Lost for ideas with what to do with my life

NoGoodNamesLeft

If you can take a bit of time off, why not do some voluntary work? That's how I found a new career - volunteered at a little zoo, got jumped on by lemurs and went into conservation science!

Are there any areas you've never tried but would like to? It's easy to suggest physical type jobs because of your background, but you could find that you'd make a great librarian or chef - don't discount anything!

Turtle

Have a look at this Troops into Teaching website
http://www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/troops-to-teachers.aspx?sc_lang=en-GB

artbaron

Attain_by_suprise wrote: »

I have always enjoyed art and was thinking about taking a course in graphic design or something along those lines but i think that could be very lengthy! Looking at jobs in that field does require experience i dont have.

Are you meaning art as in graphic design (magazine layouts, website design, etc.) or art as in illustraton (book illustration, video games, concept art, etc.)?

tberry6686

There tends to be a fairly high proportion of ex military offshore, might be worth considering.

ciderwithrosie_2

If you're serious about the graphic design then you'd need to get fluent with something like InDesign and Photoshop. I see you're in Dorset - there's a firm in Yeovil called Core Creative who may be worth having a chat with about skills needed as they often advertise for designers, but no doubt there will be other agencies in Dorchester, Poole and Bournemouth.


Graphic design has been my trade for the last 30 years and although I have all that experience, I don't have the latest software knowledge/skills - pretty sure I could pick it up easily enough but it's finding somewhere to study it and the cost.


The pay's not great at a junior level and you have to have your wits about you to keep up with current style trends and younger creative minds.

princeofpounds

Museum/Gallery/Stately Home staff
- you could probably find your way from a duty management type of role to something like this:
http://jobs.theguardian.com/job/4931331/house-and-collections-manager/?LinkSource=TopJob

http://www.artsjobs.org.uk/arts-job/post/deputy-operations-and-hirings-manager-2/
Arts events management
http://jobs.theguardian.com/job/4926198/contemporary-arts-programme-assistant/?LinkSource=PremiumListing

Theatre backstage
http://www.artsjobs.org.uk/search/

Chaserofdreams

Have you thought about personal coaching - sport and or performance? A lot of schools and colleges are seeking motivators and mentoring coaches for their students to help them to raise their performance. You must have the knowledge in spades after 12 years in the Marines! That may give you a taste of teaching too! Colleges will often support specialists in achieving their teaching quals too.
If you have kids, take a look at the SkillsShow at the NEC too, its like a massive careers event aimed at secondary school age group but you may want to get involved as a volunteer/take your kids for a look....

SavingPennies_2

Attain_by_suprise wrote: »

@Smithy1989 as well.

I could teach PE. I do like sport and could teach that well. PE was also the only A i got in my GCSE's. How long would it take to become a PE teacher?

You could do a PGCE in a year if you already have a degree. However I'm sure there was someone on here the other week saying they were struggling to find work as a PE teacher and that there are more qualified PE teachers than jobs..still worth looking into though.

**Patty**

Wild Card:

Thought about working with children with disabilities?

Autistic Spectrum area specifically thrives on order & logic. You could always volunteer at a local special school & see how you feel about progressing further? Although it's not for everyone, I'll admit.


What about Probation service/social worker? And school mentor. The one at my youngest's school is an ex-sergeant He's ace.

Attain_by_suprise

Thank you to everyone for your ideas. Most of them has given me loads of options to consider. Yesterday i was liking the thought of becoming a PE teacher and this morning i was doing some research and by chance found college's run army preparation courses. A college very close to where i live and another 2 within 30 miles have these courses available to students. I have contacted all 3 to find out what they require to teach these courses and sent them my CV. Looking at the course details i'm confident i have all the skills and knowledge to teach a course like this. Fingers crossed something comes of it because i do like the idea of teaching.