new career??? info please

Former Member

hi,
i know this is probably wrong but i am writing on behalf of my boyfriend who is so unhappy right now
he is currently working in a supermarket and has been last 3/4 years he hates it and thinking of changing career has little qualifications but is wanting to do something else. would it be best for him if he got some qualifications behind him or entered a trade?
he is 22 and feels he is too load to start something new.
he feels if he stays where he is he will not have money to move forward in life i.e flat,

any help MUCH appreciated

i am trying to help him but we both dont know where to start at all.
been on learn direct but all so confusing

thanks

Former Member

Try having a look at you local college and their prospectuses. Or if they have a website you can search through all the courses they do.
Most courses welcome mature students without the required qualifications, if they can demonstrate their skills another way.

There's college, apprenticeships and there's also Princes Trust who help young people become self employed.

Former Member

just looking there at apprentiships he will be 23 soon (after hearing other people on this site say they took ages to find one maybe not too good idea)
would it be worth going to careers scotland?
phoning a career advisor
he can be so negative about the whole thing but think thats because he is just hating where he is so much right now.
do most college courses start in sept? if so will he have missed some?
he has an interview this comming week for another job however it seems to be just another job that might be similar to the one he is in. by any means if he is happy good but what if he hates it and in another year he is still in the same situation getting older with not a proper career behind him.

Former Member

It's definitely worth a visit to a careers advisor. A good one is worth their weight in gold and will be be able to go through all his options with him to see which way he wants to take his life.

Try not to let him get down over it, 22/23 is still very young and he has plenty of time to turn his life around.

Former Member

kaffrin wrote:

It's definitely worth a visit to a careers advisor. A good one is worth their weight in gold and will be be able to go through all his options with him to see which way he wants to take his life.

Try not to let him get down over it, 22/23 is still very young and he has plenty of time to turn his life around.

yeah thats what i keep telling him am 20 and i do have a career, i am a nurse, and i think this sometimes gets him down because he sees me as 'sorted' got a flat and stuff like that. its just hurting seeing him upset about his job, i know there is days when i cant be bothered. and hey the pay isnt great in nursing but where he is its not good at all really. he has no savings or anything not that this annoys me but he gets down as his friends all have careers and cars flats and money.

Former Member

its never too late to go back into education. I left school at 16 and went straight into work. Admittedly i got some pretty decent jobs just landed on my lap but none of them paid very well so actually learning something was the only way to go really.
I quit my job at 20 to go back to college, i took a bnd in IT practitioners, passed that and now im starting a BA(hons) in business studies in 2 weeks time.
I was a bit unsure about it to begin with but as time passed on my college course i could see that this is definately they right path for me.

Former Member

thats great, i will show my boyfriend these posts, hopefully will give him inspiration i know i cant push him or anything and any choice is his. and at times i think i am being selfish because we speak about money alot and if he stayed at his current job if we did last and move in together or decide to have a family it would be a great struggle. i know love is more important than this but we both understand how hard it would be.
i have let him know that whatever choice he makes i will be behind him, and tried speaking about going back to college but he isnt sure about that think its the money but whats a few years struggling when its gonna bring you happiness in the end?
x

Former Member

any one else with any other input?
much needed
x

Former Member

It is undoubtedly a struggle when going from full time work earning lots of dosh to full time college earning nothing but it is possible to get by with a bit of persistance.
Get a weekend or evening job, thats what i did. For the 1st year of my course i got a job in a call centre working 4 hours a day which meant somedays i was at college 9-5(i'd leave 5 mins early) then work 5-9, so long day really but its what i had to do.
I lost that job so in the 2nd year i just went round loads of shops handing out cv's.
I was lucky enough to get a job at next who arranged for me to work hours fitting around my college course which meant i could work 3 days a week and not miss any of my course.
Yes, it is hard being skint but now im on my way to uni I think its worth it. You kind of get used to never having any money and just concentrate on doing the best you can on the course so you can get out of there and finish it, then you can start earning some 'real' money.

Former Member

Brightstar wrote:

do most college courses start in sept? if so will he have missed some?.

all colleges have courses starting in january as well as september. tho' it all rests on what he wants to do - as to whether or not college would be the best option or just a career change.

**helen**

kaffrin wrote:

It's definitely worth a visit to a careers advisor. A good one is worth their weight in gold and will be be able to go through all his options with him to see which way he wants to take his life.

Try not to let him get down over it, 22/23 is still very young and he has plenty of time to turn his life around.

:yes:Agreed!

Hi there - don't know if you've had a look at our work and volunteering section on TheSite yet? But the career ladder section has lots of useful articles/information and links.

It may also be a good idea for your boyfriend to chat to his mates about their jobs and find out if any of them have job openings at their places, or just to get advice about how they got into what they're doing.

Hope this helps

Former Member

I agree with all posts that stated 22/23 is still early. The most important thing to do when you are in a crissis is this: DO NOT PANIC. There is always a solution that can be found if you think things through. Career advisors are an excellent idea and a great place to start would be on this site right here. The advice on finding or changing a career is great and it's helped me a great deal. The trouble with career advisors is indeed finding a good one, but, since they have specialised in this particular field of work, any would be able to help you to some extent. Our cute moderator is also right about chatting with mates about this as long as he is not embarassed about it and they are willing to help. Anyway, at this age his life is just about to take off and if he is determined he can do great things no matter from where he starts off.