Tim, I think I may understand aspects of evolution in business practices, but I am left to wonder at the effect on society as a whole with the passage of time... Would YOU rather have been in a job or unemployed over your lifetime..?
Me?..I greatly valued a sense of place and a sense of purpose that employment provided. It seems such a pity that so many young folk are denied that opportunity today. I would much prefer that they had the benefit of that which was afforded to me when I was young and looking to make my way in life.
I was unemployed for 3 months in 1982, recognised that my skill set didn't match those demanded of employers, so I looked at my life plan, retrained in skills that were in high demand and never looked back.
I spend a fair amount of time interacting with young people in the 20-35 age group. None of them see the notion of a single 'job for life' with the same employer even remotely desirable. Many of them have 2 or 3 jobs, doing whatever's required to get by. They recognise the vulnerability of single-skill occupations, and work very hard to keep a range of abilities on the go. For example, one chap I know works as a gardener, a music teacher, and a web designer.
