nortel networks
My first and last factory job was with Nortel, who make opto-electronic components. I put off applying to them for ages due to their "hire-em, fire-em" reputation.

I spent two weeks in training, which was a total doss, and taught us nothing about the job at all -which was mainly becuse there was nothing to learn...

I then ended up in "testing and packing" which meant taking little chips with an opto cable on them, plugging them into a computer and hitting a button. The computer then told you if they worked or not. The whole process lasted about 20 seconds, which was just too long to be interesting and just too short to do anything else. I was really jealous of the guys whose components took 5 minutes to test.I really hated it there, big time. It was like a long slow death of the mind.

So imagine my joy when after a week in this awful department, almost everyone was laid off at once and given the same pay-off - an extra three months wages! Hoorah.

A nice little bonus was that I got chatting to a mate afterwards and we missed the bus home. This meant we were the only people there when the TV people arrived, and were duly interviewed.

An ex-boss saw me on telly, felt guilty having laid me off less than a year previously, and offered me some work. Result!
(teasus likes tea, Sun 26 Feb 2006, 20:40, Reply)