Should people in "the live arts" do another job until this blows over?

[D'wards]

There was widespread anger and vitriol when Dishy Rishi kind of suggested that those in entertainment maybe get another career.
I've noticed that a few marginally successful comedians have got McJobs to keep money coming in.
Isn't it good advice? Who knows when the venues will open again. Do they expect the government to pay them a decent wage until the venues are back, and should the government do that indefinite?

Its a tricky one alright

 

[killer b]

yes, and also yes.

 

[nogojones]

Do they expect the government to pay them a decent wage until the venues are back, and should the government do that indefinite?

Of course they fucking should. If the government hadn't been so half arsed and useless it wouldn't be such a problem. But they're useless cunts and should pay up. They'll bail out banks, spunk billions on new subs, why shouldn't the odd DJ get paid to stay at home?

 

[belboid]

Most people in the live arts have another job already, the pay being so generally crap and insecure.

 

[Sue]

Most people in the live arts have another job already, the pay being so generally crap and insecure.

This. The problem is that many of these other jobs have also disappeared (like temping in offices/reception work, working as FOH staff in theatres/cinemas).

 

[quimcunx]

Yeah, they should just get one of those jobs. For me, the absolute best thing about Covid is that it has produced so many new jobs that people can just walk out of one job straight into another, usually better paid, the same day. The newspapers are full of employers complaining that they're trying to expand their businesses but they can't get enough staff. It's getting really competitive as employers increase pay and perks in the hope of attracting and keeping staff. It's a jobseeker's market, folks!!!

 

[scifisam]

It really is weird seeing all this "the arts are useless" stuff after months of people being kept sane by the arts. If it weren't for being able to watch stuff on screens the country would probably have broken lockdown by the end of April, had a revolution and strung politicians' heads on sticks on London Bri...

Hang on. Yes. Let's stop all of the arts.

Yeah, they should just get one of those jobs. For me, the absolute best thing about Covid is that it has produced so many new jobs that people can just walk out of one job straight into another, usually better paid, job the same day. The newspapers are full of employers complaining that they're trying to expand their businesses but they can't get enough staff. It's getting really competitive as employers increase pay and perks in the hope of attracting and keeping staff. It's a jobseeker's market, folks!!!

Yup. Easy, innit.

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

Yeah, people who have spent their entire lives dedicated to a profession should just pack it all in because the government is incompetent. Can’t see any problem with that at all.

 

[quimcunx]

Retrain! Go back to college. Plenty of courses starting in /checks calendar / september 2021. Or go back in time to august this year and enrol for a degree. Its the perfect time to shake things up by moving city into student halls!

 

[editor]

This. The problem is that many of these other jobs have also disappeared (like temping in offices/reception work, working as FOH staff in theatres/cinemas).

Indeed. It's not like a professional sound engineer or sax player in their 40s or 50s can easily jump into other temp jobs. Most of the ones that were vaguely possible have long since become casualties of Covid, while many other casual/physical jobs are more likely to go to younger people. Put bluntly, the skill set offered by an out of work musician/entertainer/DJ/PA technician etc isn't exactly in demand, and for some it's too much to expect them to be able to just completely change careers, both mentally and physically.

 

[editor]

Retrain! Go back to college. Plenty of courses starting in /checks calendar / september 2021. Or go back in time to august this year and enrol for a degree. Its the perfect time to shake things up by moving city into student halls!

Rejuvenate yourself with that sweet essence of Covid College Air!

 

[MickiQ]

Yeah, they should just get one of those jobs. For me, the absolute best thing about Covid is that it has produced so many new jobs that people can just walk out of one job straight into another, usually better paid, the same day. The newspapers are full of employers complaining that they're trying to expand their businesses but they can't get enough staff. It's getting really competitive as employers increase pay and perks in the hope of attracting and keeping staff. It's a jobseeker's market, folks!!!

Whatever you're on, it's clearly good stuff where did you get it?

 

[D'wards]

As I said on another thread, good friends of mine are a couple who both work in the film industry.
She works in costume (getting paid handsomely to help Henry Cavill into his Superman costume etc).
She has accidentally retrained cos she has an interest in upholstery as a hobby, and did her qualifications. So now she's an upholsterer.
He is quite handy, his job is special effects supervisor- explosions, car crashes, bullet hits etc. He can do carpentry etc but is being blindly optimistic that the film industry will pick up and be back to normal soon

 

[FridgeMagnet]

Yeah, they should just get one of those jobs. For me, the absolute best thing about Covid is that it has produced so many new jobs that people can just walk out of one job straight into another, usually better paid, the same day. The newspapers are full of employers complaining that they're trying to expand their businesses but they can't get enough staff. It's getting really competitive as employers increase pay and perks in the hope of attracting and keeping staff. It's a jobseeker's market, folks!!!

Particularly good of the government to concentrate on promoting retraining in computers - a notoriously quick and cheap industry to get into, after all, and also there's completely no competition for those jobs.

(Actually they said "cyber" which is probably better for sports professionals because you just throw frisbees and race lightcycles.)

 

[paul mckenna]

it's a shite situation but when the jobs people have simply don't exist anymore what else is there other than to take another job?

 

[paul mckenna]

and "cyber" (terrible categorisation) is the next blue collar industry with jobs to spare. It's just logical that some people should move into it.

I'd just love to see someone temper their moaning with a bit of logic for once

 

[Sue]

it's a shite situation but when the jobs people have simply don't exist anymore what else is there other than to take another job?

One of the points being that at the moment there aren't a whole load of 'another jobs' to go around.

An actor friend applied for a job in a supermarket, for example. Didn't get anywhere because she doesn't have as much/as recent retail experience as the loads of other people who applied. So, she'll keep applying for stuff but she's not hopeful. (Her non-acting experience is mainly/recently in office work and why take her on in retail when there loads of people with recent retail experience also applying?)

ETA And it's not a case for people like her of their jobs not existing anymore, it's them not existing at the moment.

 

[Nanker Phelge]

Here's your MBE, now get a proper job....

 

[paul mckenna]

Put bluntly, the skill set offered by an out of work musician/entertainer/DJ/PA technician etc isn't exactly in demand, and for some it's too much to expect them to be able to just completely change careers, both mentally and physically.

I thinks it's the belief that DJ is a job for life that's the root fail here

 

[Sue]

and "cyber" (terrible categorisation) is the next blue collar industry with jobs to spare. It's just logical that some people should move into it.

I'd just love to see someone temper their moaning with a bit of logic for once

And is it, is it really?

I just wish people would give up their hopes and dreams and accept they're small and unimportant cogs in the capitalist machine really.

 

[paul mckenna]

One of the points being that at the moment there aren't a whole load of 'another jobs' to go around.

And "cyber" is a growth industry with well paid jobs and qualification-free access. When the number of jobs has decreased why are people moaning about an attempt to divert workforce toward there?

I think the main point being said here is that people should not be expected to have to swap (and receive indefinite renumeration). That's totally wrong

 

[paul mckenna]

And is it, is it really?

Yes

 

[Sue]

And "cyber" is a growth industry with well paid jobs and qualification-free access. When the number of jobs has decreased why are people moaning about an attempt to divert workforce toward there?

I think the main point being said here is that people should not be expected to have to swap (and receive indefinite renumeration). That's totally wrong

I think many people in this situation would be grateful to receive any remuneration.

 

[nadia]

where do I get one of these cyber jobs? I have been working in engineering techie things for years and frankly I am finding the job market dire.

 

[scifisam]

Yes

Going on your username, I'm expecting you to magic up some jobs for all these new recruits.

 

[SpookyFrank]

I take it we've decided to follow Trump's lead and just use 'cyber' as a noun from now on then.

 

[editor]

I thinks it's the belief that DJ is a job for life that's the root fail here

Most DJs I know have other jobs, which - sadly, given the circumstances - are often related to the same industry. I can't say I've ever met any DJs who assume they'll be a 'DJ for life' because it's a business that is always changing, so I'm not sure where you're getting that notion from.

A lot of DJs - like me - are also involved in more than just turning up and playing. They often hire their own venues, book bands, host special nights and put on live gigs/comedy nights etc, and generally contribute to the survival of bars and clubs.

 

[Sue]

where do I get one of these cyber jobs? I have been working in engineering techie things for years and frankly I am finding the job market dire.

I just did a quick search. Yes, there are certainly (cyber) security jobs out there but 'blue collar', 'well paid', 'qualification-free access' ones? Not so much.

 

[editor]

And "cyber" is a growth industry with well paid jobs and qualification-free access. When the number of jobs has decreased why are people moaning about an attempt to divert workforce toward there?

I think the main point being said here is that people should not be expected to have to swap (and receive indefinite renumeration). That's totally wrong

Cyber is a word that stopped being even slightly relevant around 1997. But please tell me about his explosion of new jobs in the 'cyber' industry.

 

[SpookyFrank]

yes, and also yes.

The who will make all the limited edition cassette-only albums of bin lorry reversing sirens played backwards over the sound of Ukrainian plant machinery gradually rusting?