I am currently looking for work (job finishes end of the year) and wondered what peoples thoughts were on the best 're-trainign' strategy. I have a decent pay-out so can afford to go on some additional courses if needs be. If anyone has any experience of the current jobs market / salaries and time to get working that would be appreciated.
1) Stay in current role - 10 years experience of Project / Service Management largely around outsourced callc entre services. I have APM, expired Prince 2 and a few ITILs, however I'm not a techy and feelt hat lack of SQL / Cisco (for instance) experiecne or qualifications may count against me.
2) Teaching - If I do this I need to act fast to get on next years enrollment, however its not a guaranteed job at the end of it anyway.
3) Plumbing / electrician - I've done a bit of DIY and found this reasonably interesting, but obviously the construction trade is in decline. I don't have a network of potential clients to fall back on so would look to get a job with a Facilities Management company or use one fo these (though suspect I may be exploited) http://www.jobsite.co.uk/job/trainee-electricians-plumbers-939334451?src=search
If I re-train in a numebr of trades (e.g. plumber, tiler and plasterer) then this may open up more opportunities.
Alternatively are there any other careers that I could re-train in a year and would give me good job prospects?
Teaching - Someone from here went to retrain as a teacher and said enrollment was full already for this year (don't know how true this is though)
Plumber / Handyman - I done a month handyman course and a couple of paid jobs after it, but I wouldn't want to go fulltime self-employeed. Tiling a plain wall or plumbing in a new system in a classroom is very different to turning up to someone's house who has a problem. I feel you need a few years on the job exerperiance acting as an appentice, which I found were hard to find.
Staying as you are - How about with that payout enhance your skills by refreshing your Prince 2, going on a SQL/Cisco course etc...?
While it's absolutely right to find out about the current jobs market to help inform your choice, your post gives the impression that you could do with longer to consider what you really want to do (as well as what will lead to a job). I certainly wouldn't rush to a teaching course without finding out a bit more about the job (apologies if you actually have done this, of course).
How about - stay as you are, find out and experience all you can about other roles, make a decision early next year so you're really ready to go for it when the time comes?
I'm thinking of staying put and re-train in the new year if nothing comes up. I guess I'm just getting impatient however a total change in direction is quite tempting.
you have missed recriutment for teaching PGCE courses this year but you can maybe get a job as a teaching assistant and work up from there.