Author Topic: My friend the shelf stacker.  (Read 1277 times)

digitalis

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Re: My friend the shelf stacker.
« Reply #30 on: Sep 25, 2020, 08:52:52 AM »
Some 7 months back I stopped to chat to the university staff who were on strike for better pay and reduced contributions to their future salaries. Their spokesman was a bit guarded a first but saw I was no enemy of their demands but a fellow just wanting to know how they wouldnt be culled in the future by AI and increasing international labour competition. No one won the argument because it wasnt any argument,but myself asking the self same questions shelf stacker was detailing but recently in his You Tube blogs


Today on Today(R4)I see Glasgow and other universities are almost in lockdown over C19. The students are confined to their digs,lockdown. I wonder whats the point of them being there at uni. I know some learning will require hands on eyes-looking learning which may involve the use of multi-sense co-operation,but for other education...cant it all be done...'on-line'. Books,questions,tutorials...why cant these be done via the 20x20 online screen. Then,if this is so,roll out the further Ed,sack some staff,close some of the physical institutions. It has already been proved that some(a lot?)of medical diagnostics can be done better by algorithms rather than by doctors...so more outsourcing/savings and less doctors required.
Once we can get some lower orders in to scan all the olde history books and manuscripts and the like and so on...its all on-line. 10 real time historians in place on line(working in their living rooms!),time to scrap the rest of 'em? All can be 'employed' working from home to others who work from home. All can be called upon for referencing from others who are working from home whose numbers are few because they have been replaced by remote learning and techno wizadry.


And which might bring us back to 'our Gary'. Surely no one can replace 'our Gaz'! ;)

xetog

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Re: My friend the shelf stacker.
« Reply #31 on: Sep 25, 2020, 09:27:23 AM »
Having experience as I said of Open University, I have to say that distance learning takes massive self application.  My daughter attended one of the top universities in the land, yet at the Vice Chancellors introduction to parents and freshers his message was, "First and foremost you are here to enjoy yourselves."  I was stunned and later tackled one of the lecturers for her course.  His reaction was that if the VC had said that they were all here to work hard, most would have turned around and gone home.  How accurate his comments were I don't know but if that is the attitude of one of the top 3, what is it like at the rest?




Mike.X
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Michael Rolls

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Re: My friend the shelf stacker.
« Reply #32 on: Sep 25, 2020, 09:37:54 AM »
I hope the VC didn't just mean hedonism, but to enjoy the total experience. I wasn't able to go to University - mum needed me to work and bring in money as we were poor - but did acquire a bachelor level qualification by correspondence course and evening classes after I had worked for a few years. Both my step-children (Veronica's children from her first marriage) did go to university and got degrees and, whilst I never actually envied them the experience - their situations at the relevant age was so different from my own that it would have been childish - but I do think that, like them, I would have enjoyed the experience
Mike
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The older I get, the better I was!

Jacqueline

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Re: My friend the shelf stacker.
« Reply #33 on: Sep 25, 2020, 09:59:00 AM »
Go to University to have fun? it should be a place of serious learning, your there to work hard and get a Degree.

Out in the real world of work I'm sure your employer won't be telling you to have fun, he wants a good days work out of you.  Every place I have ever worked if you look like your having fun the boss would soon find you a job to do.

klondike

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Re: My friend the shelf stacker.
« Reply #34 on: Sep 25, 2020, 10:09:22 AM »
Mac..Do you mind if I add that homosexual men don't proposition men that they know are straight either. It seems common among straight men to think that gay blokes will make a pass at them.
I would have thought it was self evident. How many here have been propositioned? I was groped by a presumably gay assistant in Fosters menswear while being measured once at the tender age of maybe 17 but I don't think that counts. Plus I was a very handsome boy of course  :)
So long and thanks for all the fish

Michael Rolls

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Re: My friend the shelf stacker.
« Reply #35 on: Sep 25, 2020, 10:12:29 AM »
Go to University to have fun? it should be a place of serious learning, your there to work hard and get a Degree.

Out in the real world of work I'm sure your employer won't be telling you to have fun, he wants a good days work out of you.  Every place I have ever worked if you look like your having fun the boss would soon find you a job to do.
The words reported were 'enjoy yourselves' not 'have fun'. Rather different concepts - I enjoyed (mostly) my jobs, despite working damned hard - not mutually exclusive. Enjoyment can be achieved by success at work or study, not just from hedonism
Mike
Thank you for the days, the days you gave me.
The older I get, the better I was!

biglouis

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Re: My friend the shelf stacker.
« Reply #36 on: Sep 25, 2020, 01:16:24 PM »
If I had chosen to have kids I would have wanted them to have the opportunity to go to university - if that was what THEY wanted. I do believe its an important experience for young people growing up. The fact that my parents not only did not help me to get on in life but actually held me back drove me to achieve when I was finally able to make the opportunity for myself.

On the whole I enjoyed my years at university - otherwise I would not have stayed on to become an academic and eventually a lecturer. However what I enjoyed about it was the cut and thrust of debate, the ability to pick the brains of some brilliant people, and access to a superb library with the latest technology. Arguably all "work" rather than "fun" things.


Being a lot older than most of the other students, all the drinking, clubbing and so on did not really appeal to me. I did socialise with the other students but I had my own flat so I also had somewhere quiet to study. I would not have liked it in halls.


Rules are for the guidance of wise men and the blind obedience of fools.

GrannyMac

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Re: My friend the shelf stacker.
« Reply #37 on: Sep 25, 2020, 02:23:45 PM »
Go to University to have fun? it should be a place of serious learning, your there to work hard and get a Degree.

Out in the real world of work I'm sure your employer won't be telling you to have fun, he wants a good days work out of you.  Every place I have ever worked if you look like your having fun the boss would soon find you a job to do.

You can have fun and still work hard.  Some of the jobs I've done were drudgery, but others were interesting, fulfilling, and enjoyable.

One of my children went straight to Uni from school, the other did a vocational course and then went abroad to work at 19.  She went to Uni in her 20s, by then it was the only way to get into nursing.  She wasn't particularly academic at school, but was determined to be a nurse.  She studied in London and enjoyed her time there.  No degree, but a nursing diploma was all she needed.  She eventually did the necessary (whilst working fulltime) and got her degree at 40. 

The one who went straight to Uni had a good time too, his sport was important to him and that was a big part of his life there.  After a year back living at home, and in a crap job he got on a masters IT course, and the rest is history.   I agree with BL, it is great personal development for young people.   I'd never grudge anyone the opportunity, however I'd be discouraging taking some of the degrees on offer these days.

If the grandchildren want to go to university, and they have the abilities, then their parents will support them.  But if they want to an apprenticeship, or go on a vocational course, they'll support that too.  Just depends on their abilities, and what they hope to do.   
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biglouis

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Re: My friend the shelf stacker.
« Reply #38 on: Sep 25, 2020, 04:19:56 PM »
We have et the apprenticeship system go down the tubes in this country. In Germany it is still going strong and an important part of industry. Here we have a stupid practice of "internship" in industries like fashion, journalism and so on. Young people are expected to do the run around work and learn the ropes but they are unpaid labour. What that effectively means is that only little princes and princesses with rich mums and dads who can afford to keep them can go into certain careers.

If I had kids at university I would certainly not subsidise them. I worked part time for my entire undergraduate and post graduate career. And I had some pretty weird jobs!
Rules are for the guidance of wise men and the blind obedience of fools.

GrannyMac

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Re: My friend the shelf stacker.
« Reply #39 on: Sep 25, 2020, 04:29:28 PM »
Apprenticeships in lots of trades disappeared, but now there are some opportunities to earn and learn.  One young woman we know chose the apprenticeship route to learn accountancy, local authorities have apprentices in all sorts of depts., and I know some of the large banks offer them, certainly in IT.
Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right.

R. Gervais