The Government's National Careers Service is offering job seekers the chance to train as tarot card readers, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from MPs who argue it fails to equip individuals with viable employment skills.
Course Details
The service, run by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), recommends a series of short online courses, including a certificate in tarot card reading. The ten-hour program promises to provide participants with the skills necessary to 'pursue a career in tarot card reading' or offer 'comfort to loved ones in times of need'. It covers the history of tarot, meanings of individual cards in the Suit of Cups, and how to select the ideal spread for specific concerns.
Political Backlash
Reform MP Lee Anderson criticised the initiative, stating: 'This is great news for jobseekers who have no intention of ever finding a job. Some may be tempted into a tarot card reading certificate to see which of their working friends are happy to have their hard-earned taxes spent on this nonsense.' Tory MP Joy Morrissey, a member of the Commons Work and Pensions Committee, echoed these concerns: 'Is this the most appropriate way of helping people back into the jobs market? I don't think so.'
Provider Response
The Shaw Trust, a charity contracted to deliver NCS services in London, sent job seekers a list of free online courses, including balloon modelling, cryptocurrency, and mindfulness. The trust receives taxpayer funding for each completed course. A Shaw Trust spokesman defended the approach: 'As one of the providers of NCS, we try to match people with opportunities that they are interested in and could lead to some real work for them.' A DWP spokesman added: 'Providers are only paid when learners complete a genuine and recognised Ofqual approved qualification or learning accredited by an established professional organisation.'
