Need directions – education content.

I left school with A-levels (equivalent), did a bit of Uni studies, ditched it all and went to London as my then girlfriend landed there. Completed a college where I gained some qualifications to teach English as a foreign language, set up a Bikeability-type business (before BA began, it was in 1999).
I’m in Eire at present but my heart still pulls me back to London. Trouble is – I can’t get a job there as I lack formal qualifications. Where do I start? Adult education? Distance learning? Internet degree courses?
I’m good with numbers, languages, can’t sing and hate stupidity (i.e. bosses who can’t do the job but tell you how you should do it anyway). I run my little advisory/translation shop, make little profit, have a few hours per day I could dedicate to studying. Or should I just ignore it (the missus should be making a small fortune in a couple of years), look after my sprog, spend a couple of hours a day riding/fixing the car/breaking the motorbike/drinking coffee?

What do you actually want to do back in the big smoke?

Kinda important!

You mean go back to Uni in the UK?

You got A’Levels? (what equivalent)?

I can’t get a job there as I lack formal qualifications. Where do I start?

Lie – if that’s what it takes to get the job
I’ve lost count of the times employers have lied to me regarding what the job, conditions and benefits are/will be …….. so, I don’t see it as any different

What’s going to happen if they find you out? – you won’t have the job any more, well, you haven’t got it now so no loss really

Not sure TBH, I never had a so-called proper job.

You need to work out what you want to do or what you want to study – and how. If you can’t, then don’t. You won’t be motivated enough to do anything like distance learning if all you want is ‘to work in London’. Which isn’t exactly an aspiration if we get down to it.

I’d respectfully suggest that “wanting to live in London” and wanting to work in London” are two different things, doubly so to someone who’s ‘never had a proper job’. I suspect you’d be pining back for Eire inside of two years.

Why London? Would another city tick the boxes?

Can’t get a job without a “formal qualifications”? Really? Does everyone in Starbucks have a degree? Most of the ones I’ve encountered in London can barely string an intellible sentence together.

I did maths, science, English and Polish. My school (not UK-based) also had A-levels in computer hardware which I sat and passed (the good olde days of IBM PC XT).

@Cougar, you’re spot on. I’m wanting to go back there, working would be a small part of living only. At 37 Starbucks and the likes are behind me, I did them in the past. And you can’t support a family on their wages, too many friends have tried.
Just a thought – am I missing London or the people I knew there?

I can’t get a job there as I lack formal qualifications. Where do I start?

Lie – if that’s what it takes to get the job

What’s going to happen if they find you out? – you won’t have the job any more, well, you haven’t got it now so no loss really

Not a bad idea, I’ve always fancied being a cardiac surgeon – how difficult can it be ffs ? ……the heart seems to be a pretty simple pump with a few valves, nothing much more complicated than that. And some of the theatre nurses are right tasty.

ernie_lynch – Member
I can’t get a job there as I lack formal qualifications. Where do I start?
Lie – if that’s what it takes to get the job

What’s going to happen if they find you out? – you won’t have the job any more, well, you haven’t got it now so no loss really

Not a bad idea, I’ve always fancied being a cardiac surgeon – how difficult can it be ffs ? ……the heart seems to be a pretty simple pump with a few valves, nothing much more complicated than that. And some of the theatre nurses are right tasty
Ernie, I’m going to agree with you on that one 😀

Just a thought – am I missing London or the people I knew there?

Now you are asking the right questions 🙂

hate bosses who can’t do the job but tell you how you should do it anyway

Good luck with that!

Seriously, the grass is always greener. I have (or am “managing to cling on to”) a high-powered job, it’s not the be all and end all, having a kid, partner and a not-too-demanding but useful self-eomployed occupation and time to tinker with bikes/cars etc sounds like a good life to me.

you can’t support a family on their wages, too many friends have tried.

Sorry, I misread – I thought you said you were sponging off the missus your partner was earning the bulk of the family income. But that’s future speculation, yes?

am I missing London or the people I knew there?

That’s a critical question that only you can answer.

Maybe you need a holiday there for a couple of weeks?

Not a bad idea, I’ve always fancied being a cardiac surgeon – how difficult can it be ffs ? ……the heart seems to be a pretty simple pump with a few valves, nothing much more complicated than that. And some of the theatre nurses are right tasty

I always had you down as a brain surgeon or maybe a rocket scientist type Ernie, just goes to show 🙂

I know of one guy in our office who lied about having 2 degrees, if you’re gonna do it ………….. 🙂

I reckon he’s been here 5 years or so and they haven’t caught him out yet – I suspect he’s far from unique too

Sounds like you need to get absolutely clear about what you want plus your motivation behind it.

Talk it over to yourself and/or others. Write it down. Just blurt it out.

Ultimately you need to keep asking “Why?” until you get the root. Just peel back the layers until you find it.

Interested to know what cynic-al does, if it’s high powered and yet so understimulating.. (not being sarky, genuine interest)

What about setting up shop as some sort of translator/cultural facilitator for the Polish community – especially the recently arrived – in London?

@SaxonRider, that’s what I’m doing at present in Eire. It gives me satisfaction but there’s little money in it. Would’ve been similar in London, I actually know somebody doing such.

It gives me satisfaction but there’s little money in it.

With all due respect them, I doubt your target market has a great deal of disposable income there.

Is there a market for tour guides in London in your languages?

Interested to know what cynic-al does, if it’s high powered and yet so understimulating

Lawyer, IIRC.

Law is the perfect of combination of boring and stressful. It’s also, on the whole, repetitive, argumentative, highly presured, driven only by money and ego and the most soulless thing I’ve done with my life.

But it can pay relatively well (and very well in that London).

Cougar – Member
With all due respect them, I doubt your target market has a great deal of disposable income there.

Incorrect, they do have it, they prefer to spend it on fixing an old Passat so I’m left with not much 👿