Re-training at 27 possible?

Glass_Half_Empty??

Hi, lorry driver here and currently out of work
The industry is on its !!!! at the minute and the government are doing noting to help, I have had my class one(artic license) for 18 months and most jobs require 2 years experience so I am stuck at the minute. Tried getting class 2 work through agencies who advertise ghost jobs and promise work that never materialises so was thinking can I re-train?
Not sure what to re-train to or how I would get started anyway. Just looking for a direction to do something positive rather then sitting round the house all week and having no cash Havent bothered with trying to sign on as my dad and bro tried last year to be told they are ineligible !!!!!! cant remember the reasons why though.
I dont want to be stuck in a dead end job on minimum wage but I do not know how to go about finding another trade, I have been driving for 5 years now and before that spent 4 years working in pubs so not got a lot to fall back on.

PassedAtFailing

Of course it's possible for you to train again at 27!

My half-sister became a midwife when she was a fair bit older than you with no previous medical experience. Not that I'm suggesting you become a midwife... I'm just letting you know a second (or even third, four!) career is possible.

paulwf

Glass_Half_Empty?? wrote: »

Havent bothered with trying to sign on as my dad and bro tried last year to be told they are ineligible !!!!!! cant remember the reasons why though.

Just because they didn't get benefits for some unknown reason doesn't mean you aren't eligible...there is no harm in applying after all! Even if you don't get cash benefits it might give you access to free or discounted training, careers advice and keep your NI stamp up to date. Although the job centre isn't perfect I can't see you've got anything to loose, you can only gain from it.

Take a trip to your local college or see if they have a prospectus online. There will probably be a wide range of courses for all types of vocations and they are usually heavily discounted if you are on JSA. Sometimes even a 1 day course can greatly help your job prospects (e.g. a food hygiene certificate if you wanted to work in a cafe).

A college course guide might help you to think about what sort of job you'd like even if you don't go on the courses...again you have nothing to loose by checking it out.

Zazen999

Ay, retraining is possible whenever; I'm currently aged 43 and on career path no 3. It's par for the course [see what I did there] these days.

RedSoleShoes

I am older than you (but younger than Zazen )! I am now retraining in accountancy. I've taken a massive pay cut but hopefully it will work out in the long run. I have no spare money whatsever but I am much happier

Before you retrain, look at how much work is available. Accountancy wasn't my first choice of 'ideal' job but it was on my list and something I am good at. There seems to be lots of opportunities for potential employment so I decided on that route.

It's all very well saying "I want to be a ....(whatever)..." but if it's a difficult line of work to get into and jobs are very limited then might be best to think more realistically but at the same time make sure you are going to 'enjoy' it.

Good luck!

Hammyman

I had a 16 year career as a lorry driver which came to an abrupt end on 1/11/2008 thanks to the recession. I now repair and sell laptops.

Things are picking up in haulage or at least around Hull area. For the thick end of 18 months there was barely a job advertised, now there's a couple of dozen. Your problem is that there are thousands of lorry drivers with my experience or greater looking for work and they'll get first dibs.

Googlewhacker

Glass_Half_Empty?? wrote: »

Hi, lorry driver here and currently out of work
The industry is on its !!!! at the minute and the government are doing noting to help,

So what do you suggest the government do?

Glass_Half_Empty??

Googlewhacker wrote: »

So what do you suggest the government do?

Stop letting the foreign lorries drive on our roads without paying tax which is something we have to pay in other countries. They can stop letting them into UK with 2000ltr tanks of diesel and make them buy our fuel at our price so we gain in revenue from it. They can also put a ban on the amount of work these lorries can do in UK by banning them on shifting round UK for weeks at a time doing english work. They are "supposed" to be coming in delivering/collecting load and going back and they arent. If the government sorted these 3 issues alone it would get the industry going again and the british firms would start making decent money again.
There will be more but this is just off the top of my head :cool:

lisa1981_2

Lilly

I am lurking on all these boards as I want to go down the route you have. I am likely to be made redundant at some point, I'm 29 with a 2:2 degree in business and marketing. Have worked as an analyst - what should i study and how to i best make the transaction i.e. study just acca or aat first ... stay in fairly well paid job or go straight for it and try and get a basic job - how would i do this with no experience??!! Whats worked for you

Lis

nimbo

hiya - i have to second the motion of going to the job centre...

they sometimes have jobs on their systems that will be preferentially ghiven to peopel who are on their books....

they can help you retrain - and even by getting Council Tax credit which all out of work people are entitled to you can get masses of money off courses in some places.....

don't be too despondant.

i am also 27, and about to get redundant. my plan B is to go to university.... (if i can get in this year...)

make lists of all the things you would like to reteain as - be as crazy as you like, along with the sensible ideas, you might just hit on a gem. (what was your dream job as a kid, train driver? nurse?) i realise that astronaught might not be an actual possibility but while your making your list it might make you giggle.

pinknfluffy0

Where do you live if you dont mind me asking?

My husband re trained as a lorry driver 3 years ago and has never been out of work. We live in the midlands, he is an agency driver doing nights right now and work deffinatly seems to be picking up.