Im 27 now and although my job pays me reasonbly well, i know that i can never progress there. Ive asked my boss a few times if i can ever be trained to do something more involved and 2 years down the line and im still doing the same things despite when joining the company they said we'll start you off on this wage and you can progress from there.

So, i want to leave my workplace , isnt even a nice place to work, get talked to like shit and the way some people are there has caused me to lose all self confidenced in making decisions for myself etc.

How do i, at the age of 27 go about finding a job somewhere that will train me up aswell?? I have qualifications but i did a N.D in graphics at college so dont have any actual skill or trade which i now regret. ish i'd done a plumbing course instead of wasting 3years doing art.

Every job advert mentions wanting a experienced person, and if i talk to anyone they say well what do you want to do.

Im so eager to get on in life and progress. I'll never get a place of my own if i stay earning the money i earn now, well i could but its going to cripple me.

Just wondered if anybody on here is in the same boat as me, or if anyone on here works in recruitment based in Essex.

Thanks, Mike

 

Mike;

My advise would not to be so hasty with decisions.
you havent actually stated what you like doing by you mentioned plumbing so i guess you want a "trade" as such. maybe have a look at http://www.olci.info/. you can fit training around your current job, i have a friend doing the electrical course at the moment.

whatever you do, dont jack in your current job, its very difficult out there at the moment.

end of last year i worked at Nationwide BS for 10 years and had a fairly good career earning not bad money, pension, health care etc etc. i was offered a new job earning more money and a car at a small firm i used to work for when i was 17, i took it and a few months later i was laid off! - i'm finding it very difficult to get a half decent job earning less, so my advise would be not to be hasty. Take your time

all the best

 

Cheers mate, yeah i'd never jack in a job unless i had another one lined up. I think half my problem is ive never known what i'd ideally like to do in life, i know that sounds really bad but its just how i am. I used plumbing there as an example. I could lay down thinking all day long what wuld i like to do and be no clearer at the end of it, we'd all like to mess about with rs turbos and cosworths all day but heres no money in it lol. I find also you can spend hours on the net looking on sites such as Reed but most jobs are sales jobs where its commision based. Mate of mine started doing that and was all confident and excited about his new career only to later get fed up with it bigtime as he was having to go all over the country just basically door knocking. Im pleased for him though as hes now sorted his hgv license and has landed on his feet a bit now.

 

Mike, you aint alone mate - i still dont really know what i'd like to do job wise in life. Its all about being happy though, life is what you make it. Sometimes you've got to throw caution to the wind and go for it. Dont worry about making mistakes, everyone makes em

 

Totally agree with the above, if you really want to gain training in a particular field then I would also suggest doing it alongside your current job. It will take you longer to do (possibly) this way but you won't be taking the risk of not being in work while you train.

As for experience, its always a hard one - employers want experience, applicants can't gain due to not enough experience & employers not willing to take on. Knowing people in the industry always helps, get networking, talk to people in the particular field of work your interested in, ask to pop in and see for yourself what goes on, this can also be useful if for interviews as you can say 'I've done my research, ive been shadowing/talking to person x in company A. If it's plumbing, im sure colleges will have links/know of companies locally and you may beable to use their links to obtain experience once qualified. You will need to be patient along the way and the money may be slow at first, which is why it is important to try and continue your current work until your desired work picks up enough to leave your current work. Some people go part time whilst still training.

Not sure how relevant that was but hope it helps

 

Making mistakes - the important bit is how you recover from them and pick yourself up, thats what i think anyway!

Job sites like reed are ok, but sometimes its best to get talking to people as they will possibly provide advice etc. Also with job sites, the jobs themselves can appear to seem very good but in reality rather rubbish! Again get in touch with the company, find out more.

 

Random questions.

What do you do now?
What are your transferable skills?
What would you do if you got paid Ł1M a year for?
How much money do you want to earn?
How many hours would you ideally work?
Do you prefer to work indoors or outdoors?
Are you a manager or a employee?

 

I worked in a video shop for 5 years untill it shut at the end of 2008 due to making just about no money anymore, so deiced to go to college and do engineering.

At the time the shop closed it was december and a local'ish college was doing there intro to engineering coures that lasts till july 09, did that and enjoyed it, got a place on the nq engineering coures in aug 09, did that and finished on the 11th of this month, was hoping to get some sort of apprenticship but iv been knocked back that many times i cant see what im going to do now.

Ill progress onto the hnc engineering as iv been told that will open alot more doors but i cant see it tbh as the engineering sectors are on there arse, im 27 also.

 

I'm a fully qualified industrial spark with 14 years experience and did my apprenticeship with ford motor company so I'm not talking out of my arse when I say that manufacturing in this country is absolutely fucking dead in the water.if you want to get into the engineering field then you may want to think about either looking abroad or gaining some experience first.tbh hnc etc may help you get a job but until you get some hands on experience then you'll be stuffed for the work experience bit.I'm not sure where your nearest steelworks/car plant etc is but it may be worth calling in one day to ask if they need any staff in shutdown as this will be coming up soon for most factories.find contracting firms that service the industry and ask if they need any help,it may even have to be unpaid just to get a foot in but it's helping you get experience.if your training to be a spark don't waste your time going down the domestic route as there's millions of people out there doing it and it's work you could train a monkey to do,if you want to get into the engineering side of it you need to learn about fault finding etc,how to get things to work,finding out why things have gone wrong,owning a ford gives you a good foundation in this.get your practical qualifications as the hnc is great but realistically won't prove you can actually do the work.elec/mech qualifications are great to have,I'm packing up my car respray business and moving to Canada as their desperate for sparks out there and I'll earn between $30-40 per hour.they've just trimmed the priority occupation list but industrial sparks are still on it so I'm good for two years or so.good luck with it all mate and I'm sure something will come up,keep knocking on doors and generally making a nuisance of yourself as people remember then.good industries for consistent employment are usually food and low cost electronic companies.

 

I'm in the same boat pal - 28 (29 this year) been a windscreen fitter for the past 7 years, and although I'm fucking good at it, I don't earn the money I used to doing it. If things don't pick up and wages increases/bonus structure etc don't come back then I'm fucked, as everything else is gonna go back up (mortgage etc) and I'm only just scraping by as it is...

But I'm not trained to do anything else, no qualifications, fuck all.

Wish I'd had some forward sense and become an architect or something like that - people always wanna build stuff, and not bad money I'm told. Too late for that now, think it's a 7 year course/training???

 

Hi mate, i currently work for a company that are one of the best in europe for classic car restoration but everyone is there to do the job they were employed for i.e mechanic or welder or sprayer etc. I joined a couple years ago as the boy/gofer and im stil in that position despite early on promises, even though ive shown i have a knowledge in certains things there where i watch and learn from others and always ask questions as to why work mates are doing that etc. I figured out no one is going to teach me, so i'll teach myself and soak up others knowledge.
Transferable skills would be im reliable, can think for myself, im a quick learner, great communicator and good with customers,and if im happy in a job im very devoted to that company i.e wouldnt go home each day until certain jobs are completed etc.
What would i do if i was paid Ł1m a year?? thats actually a tricky question but i do know i'd be happy and not so stressed worrying abut how im ever going to move out of my parents etc.
What would i want to earn? well loads obviously but realisticly i'd be happy if i was on 25, 30k a year for the time being at least.
As for hours, well mon-fri finishing at half 5, 6. Wouldnt necessarily care what time i started, if it was a case of having early starts and then finishing at 5 everyday i'd happily leave the house at 5.

I wouldnt mind if i was working indoors or outdoors, guess its nice to be out and about sometimes, and im a employee.

Its nice to see others on here who are findng themselves in the same position as me.

 

Can you not take another wee partime job like working in a bar at the weekends for a few hours, would see you with maybe another 70-80 a week coming in.

 

I was an industrial electrician for 10 years and I`m 26 now and start university in September doing Building services engineering with renewable energy. It will eventually lead me into a good professional job earning more than as a spark and a more enjoyable happy life for me. Its all about finding a job you will be happy in and whatever money you earn is a bonus.

 

to be honest only a hand full of people like there job im not a lover of mine but it pays the bills.

The thing also is i set up my own valeting bussiness and finding someone reliable to work for you is a night mare and everyone bangs on about work being hard to get but what im getting at is as you are reliable can't you have a meeting with your boss and voice your concerns as surely he would rather keep you than loose you.

Pete

 

Hope that includes your apprenticeship!!!I've heard lots about this energy assessment stuff and it sounds good.this environmental crap will always be in the forefront for years to come so I think your right in saying it will be a good career path.Where did you work before fella and what systems did you use?I've got to refresh myself now as I've been out a year and can't believe how rusty i've got!!!