Good idea or a step too far?

Is encouraging young people to work for a few hours in exchange for their job seekers allowance taking advantage?

Tesco has come under the firing line again in recent days for its role in the new government work experience scheme.

Under the scheme, which is supposed to encourage unemployed youngsters into work, young people are given unpaid work experience in exchange for their Jobseeker's Allowance and expenses.

They are expected to work 30 hours and week for eight weeks, after which - once they have proved their mettle - they can be interviewed for a permanent job.

Anyone that drops out after the first week could have their benefits withdrawn.

Critics are branding it slave labour and protests are springing up everywhere.

But in this age of austerity and with more young people out of work than ever before facing nothing but misery, surely this is better than nothing?

We all know how popular apprentice schemes are becoming once again, with channel take-up growing by the week.

The youngsters involved are still learning valuable skills, and for eight weeks, anything that gives them a decent chance at getting their foot on the employment ladder is surely to be welcomed?

Isn't it?

What is the alternative?

Backers of the scheme have branded the critics 'job snobs', saying youngsters can't just sit around waiting for their dream job to land in their laps, and they are blaming reality shows like the X-factor for raising people's career hopes too high.

If we are having a go at 'reality' shows - I do agree that this obession with being famous and actually having no skills has gone to far. There was a time when hard work was the only thing that guaranteed success, not appearing on some vacuous TV programme and turning into some z-list nobody attending the opening of an envelope.

I really think it is time for more businesses to get more involved in schools and educate these kids on what the real world of work is like, rather than allowing them to fill their heads with dreams of stardom and role models based on plastic airheads with zero talent and brains to match.

I'll put my claws away now.

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on this.