is there any hope at all for unqualified persons, such as myself?

dancingfairy

I notice you mention creativity but that covers a lot of things from flower arranging, to cookery, to hairdressing etc.
You said you've been out of work for a while but maybe you cold do a week or 2's work experience somewhere? (If you're on benefits you'd need to check this out).
Another option would be to volunteer somewhere, whether it's at the local primary school helping them with art, or the local animal rescue shelter, anything to get a reference, to gain some skills etc.
df

Hedylogos

Hey Thanks everybody for your advice. I wanted to reply to everyone, but so much writing hurts my brain lol. Something i wanted to add was how i would like to restudy, however the problem is i sometimes struggle to retain information easily, so it's frustrating and i have always been reluctant to go back to education for this reason as well as being older too.

You have no idea how much i want to improve my life and build a successful career for myself, but i've just been really down about it all recently because i feel that education would be difficult for me.

The irony of me feeling i would struggle with going back to education is that i enjoy reading at home in my own time and gaining knowledge of things i'm interested in by googling a lot of things and watching interesting documentaries too.

I know i am not stupid, just not the way inclined with classroom study, essays and presentations. I much prefer, like i mentioned above, to study in my own time and not be worried about gaining a specific qualification/grade. I remember in college always worrying myself over getting a really good grade, when all it did was make me anxious and exhaust me.

What i am trying to say is that i'm just not sure that returning to college/university would be a good idea for me as it's not my forte. There are many people whom thrive at formal education, but i just don't feel i'm one of them people. I guess i should at least give it a go again, but i am interested in so many things that i would be unsure of what i would even want to study.

As for work, i have considered getting into cooking because i enjoy it and it interests me, oh and also there's no thousand word essays to write haha. On top of cooking, well, i can sing, not that it means much but i do enjoy music and singing, and i enjoy learning about cultures, different countries etc. I also enjoy getting to know people and am really intrigued by people's lives and i like to think i am a sociable person, even though recently i have been a reclusive; something i am slowing breaking out of again.

I don't know what else to add and my head is hurting now from all the writing lol. I guess i will leave this here and see if anyone responds. I still haven't read all the posts here yet so something i gotta do in a sec. Thanks.

Gingernutty

Evening classes for GCSE retakes or access classes are your first step.

Is there any hope for someone who isn't currently qualified and won't do the extra study? No. There isn't.

skintpaul

Ask at local colleges, see if they offer any free courses (some funded by jobcentre, or skills funding agency)

Hedylogos

I have been looking at college courses online this morning, but a lot of them are full time and i would prefer something such as an evening course or weekend course if i was to study because i am looking for work and most work is day time hours, which is the same as college course hours.

Hedylogos

xapprenticex wrote: »

^ Thats pretty much it, many a time, it starts with someone giving us a chance or beliving in us and putting us in contact with somebody who can hook us up.

Thats why its important to always work hard (till you get to the top but thats another thread) as you never know who's looking.

Believe it or not, i got my break through work programme, managed to impress the adviser with my full time voluntary work and good manor when attending programme that she put me in contact with someone she knew personally (not a work thing) virtually guaranteeing me a job which snowballed me into where I am today.

That is great! A lot of people say it's not what you know, but who you know, so i guess it is true in your case and many other peoples cases too.

Hedylogos

DKLS wrote: »

To put it simply if you want to rise above unskilled jobs and get into a career you need to acquire some skills that employers want to pay for.
Don't let your location and yourself hold you back.

Temping and contracting can be a good way of building up skills and experience so I would try that route, also do some home study, learn a language, learn a software package, learn communication/presenting skills there are a wealth of free educational resources on the internet to help with this.

I have been working with some eastern europeans for the last few years, and one thing that impresses me is that they have an attitude of always learning, always acquiring skills and knowledge, always bettering themselves.

It can work, I interviewed a chap who on paper shouldn't really be at interview for a jr coder but I was intrigued by his Cv, he was a Binman who had found some programming books on his rounds and taught himself coding.

My colleague who had said it was a waste of time to interview him as he had no qualifications, set him a few coding challenges.
He now works for in silicon valley and has a very different life from his bin man days.

So ultimately its all down to you OP, put the effort in and see what happens, I am sure there will be many hurdles and some failures, but good luck it can be done.

That is inspiring actually, thanks. I think my problem is lacking confidence now due to being unemployed as it takes it's toll mentally. I just need a glimmer of hope really, which has been tough.

What do you mean when you say temping/contracting? I have heard that mentioned, but never really understood it. What kind of jobs would they involve?

Serendipitious

Can you access careers advice? eg via Jobcentre/local colleges etc? This might help clarify what you want and how to go about it.

You don't say how old you are, but I have known people retrain and go into education right up to their 50s and beyond.

pinpin

I can sympathise, OP.
I've always had minimum wage jobs.
I didn't do too well in school as I'm just not very intelligent and struggle with things most people find easy.
As a result, further education seemed futile.
I also never had a clue what I wanted to do for a 'career', anyway. I still don't.
But it is depressing when your friends earn around 5-10x more money than you do. I have stopped seeing most of my friends now as I simply can't keep up. Constant holidays and expensive nights out etc.

I've never got to experience what it's like to have 'fun' at work. I can't even relate to what my friends call 'work', really. Whilst i'm loading lorries in the freezing cold, they seem to be in 'meetings' with nice food and drink, or on 'team building' days at the race courses!! It all seems so alien to me! My employers have always been cracking whips to get me to load lorries faster or sweep faster as opposed to taking me out to a casino and giving me betting money!! lol

I think such jobs are reserved for high flyers who went to university, but people seem to dismiss the fact that we're no all very clever!

DKLS

Hedylogos wrote: »

That is inspiring actually, thanks. I think my problem is lacking confidence now due to being unemployed as it takes it's toll mentally. I just need a glimmer of hope really, which has been tough.

What do you mean when you say temping/contracting? I have heard that mentioned, but never really understood it. What kind of jobs would they involve?

I mean that recruitment standards can often be less demanding for temp or contract jobs, often a company will need a body in to do a job asap, and whilst your there its a good opportunity to pick up new skills and experience.

Jobs can vary enormously I started with catering, office admin roles and project admin roles, usually at the bottom of the heap so doing all the crappy admin jobs that no one wants to do and all the way to snr management/director level.

It certainly worked for me, sometimes recruitment consultants have been able to open doors that have been closed to me.

Have a look at indeed.com and see if any careers look interesting then explore what skills you need and then how you acquire them and what kinds of jobs would lead to your career.

Good luck OP