Dundee has “nothing” to offer the unemployed. That is the view of James Hillis, a Lochee man who, like many Dundonians, has visited a local Jobcentre in search of work.
At the moment Mr Hillis (55) spends his days babysitting for his family and looking for jobs, working whenever he can as a driver or as a cleaner.
On Wednesday morning he was at the Jobcentre on Gellatly Street, searching for a permanent post at a time when over 16 people compete for each vacancy.
Mr Hillis said, “I’m starting back doing cleaning work and some driving as well but that’s only a couple of days a week. I’ve come down here to see if I can get something regular as I’ve been looking for six weeks now.”
“I’ve been all over Scotland Dundee, Forfar, all over Angus really, and even as far as Elgin.
“There are lots of people getting laid off everywhere, though, so you just have to go where the work is.”
Despite plenty of experience and a high school education, Mr Hillis fears that in today’s competitive workplace there is simply no room for the older generation and any permanent posts are more likely to go to younger candidates who employers may see as more desirable.
“Most companies want somebody who’s in their 20s or 30s. There’s definitely an age thing,” he added. “They would look at somebody like me and think they would only get 10 years out of them and that’s not what they want.
“There’s nothing in Dundee any more. There was a time when you could go to the council or lots of other places and walk into a job nowadays there’s just nothing there.”