19th April 2011, 09:30 AM
i can see why there is unease and i can see why there might be resentment from professionals who cant find a job - we are in a recession and lots of other people are in the same boat. there is nothing in the proposal which condones the exploitation of free labour at the expense of professional jobs. the reverse might be true if you consider that each amateur will require professional supervision. clearly some amatuers will acquire skill sets that threaten professional jobs but how likely is it they will be willing to turn up for 8 hour days 5 days a week, rain or shine, autumn, winter and spring blizzard, and reliably enough to fulfil project needs? i would suggest that suitably able unemployed people would fall foul of their unemployment benefit conditions and any that dont would probably want to be paid for their efforts - so by definition wont be amateur!!