This advertisement for Internet Operations Analysts/Specialists at GCHQ in Cheltenham was sent to me today. If you maintain websites as a hobby then it appears you're qualified and should apply. Or perhaps you tinker with codes and networks and know how to set up a domain name, then this may be the job of your dreams.
Oh one important qualification - 'Applicants must be British citizens'. Someone's sure to say that's against EU law.
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15 comments:
Has the job description been sent to Rufus?
Juan lol. It's a serious advert, it's not a joke! Is Rufus British? I have my doubts at times.
He's Freedonian, Corstorphine is his Capital-in-Exile.
subrosa,
I think you'll find that specific jobs are exempt from EU laws or, even, British laws.
I'm sure this was emailed to you in error Subrosa. It was probably meant for AM2.
Ah Conan now I know! Freedonian indeed.
Brownlie, I'm surprised in a way. But of course GCHQ would have to be British wouldn't it. Would be interesting to know if the cleaning/catering staff are British too.
Scunnert, don't mention that name to me! That man is in the league of labour's Derke Draper - obnoxious fools both.
subrosa,
Not just British, subrosa, but a foreign language would be an asset.
The percentage of British who speak a foreign language I don't know brownlie, but I should think it's much lower than the European average. It's a poor show from what used to be a good Scottish education. In my day all that was taught was French until 3rd year when some could change to other languages including Russian and Mandarin. My French hasn't been that handy, but I can recite most everyday verbs in every tense. Conversation didn't exist in class, just grammer. I know it has changed but not enough youngsters are introduced to another language at a young enough age.
Some days, when I worked in Europe, I was cringing when listening to loud-mouthed people insisting that the person they addressed should understand English.
Had my moments of redress I can tell you!
Don't know if you read this leader in Monday's Times, Subrosa, but I suspect its sentiments will chime with you ;0)
As for the British citizenship qualification for the GCHQ job, it may be the case that they're allowed a derogation from EU law since they're involved in national security and all that. I'm just guessing, but if I had to put money on it, that's where I'd go!!
Well you certainly speak more than me! I had two years compulsory French at school, but got absolutely no where with it, indeed I disliked it sufficiently to go out of my way to be bad at it in the hope that I would be chucked out - as some were - but I never quite managed it.
I recall our teacher saying that it would be essential to learn French because it would be the future lingua franca, but I think English has probably taken that mantle now.
Stuart, I think Mandarin is essential and also Spanish. So many in the world use these languages but we just think of Europe I suppose.
I could never get my head round Spanish, I'm not a natural linguist and need to live in a country and be bombarded with the language day and night for it to 'click' with me. I had French for 6 years and can hardly speak a word, so don't despair. I too couldn't see any reason for it and still don't understand why it's taught as a first foreign language. German is much handier.
As well as the lingua franca argument our French teacher also continually told us that French was one of the easiest languages to learn, thus German was merely an option when at the stage of choosing subjects for 'o' grades.
Clearly you think otherwise, and that chimes with what a lot of other people have subsequently told me, so perhaps my teacher was just trying to encourage us with a little white lie!!
I received the same marketing Stuart. French did/does seem to be the language pushed in Scottish schools. It was only by default I started German and I found it to be easy to speak, very expressive and grammatically similar to other European languages.
The first word I ever heard in German was 'Sturmisch' meaning stormy and that was me hooked! Silly memory.
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