Hampshire residents have been sharing the unusual results of their skills and careers assessment on the Government website.
People are taking part after Rishi Sunak suggested workers, including those in the arts, may have to “adapt” to find work in a post-pandemic world.
The Chancellor was criticised earlier this week when, during an interview about the effect of the pandemic on people working in the arts, he spoke about the need to “adapt” and suggested there would be “fresh and new opportunities” available for those who could not do their old jobs.
The tool, which went viral on Wednesday but is currently in a beta phase, gives a series of potential career options after participants answer a number of multiple choice questions.
However, after taking part in the assessment some people were left confused and entertained by the tool’s career suggestions, which included cake decorator, actor and funeral director.
Many frustrated arts workers took to twitter to complain after the app suggested they retrained as actors or entertainers.
According to the Government I could retrain as an actor. So are we saying actors have got plenty of work at the moment then?@RishiSunak pic.twitter.com/6QYTPTlWwn
— Addistock (@addistock) October 7, 2020
Other suggestions included aromatherapist and massage therapist, while one participant received this result: “Because of your answers, we could not recommend any job categories.”
One resident felt outraged at the thought of the costs associated with retraining.
It’s just not acceptable to say such things....(never mind the hypocrisy of unqualified in their fields MPs), I wish these people would think of the logistics of such ridiculous claims. Who pays for retraining, who pays the bills whilst you retrain. Undermining on so many levels https://t.co/527a7riQ40
— Lisa Fernandez Adams (@LisaFernandez78) October 6, 2020
Reporters at the Gazette tried the website for themselves and the wildly eclectic job suggestions included:
Boxer
Aromatherapist
Soldier
Tourist guide
Football referee
Actor
Lock Keeper
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