Rise in Island jobseekers

The ferry companies should make it more attractive to commute to work to the mainland, by dropping their prices. Although the job market across the water isn't much better either.

Prime example, new supermarkets and large retail stores, when they first open the employees swell at the ranks. Lets say approximately 3 months later they cut their work force by 2 thirds. If you are a lucky one, you get permanent part time work.
Further more when applying for positions the application rate is high, 800 applied for Waitrose and 1200 applications for Dunelm. This can get very disheartening for the young unemployed, as a parent it does become quite sad knowing they try so hard to get paid work, then become a casaulty of the cut and then back to square one.

There is no doubt that anyone who has experienced unemployment will tell you it is not easy to find a job even if you are desperate.Todays job market is harder than ever as despite what the government is telling you about the millions of new jobs created where is the work?In the West Wight all the big employers Readers,West Island Printers, Millways and a fair while back Wellworthys all MAJOR employers gone and replaced by what? The co-op!! It really is saying something when the major employer in your area is a supermarket! The young that ARE keen to work face the simple problem of finding an employer but where are they? Regarding the comment British jobs rely on exports this is an old myth. What jobs? What do we make?? The number of jobs we would gain making everything ourselves would far outweigh the jobs lost in our market just look at our balance of payments if you want proof.Regarding buyers wanting VFM there would be only in country competion not imports made from cheap labour.

contd':
... The amount of times I would walk into the job centre with my friend and see the same faces moaning that they had to turn up and apply for a job was shocking. People would complain blindly that "there's no jobs" instead of doing something about it.
People seem to think that they should be spoon fed a job, and even then most will turn their noses up at certain jobs as they are too dull or "uncool". The latter is something I genuinely heard at the job centre.

IWCP pull out the same graph which shows seasonal dip.
It's hardly a surprise with all the jobs going at large retailers.

For once, Mike has made some sense - shock horror!

People lack the drive to get a job. By 16 I had decided that I had an interest in a particular area, this helped me pick my sixth form classes appropriately, pick out a uni course that allowed me to do an industrial placement with one of the worlds biggest companies. Now I have been in the industry a few years. I didn't do amazing at university, but I had an interest and a drive to succeed in something I enjoy doing. Now I am rising through the ranks in a field I enjoy (most the time!)

On the flip-side of this I had a friend who had no idea what he wanted to do after sixth form, started working at a fairly low wage at a restaurant and after persevering and proving himself by putting in 110% he is now Manager. ......

@David Shoulder, your comment lack the skills the employers want. Do you mean basic 3 x 'R's from school? If so that is down to both the school and the student.

But I have to ask, does the school leaver "know" what he/she wants to do? At 15 I didn't but had opportunities presented to me which I took. A bit different to my grandson. At the age of 9 he knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to be in the Corps of Drums in the Royal Marines. He joined Medina Marching Band and got into their Corps of Drums .... http://www.medinamarchingband.org.uk/medina_marching_Band/CORPS_OF_DRUMS.html that's him in the middle. He joined H.M.S.Nelson Voluntary Band and was in their Corp of Drums and was accepted in the Royal Marines last September into their Corp of Drums, one of only two, possibly three from the whole country for that one entry which happens once per year.

Do the school leavers have that drive? I didn't until later.

@ David Wright. David 2 things to think about with your solution. Firstly many British jobs depend on exports. If we stop buying from other countries they will stop buying from us. The other problem is us the consumers want good value for our money regardless of where it is made. In reality the only way we will create jobs is to have a competitive economy where we can offer, build and make things which are competitive in price and quality. In most instances if a business locates here it struggles to be competitive because of transport/communication costs and hassle factors. If they do come here it is often because the wage base is low. The specific problem with our youngsters is many of them - for whatever reason lack the skills that employers want.

David in a lot of cases you can blame the Unions. Red Robbo and Arthur Scargill. Even the miners have deserted the latter now. "Everybody Out" was the war cry for ages, can you blame the bosses for going oveseas? Sad thing is that the unions want to tell the bossses how to run their businesses, but they never set up in business themselves!

There is only one way to make a future for our country and our children and that is to stop all imports other than possibly food.If it isnt made here then you couldnt buy it. This is the only way we can restart manufacture in this country and force the manufacturers to make their products here instead of exploiting cheap labour abroad and leaving us jobless. There is example after example of successful companies pulling the plug on long established UK factories and dumping the workforce on the scrapheap to move abroad. It has to be stopped before there is nothing left!!!

David I couldn't have put it better myself. You have said it as it is.

Any views or opinions presented in the comments above are solely those of the author and do not represent those of the Isle of Wight County Press.