Education 7 - The Job Application Jungle

There are excellent curriculum in secondary schools that ensure, hopefully, that students learn language, mathematics, and science but, then, what happens when they move on into higher education, will they graduate towards wonderful lucrative jobs.  I wonder.

I had cause to travel through the huge, increasingly developing and expanding, campus of the University of Western Ontario, recently.  It seemed to be the moment of the mid-morning break because there was a great army of undergraduates diligently walking between one destination or another.  Besides walking, some were forced to use one of many bus services, others were still braving the cold weather on their bicycles.  I am trying to create a picture of thousands of students moving through a system of academic creation (Almost a manufacturing enterprise) and the ultimate horror of a graduation ceremony, as they ponder their next move into the uncertain jungle of job searching.

Actually, it is not uncertain.  We know that most of them will become unemployed (Not unemployable).  Many will, sensibly, volunteer overseas, others will move back with their parents, and we shall wonder if the government is doing enough ... or if it knows what to do.

And pundits, like myself will try to offer wise platitudes ... if that is not an oxymoron. 

But, related to this, is my experience trying to break through the job application jungle for a friend.  Forgive me if I say that it’s not like it was in the good ol’ days.

Were you aware that the unsolicited submission of one’s resume is obsolescent.  Auto-generated replies of, “We do not accept CV’s” has become commonplace.  Yes, all CV’s (period) not only those unsolicited.  There are many interesting jobs advertised in the Times Higher Education supplement, and they all ask applicants to go to a website to find an online application form ... and only an online form, i.e., do not attach a CV.  Put simply, "if you ignore this request, your application will be deleted".

It could be argued that, thus, the application process becomes an equal playing field.

Do we want an equal playing field for aspiring teachers who are proficient in completing online forms, but cannot demonstrate their ability to write a couple of simple English paragraphs, or prove their distinctive traits above others.  Of course, every employer will tell of the impossible number of applications aimed at any one particular job, but can a computer software writer produce a successful software algorithm capable of selecting the best candidate?  I suggest that the quality of higher education will decrease with this approach.  Computers are excellent at manufacturing robots.

And educated robots will move back in with their parents.

Education 6 - GCSE and the Chinese Language

Foreign language learning is an interesting subject at the best of times, notwithstanding the misunderstanding between a foreign and a second language.  But, I find the examination of foreign language courses quite thought-provoking.

For some time, I have been studying language schools in the U.K.  At least, those progressive schools that include the Chinese language within their curriculum.

As with many European schools, the emphasis of ‘academia’ and ‘language’ is to resist change for various reasons.  In the U.K., French and German are popular with both teachers and students because of the relationship of their shared origins.  In other words, they are easy.  But, if one raises one’s head to look, globally, it is not difficult to notice the increasing Chinese presence.  Business is beginning to notice this but, unfortunately, many schools have not ... yet.

All schools teach the French language, just as they did 60 years ago when I was at school.  Interestingly, not as a foreign language but, just because ... “we always have”.  The German language may be introduced in sixth grade for the same reason, together with Spanish (For some obscure reason).  But the slow acceptance of introducing Chinese is narrow-minded.

Originally, the Chinese language was not part of the GCSE and, fortunately, that has changed.  But, recently, I have noticed that some schools are teaching the Cantonese dialect instead of Mandarin.  Cantonese was the language of Hong Kong and may be heard in most Chinese restaurants, but even in Hong Kong today the CCP mandates the use of Mandarin.  Therefore, one wonders if some schools feel that their students will rarely visit China preferring, instead, to visit the local Chinese restaurant.

There is something to be said for the influence of the Confucius Institutes.

Quotation - Tell me ....

Zhu Xi

朱熹

  "Tell me and I forget

Teach me and I remember

Involve me and I learn."

 Chinese Confucian philosopher who lived during the Warring States period  
and contributed to one of the Hundred Schools of Thought

Unusually High Work Volume

Yesterday morning at 8:30 AM, I found it necessary to call Bell ... on my Virgin mobile phone, of course.  You see, the whole of the previous day, my phone line had been cut, which also removed my lifeline ... the Internet.

I hadn't called them because others in my building had done that and, from my window, I could see workmen in florescent yellow waistcoats digging up the sidewalk.  Not the same workmen continuously, sometimes it was municipal workers, then Bell telephone technicians, each shift continuing throughout the day.  They were still there when I went to bed.

Thus, the 8:30 AM call the next day.  It is necessary, I feel, to explain my frustration.  It only took a few minutes for a computer to answer in English that if I wanted service in English that I press #1.  It being 8:30 AM, it was not a surprise to hear that "Due to an unusually high volume of calls ...." there was going to be a wait time of approximately 5 minutes.  Of course, this is the moment when one forgets how to switch to speakerphone, but it is reassuring to know that "Your call is very important to us." Then, as the soothing music fails to sooth, a cheerful computer voice interrupts to say "Did you know that Bell Internet is always available to help." Excu-u-use me, but do you know why I'm trying to call you?  and 10 minutes later there is a click and, annoyingly, the music stops ... well, it is so rare to have nice music that sounds like music ... and a human voice (I shall give him the benefit of my doubt) can be heard as if he is using an old amateur radio fitted with a bent coat hanger in a remote Bangladeshi village.  Nevertheless, it was possible to verify my date of birth, favourite colour, and inside leg measurement, and receive a promise to rectify the problem as soon as possible, and be asked to "Have a nice day".

At 11:55 AM, the phone rings again, and the first caller's sister, who obviously has a Canadian residence visa because of the clear line that indicates that there were no workmen in yellow waistcoats digging up the sidewalk outside her call centre (Is there more than one Bell company?) which proves that her brother had not told her anything about my problem, and was quite surprised to hear about the various shifts of workmen outside my window.  Anyway, she seemed quite relieved to know that I liked blue.

At 3:00 PM, the phone rings again, and someone who sounded fairly proficient, tells me that his workers were digging up the cable as we speak and "They will have the task finished before 6:00 PM."  I go to the window and there is nobody in sight.  I decided that they were digging up a cable near to Tim Horton's.

6:00 PM passes, and so does 7:00 PM.  At 7:20 PM, I notice lights outside (The sun sets at 6:15 PM) two workmen had erected a tent over a hole in the ground which glowed in the dark as if they fishing for their supper.

Looking out of the window just before going to bed, I noticed that the light was out.  Checking the landline phone produced the beautiful sound of a dial tone.

Thus, this morning, even though there has been no call from Bell, I have my loving Internet back.  Oh, I almost forgot, my first e-mail was from the Bell call centre asking for feedback ... that will take some time to answer as I have an unusually high volume of work at the moment.

Have a nice day.