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Ageism
Ageism appears to still be an issue for those of you who are looking for work in the UK. I recall when I had just left school and was always considered too young for any job that interested me. I lost count of the number of times that I was told to "come back in a couple of years, then you will be just the sort of candidate we are looking for." The only reason for turning me down was that I wasn't old enough or didn't have enough experience. Well that couple of years passed I took the only job that I was offered but by the time these two years had passed, I found I quite liked the job and it had potential to become something much better, so I never did return to try my luck at some of the things I'd previously been turned down for, even though many of them would still have been available to me. Life continued, I was promoted, got married, and had children. The expense of living meant that I had to return to work after having the children and then a blow was struck - I was made redundant. Nevermind, I picked myself up dusted myself down and prepared to go for interviews - something I'd not done for over 19 years ! Any way luck (and age !) was still on my side. I was 31 years old but still managed to get another position which was actually better than the one I'd been let go from. Life was good again, and continued that way for another 4 years. Then redundancy loomed for a second time. By now I was single again but still needed to work. I did manage to get another job but found that I hated it and in the end I left of my own accord. I decided the best way to get something else that really suited me was to go back to education and get a degree.
Something I'd never had the chance to do when I was younger. So I enrolled for a teaching course and all went well. I was able to work part-time teaching whilst studying part-time and three years later was granted my degree. Great I thought there was now nothing stopping me from applying for full time teaching roles, so I began the search for a teaching job. Unfortunately as anyone who works in education will tell you the rules have a habit of changing frequently.
Since I had commenced my degree the rules seem to have changed. It now appears that I should have opted for a subject specific degree and not the general B Ed degree that I took. I've now been looking for over a year and have yet to find a position where they will take me with my current qualifications and experience and allow me to train further as I work. My only option would be to return to University at a further cost of over £3000 for another year to become NQT qualified and then search again for a role for an NQT. I am understandbly reluctant to do this as age is no longer on my side. There is no guarantee that if I did the extra year and incurred all that extra debt that I would be any better off than I am at the moment. With many applications I seem to be turned down before they have even bothered to meet me or to find out what my skills are. The only reason I can think of for this is that I am now too old. It is supposed to be against the employment laws to turn down candidates on age related ground alone, however I can find no other reason why I should not even be considered for an interview. I have never been in any kind of trouble, I have a complete work history, I have a well written and frequently updated CV, so the only thing not on my side is my age. I've now been reduced to having to take any job I can find as the bills do not go away, though it looks like my dream of a teaching career definately has. When I commenced my degree course mature students were being encouraged to re-train to teach to fill the shortages in the education system. I am lead to believe there are still shortages - so why will no-one take someone who really wants to do the job and has already been told she is well suited to it from her previous experience. Is ageism really alive and kicking ? It certainly seems that way. |
http://tda.org.uk
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This intel was contributed by Glenda
Glenda
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May, 2012
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