steviedeluxe

Interesting list here:

http://www.greatplacetowork.com/what_we_do/lists-es.htm

Includes names such as Softonic, Cisco, Louis Vitton and Vodafone Spain

Question - who are Softonic?

(from Wikipedia)

pete_l

Not trying to be funny (perish the thought) but what else do you want to know that the Wiki entry doesn't tell you?
Presumably you've visited their website

AdrianTO

I don't think that UK professionals with the qualifications to work in and the ability to to get a job in one of these "best companies" are interested in moving to Spain.

rachelk

Nearly everytime I google for software downloads softonic comes up.

cricketman

Err, you'd be surprised. Half the people I worked with in London wanted to work a couple of years in Spain at some point. But they would want to go to Barcelona or Madrid.

However, you are right in that most British people who live in Spain are how would you put it (cough)... semi-skilled? Or is working class still the correct terminology these days?

Not many who are uni-educated lets put it that way.

I think I saw something in The Times who said the middle class go to France and the working class go to Spain which is pretty much spot on. The exception are those that come to Spain for the cities rather than the sun. Before anyone gets offended, there are individuals who dont fit the stereotype of course!

Lushdaddy

Being uni educated doesn't make you middle class, neither does it make you working class if you aren't. Uni students are among the most laziest, dirtiest drugged up drunken scum on earth. Before anyone gets offended, there are individuals who dont fit the stereotype of course.

pete_l

Always good to see a bit of well researched and balanced commentary
However the piece probably refers not so much to brits who live in Spain, as brits who work in Spain. Esp. in the places where most brits live - viz. the costas. If so, then it's true that most of the jobs which brits get are manual, rather than office based. But that just reflects how hard it is to get jobs in Spain which are either performed indoors, or sitting down (or both). Given how desirable such positions are, it's no surprise that they go to those most capable of finding them and getting through the selection process: i.e. people with fluent spanish and family members to tip them off about up-coming job openings.
It's always been the case that immigrants get marginalised. Having to do the jobs no-one else wants is part of that. It's not so much about class as under-class.

Lushdaddy

Probably and maybe and all that guff eh? Fact is that it doesn't say it does it and it looks pretty much like it says... Well, what it says. So much for your well researched retort.
Fact is, I was joking. Probably.

steviedeluxe

I know what you're saying, but I was under the impression that some Brits did work in non-manual areas. I thinking about website developers, teachers of English, even estate agents () . We've been told on this site that there's a IT industry related to gambling sites in and around Gibraltar. Of course the numbers may not be great, and naturally you'd need to know Spanish to get ahead. I've met people who managed to get IT jobs in Madrid, and I don't think they would have lasted long (if at all) without learning the language. But I think the point is that you shouldn't necessarily think there are no options if you're an immigrant in a country; yes choices are limited but you just have to seek out your own opportunities.

EsuriJohn

I thought everbody claimed to be working class these days!! I am.

cricketman

If someone takes a proper uni degree i.e. not media studies or golf-course management it is a free ticket to the middle class as they will most likely become a professional whether it is a teacher, doctor, lawyer, HR manager, head of marketing etc.

Unfortunately, rightly or wrongly, nowadays it is almost impossible to work your way up in a big company without a degree. Meaning that what you decide to do at 18 years old is more important than ever. When I was in London I only ever worked with one person who didnt have a degree and it had taken him 10 years to get promoted to the level the graduate walked into.

If someone does one of the cr*ppy degrees I mentioned (which make up about half of all degrees in the UK) the most a lot of students can hope for is a supervisor at a supermarket or call centre or maybe a job at currys.

moleman

As someone who lives in Spain, has a degree and works in IT in a gaming company in Gib, I think all that's true... It's really the same as any country over here - the "professional" jobs tend to be concentrated in major cities, and preference is given to those who speak the local language. On the other hand, you don't need a word of Spanish to get a decent job in Gib, but there's a fair amount of competition and the exchange rate makes wages seem much less attractive than they were a few years ago. Plus, of course, there's the recession which has forced people to do jobs they wouldn't normally do.

As for the "semi-skilled" comment above, some would probably be surprised how many people have "downgraded" in order to live in Spain. That is, people who are qualified in professional areas but sold up to own a bar or something similar - especially if they're on one of the Costas rather than the major cities. It doesn't mean they're not skilled or qualified, just that they've made their home here in a different way to the money and career-focussed UK. After all, one of the primary reasons why people move here in the first place is the slower pace of life. With more skills and more pay come more responsibility and thus more stress, which defeats the object for many people if they did that here!

I suppose my point there is don't assume that just because someone does manual labour, works in a bar or serves you lunch, that that's all they can do. I know I'm "educated" and "middle class" enough to go to France according to The Times but prefer it here.

Lushdaddy

I'm only messing around really anyway. There are just a lot of people that seem to think being uni educated makes you better than being non uni educated. I know you are not one of these from your previous posts. Money has more to do with class than education unfortunately, as there are a lot of rich people whose middle class background makes them rude, vile and ignorant.. The pigs..

elspeth sinclair

I don't believe it I'm actually agreeing with 'Lushdaddy', well almost. In the 60's most British expats were seriously rich but not very bright. They referred to the Spanish as the 'natives' and if you learned the language you were accused of letting the side down. Thank God that these days are gone and we now have an amazing mix of Brits from all walks of life and with numerous skills. There are a few rogues and naughty ladies of course and they give us something to have a laugh about.

elspeth sinclair

Why don't you just let us know what you do and what degrees you hold. Don't be coy you always sound so superior and scathing of lesser mortals, it's time to stand up and be counted .