Redundant technician will work as handyman

Glen Roth with daughter Shasa (15), wife Storm and son Harrison (9). Photo / Martin Sykes

After almost a quarter-century as a skilled telecommunications technician and manager, Glen Roth will now be glad if he can get a job as a school handyman.

Mr Roth, 43, was contracts manager for a data products company on a package of around $65,000 until the company closed two branches in his division four months ago, making him redundant.

He is married with two children, aged 15 and 9, living on Auckland's North Shore, and is prepared to do anything.

"Since mid-January I have been applying for everything from engineers' jobs to business development jobs," he said.

"There are not a lot of jobs available. They are being very particular about what criteria their clients need. If just one of those criteria is not there, you're out."

Mr Roth trained as a telecoms electrician in South Africa, became a New Zealand citizen in 2005 and is qualified to work on several brands of telephone exchange equipment. But he is finding himself shut out if he hasn't worked on other brands.

"They want qualifications and experience. I'm overqualified with not enough experience," he said.

"So I'm prepared to go back on to the tools again. I'm applying for those jobs but not even getting replies from those people.

"At this stage I'm looking at anything. If I can get a job as a handyman in a school I will take that. I'm good with my hands, I've built my own houses, I can do plumbing, bricklaying, carpentry."

Mr Roth and his wife Storm, a health sector recruitment consultant, have unemployment insurance which covers debts on their car for up to a year and on other hire purchase items. But he did not get any redundancy pay when he lost his job and the family is being forced to economise.

"We've had to cut back - no entertainment," he said. "We can't go out with the kids any more.

"We can't go out eating at restaurants, even takeaways. There's no money for that at the moment so any luxuries have been cut back completely."