Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 83 total)
  • Getting a better (paid) job
  • wiggles
    Free Member

    I’ve decided I need a better paying job, which isn’t hard as I earn as little as legally allowed…I know a lot of people on here are helpful with this sort of thing so any help is appreciated.

    Assuming I basically have no useful qualifications (apart from a few GCSEs and A levels).
    So what would you guys recommend?
    My parents are willing to “invest” some money in me training for a better job

    Training as something like a HGV driver or driving instructor?
    On paper they look good, but looks a bit to easy that you can just pay some money get a licence and easily get a job I imagine the reality is somewhat different…
    Or is it possible to do an apprenticeship and still get tax credits to keep my head above water until I qualify?

    tomhoward
    Full Member

    How old are you?

    km79
    Free Member

    What do you do now and what are you good at?

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    PeterPoddy
    Free Member

    If I could tell my younger self one thing that I’ve learned over the years it would be this:

    “Don’t listen to what others say, do what you love, what you’re good at and what you enjoy”

    I Spent 20 years doing jobs for money and being bored out of my skull. It’s not worth it.

    wiggles
    Free Member

    Right so I’m 25 but have 2 kids to support so can’t just do unpaid/low paid apprenticeships with no other income.

    Currently I work in a bike shop which I don’t mind but I have consistently been given more work/responsibility over the last few years to the point where it isn’t really that enjoyable, which I could cope with if there was any sign of promotion or pay rise bit that seems impossible so I’m just doing twice as much work as I was a few years ago for the same money…

    PP- I kind of already did that, working in crappy office jobs (slightly better paid but nothing great) got very bored so got a job in a bike shop and thought “hey this is great I don’t care I never have any money” but with the kids and ever rising bills that feeling has worn off

    crikey
    Free Member

    Look at being a nurse, or a dietician, or a physiotherapist or a pharmacist.

    Do the University course then crack on…

    Houns
    Full Member

    Armed Forces? Look at apprenticeships for the big firms, BAE, JLR etc

    Clover
    Full Member

    Do you keep an eye on Bikebiz jobs? There might be better paying jobs for people with Cytech qualifications or industry experience working for a distributor or on events. Just a thought.

    simmy
    Free Member

    In your Two examples, there is a big difference between becoming a HGV Driver and becoming a Driving Instructor.

    Most HGV drivers are employed, Driving Instructor’s are self employed.

    I’m a Driving Instructor and a rough cost of training before actually getting out on the road was £4,000 then same again for a car.

    Be careful of getting tied into training deals with providers like the big driving schools ( not naming but one acronym is Bring Some Money and another rhymes with dread….. 😉 ) as a franchise will be at least £200 per week ( car included )

    Don’t let that put you off, I’m independent and am turning work away and the ones who will wait for me to have a space are put on a waiting list. It’s a big commitment but I wouldn’t change it.

    Let me know if you want any more advice.

    oldmanmtb
    Free Member

    Zyro Darlington (cycle parts distributor) looking for internal account managers (sort of sales) 19 to 22k base + 3k bonus

    Loads of cheap houses good schools Hamsterley on the doorstep and Swaledale

    theboyneeds
    Free Member

    GCSEs and A-Levels are a good start. You sound sensible and eloquent. I’m sure you’ll do fine. I have only just managed to get past my salary from when I was 25! I’m 42 now. I changed career at 29.

    Recruitment consultancy appears to be a good way to make money. I know some absolute idiots who seem to be able to make lots more money than me doing it. If I had to make some better money (40-70k) that’s where I’d sell my soul. I married one instead though.

    Good luck.

    oldmanmtb
    Free Member

    Money’s not important until there is none..

    geoffj
    Full Member

    GCSEs and A-Levels are a good start. You sound sensible and eloquent. I’m sure you’ll do fine.

    +1

    How are you at problem solving? Computer programming? Project management?

    joefm
    Full Member

    You can get apprentiships and get minimum wage at your age so you wont be any worse off so don’t discount them.

    wiggles
    Free Member

    Thanks for the advice, some good ideas.

    Live in south Wales so not exactly got a huge amount of options. Not really in a position to move at the moment but will take a look at those jobs…

    Driving instructor is something I am considering definitely seems like something that might take a while to build up a client base and get word of mouth around.

    Uni isn’t really an option as I can’t support my family for 3 years+ with no wages I’m pretty sure the government has cut the bursaries and stuff for nurse now as well?

    singletrackmind
    Full Member

    Honestly
    Train to be a Gas Safe engineer , learn some plumbing , tiling and brazing . I think its one of the easiest ways to get into the £300 / dayrate jobs. Now , I know its probably not £300 a day in Wolverhampton, but most counties south of there it mostly is.
    Fitting boilers, servicing boilers, fitting radiators. It isnt super technical , The work will be varied, indoors or on site. You can choose how much you work or dont.
    If that doesnt float your boat then look into Air Conditioning/ Refrigeration. What I pay for service / emergency call out is stunning.

    wiggles
    Free Member

    How are you at problem solving? Computer programming? Project management?

    When working for an insurance company I took a aptitude test for an internal programming team and got 98% but Failed to get past the interview I asked and I had the highest score of everyone interviewed…

    But have no actual experience of doing it for real
    Think I’m relatively good at problem solving never had any experience of project management

    geoffj
    Full Member

    Glupton was a driving instructor and didn’t recommend it IIRC
    I’ve thought about, but I think it’s hard to make the numbers work without working all hours.

    TheBrick
    Free Member

    Danger,
    Skilled work,
    Responsibility,
    Stress,
    Travel (inconvenient travel to dull places probably with stress).

    In general better paid work will involve one or more of the above to a greater or lesser extent. Consider which of these you are least and most into. This can help guide you.

    Nothing will be quick. If you go Hgv the best paid work will not be available to newbies.

    All jobs will require years to get to the good work so consider the journey as well as the destination.

    dovebiker
    Full Member

    Look at apprenticeships for the big firms, BAE, JLR etc

    Competition for places is extremely high as lots of A-level students choosing not to go to uni – 50+ applicants for every job but as much on aptitude as qualifications. Applications open Oct/Nov for next September’s intake. There are also higher (degree-level) apprenticeships that last 4 years.

    jambalaya
    Free Member

    GCSE/A levels – what did you do, where you good at the subjects ? That could point you in a direction.

    If you are training / doing a course I think the mother of the kids can get welfare support, it might benworth checking with Citizens Advice. I would say “Uni” is probably not fhe roite for you unless you had a good chance ofma 1st or 2i in a work useful/related degree.

    Do you work in a sales oriented role in the LBS, if so and younare quite good at that thise are transferable skills into better paid jobs.

    If you are reasonably practical you can look at trades like electrician, plumber etc. You can work as a “hand” whilst learning on the job.

    Finally your location doesn’t necessarily help you, you may have to look at working away from the kids and seeingnthem at the weekend.

    Good luck.

    tjagain
    Full Member

    Nursing / paramedical stuff has no bursaries in England anymore so unless you can survive as a student for 3+ years forget that.

    Police? Fire service? Prison Service?

    perchypanther
    Free Member

    Be a health and safety man

    Do an IOSH health and safety course at night. Doesn’t take that long or cost that much in comparison to most course.
    It’s a transferable qualification that’s recognised in lots of varied industries.

    wiggles
    Free Member

    Have 10 GCSEs and did A levels in Biology, chemistry and physics but only got D’s and E’s because I didn’t want to go to uni (well done 18 year old me :roll:)

    wiggles
    Free Member

    Nursing / paramedical stuff has no bursaries in England anymore so unless you can survive as a student for 3+ years forget that.
    Police? Fire service? Prison Service?

    Police won’t let me join, probably the same for prison service and most civil service jobs I have applied for in the past (nothing major just got in trouble for something once a few years ago…)

    P-Jay
    Free Member

    Nursing is tough, I wouldn’t recommend it if you just want a job, it’s a calling.

    As others have said I’d look at training or at least a job that comes with it.

    Mate of mine gave up a crap, but well paid job a few years ago to go to Open Reach, I think it was £17k a year to start, but I think he’s getting mid-20s now and there’s pretty much unlimited OT if you want it. He does he FT hours in 4 days in the week, has a day home with the kids and works Saturday’s for OT. A guy who subs for us in work was doing the same as him a few years ago but does IT network cabling now, earns good money from it and is always busy.

    Ewan
    Free Member

    I wouldn’t be a driving instructor – think when people want lessons – evenings and weekends. You’d not see the kids and have no life.

    If i had no degree i’d learn a trade – plumbing/heating engineer seems like a job that will be hard to automate in the medium term. Get the gas safety stuff – start as an apprentice and then go out on your own.

    RobHilton
    Free Member

    Think I’m relatively good at problem solving never had any experience of project management

    NHS. Probably more flexible re your past than other public sectors and, in some ways, a really good employer. Training paid for and usually a fair amount of flexibility etc.

    Try information or performance roles, all you need is a bit of spreadsheet knowledge at the lower grades and then some SQL a bit further up. Plenty of room to progress too.

    Every **** can be a project manager in the NHS too – all you have to do is get Prince2 foundation :/

    funkmasterp
    Full Member

    Wouldn’t recommend driving instructor. My other half was one before the nipper arrived. Although she enjoyed it and built up a great reputation, she had to work a lot of hours to make decent money, basically seven days a week and lots of hours each day. She was looking in to specialising before she stopped. Fleet training, disabled drivers etc.

    gearfreak
    Free Member

    If you want to stay in S Wales look at what sectors thrive there and work to getting into those sectors. Currently Education, public sector, TV and creative (probably others). Although you may not have a degree working for a Uni (or even FE college) could help you to develop a career, and possibly lead to you gaining a degree part time.(It may or may not be useful)
    There are three Uni’s in SE Wales (Cardiff, Cardiff Met, USW, plus Swansea further west), pay and conditions for admin roles are pretty good for the area.
    Or as others have said a trade, but it’s going to be hard work training and earning at the same time (but not impossible)

    wiggles
    Free Member

    Really appreciate the help guys.

    Gas engineer/fitted seems like a good job but I can’t see a way into it whilst still earning money…

    Driving instructor seems to be a less favourable option than I might have thought

    alexxx
    Free Member

    You might be able to do night courses or find a trades man that will train you up for return in you working for free or very cheap on your off days.. I guess it’d be unreal to expect no short term sacrifices of time with the family for a career change or even less pennies in the bank at the end of the month.

    I’d say if you have a wind farm near by try and get trained up for a job on that – however with oil going pish there is more people looking that way for jobs.

    I’m a web developer and the money is very good as is the flexibility (run my own company) but I find it very stressful – If you were interested I’d recommend doing some of the cheap online courses to see if you enjoyed it or were any good. If you did I’m sure there are lots of companies willing to pay close to £18-20k for a junior.. I didn’t go that route but it’s one where I feel you’d learn a lot in a short period of time and none of the take home stress of managing your own personal clients.

    You can easily leave them in a year or 2 and start your own business if you’ve progressed and still enjoy it.

    Lots of work online to be picked up on the likes of peopleperhour… it’s not for me but it’s a good in to getting gigs for experience and a little money reward.

    Or curve ball.. what about starting your own bike shop or becoming a bike guide / instructor?

    enfht
    Free Member

    Rent a house, fill wid hoes, beat dem hoes, rinse and repeat. Works fow show.

    km79
    Free Member

    I’d think carefully about starting anew in any sort of driving based career right now. If driverless cars/drone deliveries etc take off in the next few years there is bound to be an over supply of professional drivers.

    If you are good at problem solving and also good with your hands, then something along the lines of gas engineer as above or as a field service engineer diagnosing and repairing commercial/industrial goods (eg lifts, escalators, kitchen equipment etc). You could look for someplace regional who would take you on with on the job training.

    pictonroad
    Full Member

    My mate is a gas boiler engineer in South Wales. He does alright. It’s not SE day rates but neither are the living costs. He works directly for for the local authority, loads of council rented property with high turnover means lots of gas safety work.

    You do get to see some sites, but if you’re in South Wales, you’ll be accustomed to that. 😉

    BigJohn
    Full Member

    What are you good at? That’s where you should start.

    And driving instruction is less attractive since Randy Lerner left Aston Villa.

    They all look forward to a randy learner.

    wiggles
    Free Member

    Really appreciate all the help lots to look into.

    Enfht- I think I could make more using said rented house for “indoor gardening” but risks out way the rewards 😉

    Might look into the web developer thing if I can try some online courses see how I get on not a massive risk to take. Will look at apprenticeships for the jobs mentioned, I’m not expecting to earn loads straight away obviously but I literally can’t afford to live on any less than I earn now so would have to be paid work.

    canopy
    Free Member

    why not take the industry you’re in to the next level?

    train the bike stuff up and go solo as a mechanic / tech? don’t go into sales as the internets killing that and its a big investment. just do builds, repairs + small stock of basic consumables (cables/fluids etc)

    get a van that’ll carry a few bikes, do local collections etc. you need is a secure alarmed location (to protect clients bikes in your care) and insurance to cover both their bikes and your work.

    start on the side / on the quiet.. and expand..

    wiggles
    Free Member

    Not a bad plan canopy, I know someone who is doing just that and making good money. The issue is he has probably already taken most of the customers around here and I just don’t have the funds to start something like that up. I am a qualified bike mechanic (and do the odd job for “friends” outside of work) but just don’t really see it ever paying well enough to be my only job long term.

    I’m not really sure what I’m good at that is sort of my problem with my whole life 😆

    I was one of those kids who just did well without trying up to GCSE level but then had no idea what I wanted to do so got a bit lost and had no real motivation and just fell into a few mundane jobs that anyone could do so never really tested myself much to figure out what I can do well

    TomB
    Full Member

    People person? Pragmatic? Not queasy at sight of blood/puke/poo? Ambulance emergency care assistant could be a good way into a decent job. In my trust they pay band 4 plus unsocial, many folks clearing 25k plus, plenty of OT too.

Viewing 40 posts - 1 through 40 (of 83 total)

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