’s “User Pays” philosophy or via cost benefit analysis in the private sector.
Cllr Summers mentioned that for the past nine years he had been discussing a minimum wage in Council but the overwhelming opinion of those hiring on people was that it would cost too much. Councillors already had decided that the additional costs ate into development budgets. It was better to let supply and demand dictate how much a person was paid.
Students who had been away for education found it difficult to say that they had any experience in their area of expertise. Some adverts say a minimum of time in the discipline as an employee. Eileen Davies from the Training Centre mentioned that FIG sponsored a work experience programme. Students pointed out that wages for the scheme were non-existent for Teacher Training to a pittance for other job descriptions. Students needed to earn money for college and to just get by before leaving for more education. The amounts offered were not enough. One student from Camp said that in addition he had to pay commercial rates for accommodation on top of everything else. Mrs. Davies explained that prior to getting funding there was nothing available for students in university, and this was a step in the right direction.
Cllr. Stevens said it would be wise for students to keep in touch with potential employers and to send their CVs around, etc. One student had done that and only had one offer of a job as a receptionist. As a language major, she found that the job would not help her out in the long run. Councillors felt that if students worked at anything the money would accumulate in the bank for university. There was a back-handed agreement from a student who said that work experience in the Falklands may not count in the UK so the money would come in handy.
There were differences between seasonal and/or part-time work and a full time job. Employers wanted someone who would stick with them. There were jobs available such as squiding. These sorts of jobs, though advertised in the paper and on the radio, were not taken up. Alison Ward from the Chamber of Commerce mentioned that students’ CVs could be sent into the office and usually within a week, maybe two, a job was found for the individual.
Cllr. Summers pointed out that the job market was competitive but if a person had their heart set on a career they should keep in touch with potential employers in that field.
The idea of setting up ones own business was expressed with the inevitable response that FIDC had enterprise grants. This was thought to be one alternative. If a person had a mind for business they would put up with working in it until they could earn their own money. One person, who had been on the Graduate Training Scheme said it was worthwhile and a boost for her receiving full time employment.
Though students needed a quick financial fix on occasion, it was a nice thought that they had something to come home to. All the encouragement they got made them believe that if they became qualified they would be employed as soon as they came home. Cllr. Clausen, who had been through the same experience, said that it was difficult for this to happen straight away. One couldn’t expect a recent graduate to step into a senior post, no matter how well qualified he or she is. One parent asked whether students between terms were even considered to be residents of the Falkland Islands. There had been problems getting debit cards from the bank because students who have not been resident in the Falklands for more than 6 months are not considered to be residents.
Cllr Summers mentioned that people shouldn’t look to Government for cradle to grave security and that Government was not an automatic employer. Parents felt that there needed to be help for students in how to write CVs and how to look for work.
The main point of contact for students abroad is the Education Department and it is thought that something could be done through them to help students with their problems and to adjust to the employment market.
Cllr Stevens closed the meeting at 1810hrs.
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