A graduate who hasn’t worked for 12 years says he fears he’ll never work again because he is ‘too qualified’.
Mark Schwalbe, 52, of Raymond Avenue, Grimethorpe, has been to university four times.
He’s got A levels, a HND, a BA honours degree and a masters. He’s got years of experience in the care sector, and he’s done lots of voluntary work to try and ‘revitalise’ his CV. “I’ve applied for about 200 jobs. In the last year I’ve done absolutely everything possible to find work.
“McDonalds, Primark, Wilkinsons, Morrisons, none of them interested. Some of them just laugh at you.
“I’ve gone for factory and warehouse jobs, where I’ve been told I’m too qualified, and someone even said to me ‘we don’t want a genius asking why they’re being asked to push a broom’. I’m totally unemployable. I’ve written to Dave (Cameron) and Nick (Clegg) telling them about my situation. There are so many people out there without work. If I can’t get a job with all my qualifications, there’s no wonder they can’t.”
Mark used to work as a care manager. He ended up as a full-time carer for his mother 12 years ago, and has been unable to find a job since.
“I’ve gone for a huge range of jobs, including minimum wage jobs. I’m prepared to get stuck in, I want to work. But nobody’s interested.
“I feel terribly isolated.”
He has written to the government telling them of his situation, and hopes they will reply offering some sort of advice.
He continues to work as a volunteer at a drugs rehabilitation project.
A spokesman for the Department for Work and Pensions said its ‘work programme’, and tailored advice and support, were designed to help people in Mark’s position. It said thousands who had been out of work for up to 15 years had been helped back to work.
