Hire learning

Having worked for over 60 years, and still employed part-time, I find myself having the leisure to investigate a bit and reflect on my own experience of hiring and being hired, and find that in one aspect nothing has changed.

Employers generally don’t want the trouble and expense of training people. For years, managers resisted taking on apprentices while bemoaning a lack of trained staff.

Go online now and read the job adverts. Most jobs apparently require a range of skills, abilities and experience that I spent most of my working life acquiring. What few entrylevel jobs or trainee jobs get advertised still require an artificially high list of attributes, all while offering minimum wage.

How about offering a paid work experience type module with a fixed period and a worthwhile training programme at the end? Sure, minimum wage at first, where applicable, but then a reasonable wage when the training starts. Most importantly, be genuine, not just getting cheap short-term labour.

Martin Cleland, Ruakaka.