Skills for all

It now emerges that the Prime Minister was wrong not only in claiming that he could somehow restrict British jobs to British workers, but also in thinking that training places to make British workers more competitive could be restricted to British nationals. How could he forget about the European Union.

All that is left, perhaps, is the attempt to persuade (younger) British “workers”, at present languishing on some sort of benefit, to become more active in job seeking. Given that some of them are lacking in qualifications and demonstrable skills, as well as in motivation in many cases, the training places scheme could be a life-line for them.

Unfortunately, many of the posts occupied by British workers currently are temporary – a feature used by many employers faced with enthusiastic immigrant workers willing to work on this basis. No-one can predict what will happen if the economy undergoes some turbulence early in 2008, but temporary workers are likely to feel the effect, as their jobs can end with fewer complications for employers.

The newly trained workers may be looking for jobs at a time when they are disappearing, and when displaced temporary workers are also looking for work.