Free training for those on low incomes does such a thing exist?

Legacy_user

I know you can get a grant with the Open University as I've been down that route but am wondering if there are any other organisations offering such things?

poppy_f1

check out learn direct i know they offer help with some courses

Darksun

What training do you want to undertake? The available routes/funding can vary considerably over different courses

System

Darksun wrote: »

What training do you want to undertake? The available routes/funding can vary considerably over different courses

To be honest I don't know, It was IT but that's a dead end, so need to re-evaluate, All I know is I need to do something.

System

poppy_f1 wrote: »

check out learn direct i know they offer help with some courses

From there site.

In Northern Ireland learndirect courses are not currently funded as stand-alone programmes for learners.

Grr why doesn't that surprise me?

wontfallforit

nirelandguy,

With the utmost respect, you do complain rather a lot about your low pay.

It sucks. Almost everybody has "been there", and it's not just limited to young and/or inexperienced people.

Pretty much everybody who has managed to secure a decent-paying job has done so by gaining qualifications/experience/or having connections. The former two options are not easy, and the qualification/study route is rarely cheap, and can take up a lot of your time whilst you're working full-time, but it's what many people have to do.

You're already aware of the OU option - what's putting you off that? Your biggest barrier to an OU degree would be time management and commitment, rather than money (you should be eligible for some, if not full, funding - subject to your exact circumstances).

As for other options, I don't know - ask at your local college? Ask at the jobcentre? I really don't know, sorry.

If you need to "do something", it's probably worth having a good think about exactly what you want to do. These kind of funding options are usually available only once, so you'd need to assess each course for its suitability before you jump into something. And training/qualifications doesn't automatically lead to better pay.

Finally - and unrelated - have you and your other half thoroughly checked what kind of assistance you'd be eligible for? You have a child, right? Have you exhausted the tax credits route?

EDIT: Sorry - just realised you said you've already done OU. Did that lead to a full degree?

System

wontfallforit wrote: »

nirelandguy,

With the utmost respect, you do complain rather a lot about your low pay.

It sucks. Almost everybody has "been there", and it's not just limited to young and/or inexperienced people.

Pretty much everybody who has managed to secure a decent-paying job has done so by gaining qualifications/experience/or having connections. The former two options are not easy, and the qualification/study route is rarely cheap, and can take up a lot of your time whilst you're working full-time, but it's what many people have to do.

You're already aware of the OU option - what's putting you off that? Your biggest barrier to an OU degree would be time management and commitment, rather than money (you should be eligible for some, if not full, funding - subject to your exact circumstances).

As for other options, I don't know - ask at your local college? Ask at the jobcentre? I really don't know, sorry.

If you need to "do something", it's probably worth having a good think about exactly what you want to do. These kind of funding options are usually available only once, so you'd need to assess each course for its suitability before you jump into something. And training/qualifications doesn't automatically lead to better pay.

Finally - and unrelated - have you and your other half thoroughly checked what kind of assistance you'd be eligible for? You have a child, right? Have you exhausted the tax credits route?

We have yes, I think I'm just lost, I don't know what I want to do well had an idea which is a dead end, but I certainly know what I don't want as you's all well know, I'm stuck between whether or not I should try something to better life which more than likely won't make much difference anyway or just accept this is as good as it gets and stop complaining.

System

wontfallforit wrote: »

nirelandguy,

With the utmost respect, you do complain rather a lot about your low pay.

It sucks. Almost everybody has "been there", and it's not just limited to young and/or inexperienced people.

Pretty much everybody who has managed to secure a decent-paying job has done so by gaining qualifications/experience/or having connections. The former two options are not easy, and the qualification/study route is rarely cheap, and can take up a lot of your time whilst you're working full-time, but it's what many people have to do.

You're already aware of the OU option - what's putting you off that? Your biggest barrier to an OU degree would be time management and commitment, rather than money (you should be eligible for some, if not full, funding - subject to your exact circumstances).

As for other options, I don't know - ask at your local college? Ask at the jobcentre? I really don't know, sorry.

If you need to "do something", it's probably worth having a good think about exactly what you want to do. These kind of funding options are usually available only once, so you'd need to assess each course for its suitability before you jump into something. And training/qualifications doesn't automatically lead to better pay.

Finally - and unrelated - have you and your other half thoroughly checked what kind of assistance you'd be eligible for? You have a child, right? Have you exhausted the tax credits route?

EDIT: Sorry - just realised you said you've already done OU. Did that lead to a full degree?

No, I quit after gaining a certificate as it wasn't going down a route I wanted, but I have since come to realise that the entire road I was looking to go down was pointless anyway.:(

wontfallforit

nirelandguy wrote: »

We have yes, I think I'm just lost, I don't know what I want to do well had an idea which is a dead end, but I certainly know what I don't want as you's all well know, I'm stuck between whether or not I should try something to better life which more than likely won't make much difference anyway or just accept this is as good as it gets and stop complaining.

Complaining does no harm, but it won't do you an ounce of good, either.

In regards to choices - what is your 'dream' career (realistically?). What are you good at? Any prospect whatsoever of you starting up your own business? Any chance of you taking up a similar position that you already have, in a better company with better prospects?

System

wontfallforit wrote: »

Complaining does no harm, but it won't do you an ounce of good, either.

In regards to choices - what is your 'dream' career (realistically?). What are you good at? Any prospect whatsoever of you starting up your own business? Any chance of you taking up a similar position that you already have, in a better company with better prospects?

I wanted to be an IT Technician, but there was no such thing as ICT when I was at school, so had to persevere with such dynamic pursuits as Home Economics and History, I took the initiative a few years back knowing that things weren't going to change unless I changed them so joined the OU doing a degree in Computing, I gained a certificate worth 60 points, after doing a bit of research it turns out that everyone growing up in the 90's was fed the line "Get into computers they are the way forward" resulting in the market being totally saturated. So although I love the work, I don't think its wise wasting any more time trying to gain a career in it.

It certainly never made any sense getting a job in the only subject I failed at school but that's all that was available at the time.

So I need to re-evaluate the situation, I don't mind more studying if it is something I have an interest in and will have prospects at the end, and I reckon the only person who knows what's available out there would be a career advisor, she may be able to advise me of the best plan of attack.

wontfallforit

nirelandguy wrote: »

So I need to re-evaluate the situation, I don't mind more studying if it is something I have an interest in and will have prospects at the end, and I reckon the only person who knows what's available out there would be a career advisor, she may be able to advise me of the best plan of attack.

True, and visiting an advisor may be a good idea - though they won't be able to work "blind", they'll probably expect you to come armed with some kind of plan, even if it's quite vague, and even if they totally change it