A woman who studied for years to gain a political science degree has been told by Winz to remove her tertiary qualification from her CV - so she can get a job in the fast food industry.
What is the world coming to? University education is pushed hard on many young New Zealanders; coming from the UK, I think it's fantastic that Kiwi students are given some financial support while they study. A helping hand from the Government encourages many who would otherwise not have the opportunity to challenge themselves that little bit further.
I went to university because I was told I would get a better job at the end of it. Sure, I know many journalists who didn't and who, though my age group, are ahead of me in the rat race because of the extra years' experience they gained.
But I've always tried to take solace in the fact that, if I do find myself unemployed or looking for a change in career, the qualifications on my CV should impress any future employer.
Not so for 22-year-old Natalie Meehan (who says, justifiably, that she's proud of her achievements) who has been instructed by Work and Income NZ to delete her BA.
What's behind the forced dumbing-down of her resume? ‘To tailor her CV for the jobs for which she is applying', namely gainful employment at a supermarket and a fast food outlet.
Surely anyone would be glad to have an educated member of staff under their employ. Do supermarkets and burger joints now discriminate against anyone with a degree? Do they think they'll waltz off when the first 'better' job becomes available? Should Meehan be ashamed of having good prospects?
To give a little more background to the story, she is just looking for short-term full-time work until she joins the Navy in July. Meehan claims that not only was she told to remove her degree, she was also told to take out details of her last two work positions - a fact that Winz denies.
I've had many dealings with Winz in recent months and have found almost every single person working there to be extremely helpful and often willing to go the extra mile to help someone genuinely in need. But even the most proactive and kind-hearted are hamstrung by the reams of bureaucracy they find themselves caught up in.
I have often been given conflicting information on the phone and in person, as there are simply so many guidelines to wade through that there are probably four or five right answers, not just one.
Speaking out on 'Degreegate', Work and Income Deputy chief executive Patricia Reade justified the action, saying the case manager's intention was to ensure the CV was targeted at the kind of jobs available for short periods.
Like so many huge and unwieldy organisations, Winz's inability to deal with individuals rather than case/ client numbers means invariably the person in need draws the short straw.
The story provoked many comments on our site, with many backing Winz's advice to tailor the CV as appropriate for the job being applied for.
And while Meehan isn't implying that she is too good for flipping burgers now that she's got a fancy degree, Winz seem to reinforce this view by making out that having a degree puts you in a category above fast food work.
What do you think? Is this all being taken too seriously? Or is tertiary education a privilege that anyone who has the chance to study at university should shout to the rooftops? Do you have a degree... and work in a burger joint?
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