Jobs for Brits

[zazen999]

This is why I don't watch tellyboxes.

I did some research, went for a walk with Mr Z, went to the pub, came home and sowed some chili and pepper seeds, then had a bath and went to bed.

[marathon]

Playing devils advocate again here:
You really need to think about the motives of the programme makers in this instance.
The 'British' people they picked, who were the most outspoken on the subject of immigration and immigrant workers, lived on benefits etc, were not a fair representation of the British population who genuinely do want to work but cannot find a job.
I can use myself as example here - I spent the past five years trying to improve my education and change career direction - Now I cant even get a job as a cleaner or in a shop now because there are simply no jobs to be had. (NB I must add, I am not blaming immigrant workers at all,rather the greedy business owners who want people to work all hours, for hardly any money.) If they had offered me the opportunity to take part in this programme I would have done so, and worked hard.
But the programme makers WANTED to show the British 'workers' as ignorant and layabouts, and I wouldn't have fitted in with their hidden agenda.

I agree - of all the people they could have picked . I thought that the chippy came out well. He was given a chance to prove his trade and he proved that he was just as good as the next man. The other people were taken out of their comfort zone and therefore it should have been expected that they would take little longer than three days to perform at the same level as the other workers.

I was shouting at the TV it seems the young ones have no idea about the need to earn a wage. I heard a suggestion on the wright show which I agree with and that was that unemployed have to take a job abd then the gov top up the wage. Then the young won't get used to being at home. If they want a better job they might make more effort in looking for one if they have to work the hours anyway.

The programme was very one sided. I know loads of people out of work from office blocks in the city and all who have been used to a regular wage would try anything to get money back in their pockets.

[Littlemouse]

I watched this programme and cringed most of the time:

I thought the young lad who actually made the second day at the restaurant did try (or made effort at trying) - I know he walked off for a smoke several times but frankly I think they dumped him in at the deep end. He was left out there to do the work without any supervision/guidance as far as I could see.

I thought he did have some idea but the restaurant owner although friendly and smiley was also thoughtless in that respect. He was making his own point of course.

I like the carpenter and thought he proved we did have willing workers with a work ethic (although sensitive to the criticism of the job done - but in the building trades sensitivity to others' feelings does not appear high on the list of personal qualities - it being a rufty tufty old business!)

I think what came across was a sense of failed bravado and also cases of pride taking a hit - this showed in the attitude expressed by most of the participants. I think pride is fine but a lack of humility is crippling with it.

I thought the occurrences of late or non-appearance along with the various excuses was embarrassing. I think we heard all the usual unconvincing flim-flam. I also suspect that the reality of being in the 'spotlight' had suddenly hit home and the possibility of failing under public scrutiny caused a higher than normal dropout rate.

I appreciate the programme was edited to reflect a stance but I thought Evan's comments at the end did go some way to open up discussion about what our realistic options are in respect of the future.

Edited to add: I wonder if the insane focus we have on vacuous celebrity has imbued most of a young generation with the sense that the world owes them a living and in return they only have to make the most minimal effort. Perhaps they're all waiting to be discovered!

[HayleyB]

It has done nothing for the reputation that Wisbech has already and as most of my business is around that area I hid behind my fingers for much of the programme groaning, especially since I know a lot of what was in the documentary is actually spot on.

[HeyWayne]

Call me cynical but have you thought that might be the conclusion you were supposed to come to?

Of course it was - contrary to the opinions of some I'm not that stupid or naive to think that a 'documentary' is completely factual or unbiased in any way.

However, if those people didn't exist they would not be able to either film them, or put the programme together in the first place. However the programme was edited/presented the fact still remains that those people exist.