Off Topic Hull City Centre Public Realm Strategy

[Bunny]

Years ago you didn’t need to be academic to get a job as a bricklayer, joiner etc. now you need decent qualifications in maths and English to get an apprenticeship

 

[rovertiger]

My mate who was an apprentice trained and years of experience welder found himself with less and less ship work, often only temp jobs fixing the cock ups made by the cheaper options.

DSS told him he had to do retraining so asked for computer or electronics type thing, no places for that you have to do a Bricky course. Off he goes for a few months of training and comes away with some sort of NVQ qualification, said in the same building they were teaching welding to the same level.

I did a 6 month welding and burning course, got me certificates and off I went to get a job. No chance whatsoever, at every interview was a fully certified welder and even at one interview a bloody deep sea diver welder off the rigs.
All it did me for was some govvy jobs here and there. Waste of cost of course money they put me through and waste of my time.

 

[balkan tiger]

I did a 6 month welding and burning course, got me certificates and off I went to get a job. No chance whatsoever, at every interview was a fully certified welder and even at one interview a bloody deep sea diver welder off the rigs.
All it did me for was some govvy jobs here and there. Waste of cost of course money they put me through and waste of my time.

Exactly this ^^^^^

 

[Newland Tiger]

Very much so.
Funny (but not funny) how the tables have turned, and in such a relatively short space of time. Poles coming here in there droves not that long ago, now many returning PLUS many UK citizens also going and looking to go move there. They are showing us how it can be done (on several fronts), even with the restrictions of being in the EU and ECHR. It proves that where there's a real will there's a way.
Poland eh. Who would have thought. As I keep saying, this country is ****ed, and needs a massive reset (with zero sign of it coming short to medium term as our problems just get worse).
FACT finding:
As of late 2025/early 2026, Poland has seen a sharp rise in British nationals moving there, becoming one of the top destinations for UK expats in Europe.
Key factors driving this trend include a lower cost of living, better quality of life, and a booming tech sector.
The shift is driven by lower cost of living, efficient public transport, and perceived higher quality of life, often described as a "better financial breathing room".
Poland’s economy is growing, with opportunities in the tech sector, making it an attractive destination for work.
Access to both public and private healthcare is available, with private options noted for being affordable compared to the UK

So in what way has been in the EU held them back then ?

 

[Plum]

When we moved onto a new development our house was one of the first built, only 5 years ago, so we had a construction site on our doorstep for a few years, saw plenty of young lads in all trades.
This constant narrative against the young generation just seems ridiculous, they don't all toss it off in black hoodies pulling wheelies in the middle of the road you know.

Nothing wrong with not wanting to be in trade, I'm just repeating what tradesmen have said to me, there's no 'anti-youth' narrative.

 

[mauled1904]

I'd have loved nothing more than working from home,sadly they wouldn't allow me to take a forklift off the premises...

Same with me but with 15 prisoners

 

[spesupersydera]

If you worked in engineering you should know automation of manual work has been going on for decades, it doesn't mean nothing gets manufactured anymore it just requires less labour. There are loads of engineering jobs around in many sectors, every business needs software engineering these days. I also think the north south divide is far less than it was with Leeds and Manchester booming and remote working allowing engineers to work from any location, even with AI clever people can do clever jobs from almost anywhere.

Exactly this ^^ - when I first started in the Steel Industry,1977, I was one of 28,000 workers at Scunthorpe SteelWorks - when I retired in 2013 I was one of 4,000 who were making 5x the volume of steel as when I started, was also better quality.

 

[Edelman]

How do the plumbers, electricians, joiners, brickies, mechanics and the likes work from home? Ah that's right we have devalued such type of work to such an extent that there aren't any.
YEB used to take on about 200 apprentices every year now after it's been sold off over and over there's virtually no one getting trained.

Thousands go to uni but don't end working in the profession they studied, what a waste.

My view is coloured because I was the bloke you called when the wheels fell off or a spanner dropped into the works, literally not figuratively. No working from home for me.

If I was going to give anybody any advice to anybody that is leaving school, college it would be taken on a apprenticeship in one of those very trades you say are devalued !
They will allow you to earn above the average wage and will always be needed.

 

[springtiger]

When we moved onto a new development our house was one of the first built, only 5 years ago, so we had a construction site on our doorstep for a few years, saw plenty of young lads in all trades.
This constant narrative against the young generation just seems ridiculous, they don't all toss it off in black hoodies pulling wheelies in the middle of the road you know.

I’ve not criticised the young ones, I’ve questioned the value of sat at a desk on a computer working in a call centre etc against the value of generations who ‘made’ things and built them of whom the narrative is also divisive . ‘they are all wealthy pensioners clogging up the NHS and costing the workers billions ‘
This isn’t about young ones being labelled as lazy or taking easy options it’s about the value of work itself . Successive govts since Thatcher have screwed industry over through neglect , sell offs , one off financial hits , selling the jewels / you can only do it once - no long term plan - although I suspect the ‘plan’ is in play by the financial world .

 

[Newland Tiger]

If I was going to give anybody any advice to anybody that is leaving school, college it would be taken on a apprenticeship in one of those very trades you say are devalued !
They will allow you to earn above the average wage and will always be needed.

Exactly right , can't see AI replacing them anytime soon

 

[Heimdallr]

I’ve not criticised the young ones, I’ve questioned the value of sat at a desk on a computer working in a call centre etc against the value of generations who ‘made’ things and built them of whom the narrative is also divisive . ‘they are all wealthy pensioners clogging up the NHS and costing the workers billions ‘
This isn’t about young ones being labelled as lazy or taking easy options it’s about the value of work itself . Successive govts since Thatcher have screwed industry over through neglect , sell offs , one off financial hits , selling the jewels / you can only do it once - no long term plan - although I suspect the ‘plan’ is in play by the financial world .

Working in a call centre helping an elderly, confused gentleman get connected to his broadband might be seen as equally valuable to society as working in a coal mine and dying painfully of lung disease at 56...

Society changes - certainly political policies of the 1980s ended mass production industry earlier in the UK than Euro neighbours, but it's happening anyway - just can't compete in a global economy. The UK tends to produce luxury manufacturing goods, chemicals, pharma and high end technical engineering products these days. You can't expect new entrants into the workforce to set up shipyards and factories.

 

[Edelman]

Exactly this ^^ - when I first started in the Steel Industry,1977, I was one of 28,000 workers at Scunthorpe SteelWorks - when I retired in 2013 I was one of 4,000 who were making 5x the volume of steel as when I started, was also better quality.

Are you sure there was 28,000 workers at the Scunthorpe steel plant in 1977?
I would find that very hard to believe

 

[Edelman]

Which in some ways highlights the choices on leaving education nowadays?

Does a 16 year old lad leaving school who is computer literate want to (1) Work on a freezing cold building site in the middle of winter,up to his knees in mud OR (2) put his computer skills to use and work from home with a bigger salary and warmer feet.?

Sadly,I think this highlights the reason for the drop in skilled building trades and it has nothing to do with having a pop at the younger generation.The World we live in has evolved very quickly and there's a huge shift in what People want to do to earn a wage nowadays.

The 16 year old would be better off taking a trade as apposed to sitting behind a computer.
They will be lost to Ai soon

 

[spesupersydera]

Are you sure there was 28,000 workers at the Scunthorpe steel plant in 1977?
I would find that very hard to believe

In 1977 Scunthorpe 'site' comprised three separate steel plants i.e. App Frod works which had blast furnaces, coke ovens and various rolling mills; Redbourn site had blast furnaces, coke ovens, melting shop and a power plant, Lyasights (Normanby Park) was a fully integrated steel works of its own, furnaces, coke ovens, rolling mills - the full bag of mashings! add to that a ''formed coke'' plant. Not all of the 28k were employed by the three steel plants but a large number were contractors allied to British Steel (the original one).

When I started, as you drove into the works through the main gate there was a coach park, a similar size to Walton Street car park; the site ran three continental shifts 6x2, 2x10 & 10x6, before the start, and at the end of every shift there were at least 50/60 coaches transferring men to and from Grimsby, Goole, Doncaster + umpteen more Yorkshire villages. It was a sight to see ...

Edited to add (**** memory) ...

At the bottom of Mortal Ash Hill, where the Morrisons supermarket is, there was a site called Anchor Village - it was a series of 'H' shaped accommodation blocks full of hundreds of guys from Hull, Geordies, Jocks and scores of towns and cities where they would stay for a full working week before going home on their days off - I spent six months on there before wife and i decided to stay and buy a place in Scunny.

 

[Paul Jewitt]

And lasses dont forget...we have a female bricky works with us...served her apprenticeship with us and she is a right good grafter really good work ethic and attitude too...

I'm in control and instrumentation and we have a young girl apprentice and her desire to learn and knowledge retention puts the more traditional 'lads' in the role to shame

 

[Plum]

I'm in control and instrumentation and we have a young girl apprentice and her desire to learn and knowledge retention puts the more traditional 'lads' in the role to shame

I've seen quite a few lady forklift operators recently, bus drivers and lorry drivers aplenty but I've only ever seen one lady scaffold erector.

 

[Paul Jewitt]

I've seen quite a few lady forklift operators recently, bus drivers and lorry drivers aplenty but I've only ever seen one lady scaffold erector.

At my place the scaffolders are contractors but I've seen a few women involved

 

[Plum]

.

 

[originalminority]

I've seen quite a few lady forklift operators recently, bus drivers and lorry drivers aplenty but I've only ever seen one lady scaffold erector.

A handful of lady fitters, machinists and engineers at BAE, the one female aircraft electrician was known as Vicky Voltage.

 

[springtiger]

Working in a call centre helping an elderly, confused gentleman get connected to his broadband might be seen as equally valuable to society as working in a coal mine and dying painfully of lung disease at 56...

Society changes - certainly political policies of the 1980s ended mass production industry earlier in the UK than Euro neighbours, but it's happening anyway - just can't compete in a global economy. The UK tends to produce luxury manufacturing goods, chemicals, pharma and high end technical engineering products these days. You can't expect new entrants into the workforce to set up shipyards and factories.

I trust the first paragraph wasn’t a veiled dig , I’m way short of that stage yet . I take your point on industries that we do well but ‘ either Thatc her was an absolute visionary or the stupid ignorant I’m comfy in my home politician that we have so many of today .
My point is that when our economy was diverse our success was not dependent on ‘the City’ for which our politicians are beholding to . Policy is dictated by one entity for the benefit of a small number of people . If those people are geographically located in one region then the rest are neglected - as they are . We can’t even get electrified rails here in the Nthn Powerhouse ‘ - don’t make me laugh !