So many dreams for our youngsters dashed.

One of the main aims of Brexit was to reduce the number of migrant workers and to reduce the flow of manufacturing outside the UK to lower labour cost countries, thereby keeping more jobs at home.

Was it, that really is news to me. If true it shows just how poor the understanding of how the economy works was in the Brexit community.

Lesson 1: If we do not have enough workers in this country to meet our requirements, it drives the price of labour up. Lorry drivers at the moment can currently almost dictate their wages. Employers are hiking their pay rates up, offering bonuses when they join a company and so on, employers then have to recoup their extra costs by passing them on to the consumer in higher prices, which contributes to inflation. The alternative is we let migrant workers in to fill all these vacant posts, costs of employment stay roughly where they are and transport costs do not contribute to inflation.

Lesson 2: Nothing can stop us buying goods from abroad if they are cheaper than those manufactured at home, whether we are in Europe or not. Do you really believe that the home consumer will buy expensive UK manufactured baby wipes, when they can buy Indian manufactured ones for less than half the price, for example?

Remember the 'Ever Given'? The huge container ship that got stuck across the Suez Canal and cause such disruption to freight traffic. She docked in Felixstowe this week. On her were 18,000 containers and every single one was filled with goods made in China. Not one single container had anything in it that was made in the EU. if it becomes difficult to import something from the EU, we will not make it in the UK, we will import from elsewhere, probably China.

However, nearly half our exports go to the EU. Brexit will only make exporting more difficult for things we do still make in the UK.

It sounds like young people are being blamed for the decisions made by others

coastalgran

It is not just young people suffering from the fall out of leaving the EU. Farmers can't get EU seasonal staff because of Covid restrictions and other red tape, our youngsters don't want to pick fruit, veg or harvest grain. Hospitality is another area suffering in Europe being in that industry is not seen as a lesser profession whereas here young people only see working in a bar or hotel as a stop gap or holiday job while a student. So maybe it all needs a rethink by our young people.

Vegetable and fruit crops are being left unpicked because workers cannot be found, replaced by imported produce. Chefs in particular are very short and restaurants are reducing menus so that less skills are needed, we stayed in a hotel recently and it was chips with everything - nobody to prepare potatoes.

Brexit is a monumental shame ! and to think it came about based on lies ! I makes me so sad and angry !

Kali2

Already a huge problem for all those wanting to work in European resorts, be it in the leisure, sport or tourism of any form - and ski/snowboard instructors, sailing, surfing, etc. as 'equivalence' only applies to EU and Switzerland. Now those who aspire to be pilots, face the same problem as post-Brexit exclusion frustrates UK pilots as carriers seek EASA-licensed crews.

The Ski Operators are now advertising for staff in all their resorts, requiring an EU passport for all staff, from cleaners, to reps and instructors.

How sad that opportunities for our grand-children are being dashed like this - at the time where they lives are being so restricted in other ways due to Covid, and they also face the worries of climate change.

When I did my stints at Ski resorts and Campsites, we all were required to have visas, no different to today on a Brit Passport, they are also required to have a Covid Vaccination certificate.

Who has led Europe in Covid Vaccinations, Ummmmm Ummmmm of course the UK, silly me I forgot!!.

Alegrias1

^People don't have to go abroad to find work.^

They do though.

^There are more things in heaven and earth, than are dreamt of in your philosophy, Theoddbiord^

Indeed they do, now it’s the country they are travelling to that decides if they are wanted, some are very difficult, some less so. You certainly need a skill, building trades, motor technician, hairdresser, nurse, but you need a recognized qualification.
Getting a working visa has never been harder.

I think with Covid the world has changed, but in time it will all be sorted out . Our children will get through

This is Brexit, the gift that keeps taking away and always will. Hillary Clinton called it 'an act of national self harm' and she was absolutely right.

It is not just young people suffering from the fall out of leaving the EU. Farmers can't get EU seasonal staff because of Covid restrictions and other red tape, our youngsters don't want to pick fruit, veg or harvest grain. Hospitality is another area suffering in Europe being in that industry is not seen as a lesser profession whereas here young people only see working in a bar or hotel as a stop gap or holiday job while a student. So maybe it all needs a rethink by our young people.

People don't have to go abroad to find work.

They do though.

There are more things in heaven and earth, than are dreamt of in your philosophy, Theoddbiord

Our eldest son is a helicopter pilot of some years and it appears that in the industry newcomers are being discouraged because of a range of factors - finance (sheer cost of getting quals), time it takes to get ratings, the number of pilots already in the market and they are just the domestic issues....

There are opportunities in the UK. People don't have to go abroad to find work. Keep our talent in our own country I say...

Katie59

One of the main aims of Brexit was to reduce the number of migrant workers and to reduce the flow of manufacturing outside the UK to lower labour cost countries, thereby keeping more jobs at home.

Wether it actually works is another matter, we are seeing labour shortages in many areas, it will take a year or two to balance out.

Unfortunately, because of our demographics, we actually need migrant workers. Shutting out EU workers only increases the number of workers coming from non EU countries. Since the referendum the number of immigrants has remained just about the same but the balance between the EU and the ROW has altered.

It was a shameful, shameful tactic to use immigration as a weapon against EU membership.

The country should be told honestly that we actually need immigration.

Surely it is swings and roundabouts. We benefit from those coming here who have been educated in other countries, so we benefit from their knowledge at no expense to us and vice versa.

When our brightest go overseas to do research in large organisations containing people from many other countries, everyone worldwide benefits from the results of their research.

DD worked in a similar research centre in the UK until recently. Most of the team she worked with had PH Ds in engineering and science and were from EU countries. Several of the British Nationals also brough their expertise gained in working for research centres elsewhere in Europe. It is the free movement of researchers and experience across Europe and the world that contributed to the fast development of the vaccines for COVID.

One of the main aims of Brexit was to reduce the number of migrant workers and to reduce the flow of manufacturing outside the UK to lower labour cost countries, thereby keeping more jobs at home.

Wether it actually works is another matter, we are seeing labour shortages in many areas, it will take a year or two to balance out.

Camellia20

Regarding the potential advantage or valuable asset in having dual nationality with an EU passport I would be interested to know what proportion of young people are in this position. Last week we were 4 Grans meeting for tea. We have 14 GCs between us. 2 have a Spanish father. 2 have a mother from NI. 4 had a GP born in Ireland. So from my extremely small sample 8 out of 14 or about 57% will have greater freedoms. Would love to know what the national figure is. It’s ironic that my 4 GC are in the remaining 43% although every one of my family voted to remain. I live in an area that very heavily voted Leave and the other Grans voted this way. My question regarding equal access to UK jobs that require time being spent in EU countries still stands. Will applicants with only a UK passport be discriminated against? ie a 2 tier system. I’m asking a serious and legitimate question so please don’t suggest I just ‘move on’.

I wouldn't dream of suggesting you move in. It's a serious issue and I think those young people without an EU passport are likely to be at a disadvantage.

Katie59

M0nica

But what of those coming after them, today's teenagers, who will not have this opportunity to move around Europe and make the most of these opportunities to widen their education and work experience.

On the other hand, EU workers will not be able to take jobs in the UK that our graduates might want. So we are more likely to get the cost of training them repaid, with nearly half of graduates not doing graduate work there is an educated workforce waiting.

A university education isn't all about training for a job. It's about broadening the mind, which should include opportunities to work abroad and to socialise with people from different cultures, so that there is a constant stream of new ideas.

Do you have a link to the percentage of graduates who are still not doing graduate work a year or so after graduating?

Katie59

M0nica

But what of those coming after them, today's teenagers, who will not have this opportunity to move around Europe and make the most of these opportunities to widen their education and work experience.

On the other hand, EU workers will not be able to take jobs in the UK that our graduates might want. So we are more likely to get the cost of training them repaid, with nearly half of graduates not doing graduate work there is an educated workforce waiting.

And what will happen if, as many companies will, and some already are, they advertise jobs in this country as working from home and applications accepted worldwide?

Conservatives seem to have formed a Union for the protection of the English Worker because they think it will save them from investing in the future. This attempt at protectionism won't work. Either the companies will find a way around it so they can get the people they need, or they will move.

Katie59

M0nica

But what of those coming after them, today's teenagers, who will not have this opportunity to move around Europe and make the most of these opportunities to widen their education and work experience.

On the other hand, EU workers will not be able to take jobs in the UK that our graduates might want. So we are more likely to get the cost of training them repaid, with nearly half of graduates not doing graduate work there is an educated workforce waiting.

In addition to that Katie businesses and companies will somehow need to compensate for the lost experiences these UK graduates would have gained while abroad.
That is a tall order.

On the other hand they might be better able mould these new employees in a more global sense.

A flight to Australia may cost £800 or even less but the pay is very good for unskilled or farm work.
The minimum wage is far higher than in UK or EU, added to which is holiday, sick and superannuation paid by the employer.

M0nica

But what of those coming after them, today's teenagers, who will not have this opportunity to move around Europe and make the most of these opportunities to widen their education and work experience.

On the other hand, EU workers will not be able to take jobs in the UK that our graduates might want. So we are more likely to get the cost of training them repaid, with nearly half of graduates not doing graduate work there is an educated workforce waiting.

Regarding the potential advantage or valuable asset in having dual nationality with an EU passport I would be interested to know what proportion of young people are in this position. Last week we were 4 Grans meeting for tea. We have 14 GCs between us. 2 have a Spanish father. 2 have a mother from NI. 4 had a GP born in Ireland. So from my extremely small sample 8 out of 14 or about 57% will have greater freedoms. Would love to know what the national figure is. It’s ironic that my 4 GC are in the remaining 43% although every one of my family voted to remain. I live in an area that very heavily voted Leave and the other Grans voted this way. My question regarding equal access to UK jobs that require time being spent in EU countries still stands. Will applicants with only a UK passport be discriminated against? ie a 2 tier system. I’m asking a serious and legitimate question so please don’t suggest I just ‘move on’.

Kali2

How much does a flight to NZ cost?

How much does it cost to hitch-hike to Dover, get on the ferry, and hitch-hike across France and Europe, as so many of us have done in the past. Or Inter-rail, or National Express of other coach companies, many of them with bike carriage.

Do young people hitch hike much these days?

I did but I'd have been horrified if my DC did or my DGC even thought about it.
It's a different world now.

But what of those coming after them, today's teenagers, who will not have this opportunity to move around Europe and make the most of these opportunities to widen their education and work experience.

Some of our very best young people who have qualifications. experience and transferable skills have already emigrated to other EU countries. The brexit brain drain has caused long lasting damage to this country and sadness to the families which have been parted because of the madness that is brexit.