24-year old James has a degree in computer games programming. He was assigned to an eight-week work placement in Maplin’s in the run-up to Christmas, stacking shelves, taking deliveries and doing stocktaking, for no wage. He was told he could lose his benefits if he did not undertake the placement. James says, “I understand the need to gain experience to get a job. My objection is the way they’ve gone about it. If they took the time to listen to the criticisms about the hours, the pay, the relevancy, then maybe we could come up with an actual solution. We’re doing the same hours and work as actual employees and temp staff, and we’re doing it just as well, and there is no guarantee of a job at the end of it, meaning it could potentially be all for nothing.”