I'm 30 and want a real career with good earning potential. Is it too late?

jp2016

I'm 30, have worked in crappy retail jobs all of my life. Left school at 16 with a few GCSEs and back then fell into the wrong crowd, smoked a lot of weed and generally wasted my life. Since then I've floated between retail and bar/hotel jobs, all entry level. Last year I had a serious car accident in which I broke my collarbone, right femur and several ribs. I moved back in with parents (originally only temporarily for convenience as I couldn't walk for months) but this has extended until now.

The last few years have been a blur of depression and recovery. I haven't worked since the crash and have spent a lot of time reflecting on my life and the little I've made of it so far. I have nothing really to my name - no savings, no assets, nothing, and a patchy CV of entry level retail/bar jobs.

I'm 30. I should be enjoying a good career, living in a detached house with a nice car, wife and 2.5 children and a Labrador. You know, being an adult (for those serious posters on here, this whole paragraph is mostly in jest - but you get my point).

I just don't want to waste any more time.

So what do I want?

I want a career. A good one. I want good earning potential and to be able to save to buy my own home, car etc. Ideally I'd love to own my own home within 5 years - even if it's a studio flat.

I'm open to any type of job - my only interests are films and sport - but any careers associated with them are merely pipe dreams and no realistic chance of getting a job in those industries that pay well.

I don't mind the idea of university - however any degree I do must be worthwhile and not just a general degree that would be difficult to find a job with (e.g. I don't want to do a degree in Egyptian Poetry). Distance learning is a complete NO for me - a part time degree will take 5/6 years and that's too long. I don't want to be 36 when I graduate.

Ideally, my future doesn't involve a degree. I'd have to complete A-Levels or an Access course (I have neither) which means adding at least 18 months onto any timescale. I know I could do a foundation degree but the choices seem very limited and it's still 4 years minimum of study?

I'm not too into numbers or computers, but would consider anything. I've heard things like "learn a trade" but realistically, am I going to be earning enough from being a plumber/electrician/carpenter etc through starting again at 30? Salary wise I would love to be earning over £35-40k in 5 years time. I've heard it can take up to 5 years to qualify as an electrician/plumber and even qualified ones don't earn much for the amount of time it takes. Also I doubt that I'd be able to get an apprenticeship.

So in summary:

• 30 years old, no degree, a few GCSEs, no money, living with parents
• Patchy work history of retail/bar/hotel entry level jobs
• Wants a good career, to make something of himself, with good earning potential
• Open to any idea as long as its credible
• Would like to be putting a deposit on my own home in the next 5 years
• Willing to relocate anywhere (including overseas)
• Willing to go to university, but must be a worthwhile degree with good job prospects

I know I'm asking a lot - but can we stick to optimism and positivity rather than cynical/negative posts? I know I have a lot of hard work ahead and I'm not expecting anything "on a plate" - I'm willing to work 100 hour weeks, relocate anywhere in the UK, abroad, sell an organ anything - so please don't say I'm looking for a lot with little effort, I'm willing to do what it takes.

Few questions I have floating around too:

• Are apprenticeships a realistic option? I know that mostly 16-19 year olds get accepted due to government funding.
• If I did go the university route - what are my chances of securing a good graduate scheme considering my age, patchy work history etc?

Apologies for the long read, and thanks.

RedfordML

I really hope not!


I am 35 with a degree and I am still searching. Like you I done retail until 23, went to University to get myself out of retail but didn't think beyond the 3 year course


I am totally unsure of what to do - I also have 3 young children.


Let me know what you find!

RedfordML

"I'm not too into numbers or computers"


Will hold you back. How about re sitting a GCSE Maths qualification?


Starting an evening computer course?

lolly3fh

I'm not trying to be cynical, but I think you have a long haul ahead of you. Being realistic, a job that pays well enough to have these things comes from experience, and I don't think you'd find something like that out of the blue. When I started in my line of work 10 years ago, I started on £14k p/a. I've been doing it 10 years now and have crept up to £23k. I couldn't afford to own a property by myself, I can only do it as my husband and I have a joint mortgage.

Would your parents consider helping you out with the mortgage thing? I appreciate it's a big ask of them, but that is how many people now get on the ladder. Maybe help with the deposit, or one of them jointly apply with you?

I agree with the previous poster about an evening course, try to get yourself on a course, perhaps Microsoft Excel? Lots of companies use Excel so would be pleased to see you have taken it upon yourself to learn about it. I started my job by temping for them; it was a temp to perm position and fortunately for me they took me on permanently. That might be the best way to kick off a career. Start temping, and show willing (you clearly already are) and work your way up. It might take you a while, but you'll get there.

You are certainly determined, I wish you the very best!

Candyapple

Will you be living with your parents for the next 5 years?

If your background is retail / bar / hotel work, have you considered applying for similar roles and working your way up to management level?

How long have you been out of work for?

Learning a trade is a very good idea, however like you said, at your age getting an apprenticeship is as rare as hen’s teeth because if you are over 19 the employer will need put their own money towards your studies; it’s why they always go for the 16-19 category as it is subsidised by the government.

If you went the uni route, your chances of securing a good grad scheme job depends on
a) what course you do
b) your grade
c) the competition amongst your peers in the field
d) if you did a year’s work experience or some sort of relevant work history that would give you an edge over another graduate whilst doing your course

*~Zephyr~*

jp2016 wrote: »

I've heard things like "learn a trade" but realistically, am I going to be earning enough from being a plumber/electrician/carpenter etc through starting again at 30?

A friend of mine was made redundant in 2008. He was 35, had a wife and 3 kids to support and a massive mortgage to pay. There were no jobs around here in 2008, and he was in danger of losing the house.

So he retrained as a plumber and a Gas Safe Engineer. 2.5 years later, he asked me to do his accounts for him, which I do. He was earning roughly twice what he earned in employment. He's now approaching an annual turnover of £75k. In the past couple of years he's trained as an electrician too. He's had to take on staff. If his wife let him, he would work 16 hours a day, 7 days a week - and he did do for a time. But now he turns down a lot of work and works more reasonable hours. There simply aren't enough plumbers/sparks/gas engineers out there. You could do far worse than be a plumber.

lincroft1710

If you go to uni you'll be lucky if you own your own home within the next 5 years! Why? because you won't graduate until mid 2020 at the earliest and then you've got to find a job and earn enough to save for a deposit. And when looking for a job, you'll be a 34 year old graduate with an indifferent employment history competing with fresh faced 22 year olds.

An apprenticeship for someone of your age is virtually impossible and I'd doubt you would be earning £35K until a few years after, if at all.

But let's be honest rather than negative - in reality few people have a good career. You have worked in retail, is it not possible to continue in retail, preferably with a company which offers opportunities to advance to management level.

lincroft1710

*~Zephyr~* wrote: »

So he retrained as a plumber and a Gas Safe Engineer.

Where did he do his training?

bugslet

My truck drivers earnt between 35 - 40k last year. Can wrap that course up in a month if you pass the test - outlay should be around the 3k mark.

Now there are a lot of variations in pay around the country, with jobs starting as low as £7.50 an hour in some areas and it's not always easy to get into a good job when you are starting out, though I've started brand new drivers. Even if you have to work for the lower rates for a year, it then gives you the stepping stone to working for a better firm. The work covers everything from ttrunkers doing the same run every day/night, pallet networks, european and frankly everything moves at some point in a truck.

It may not suit, but personally I love my industry and most drivers are hard-working decent men and occasionally women. Probably not what you think of in career terms, but you did say anything!

controversy

jp2016 wrote: »

I'm 30, have worked in crappy retail jobs all of my life. Left school at 16 with a few GCSEs and back then fell into the wrong crowd, smoked a lot of weed and generally wasted my life. Since then I've floated between retail and bar/hotel jobs, all entry level. Last year I had a serious car accident in which I broke my collarbone, right femur and several ribs. I moved back in with parents (originally only temporarily for convenience as I couldn't walk for months) but this has extended until now.

The last few years have been a blur of depression and recovery. I haven't worked since the crash and have spent a lot of time reflecting on my life and the little I've made of it so far. I have nothing really to my name - no savings, no assets, nothing, and a patchy CV of entry level retail/bar jobs.

I'm 30. I should be enjoying a good career, living in a detached house with a nice car, wife and 2.5 children and a Labrador. You know, being an adult (for those serious posters on here, this whole paragraph is mostly in jest - but you get my point).

I just don't want to waste any more time.

So what do I want?

I want a career. A good one. I want good earning potential and to be able to save to buy my own home, car etc. Ideally I'd love to own my own home within 5 years - even if it's a studio flat.

I'm open to any type of job - my only interests are films and sport - but any careers associated with them are merely pipe dreams and no realistic chance of getting a job in those industries that pay well.

I don't mind the idea of university - however any degree I do must be worthwhile and not just a general degree that would be difficult to find a job with (e.g. I don't want to do a degree in Egyptian Poetry). Distance learning is a complete NO for me - a part time degree will take 5/6 years and that's too long. I don't want to be 36 when I graduate.

Ideally, my future doesn't involve a degree. I'd have to complete A-Levels or an Access course (I have neither) which means adding at least 18 months onto any timescale. I know I could do a foundation degree but the choices seem very limited and it's still 4 years minimum of study?

I'm not too into numbers or computers, but would consider anything. I've heard things like "learn a trade" but realistically, am I going to be earning enough from being a plumber/electrician/carpenter etc through starting again at 30? Salary wise I would love to be earning over £35-40k in 5 years time. I've heard it can take up to 5 years to qualify as an electrician/plumber and even qualified ones don't earn much for the amount of time it takes. Also I doubt that I'd be able to get an apprenticeship.

So in summary:

• 30 years old, no degree, a few GCSEs, no money, living with parents
• Patchy work history of retail/bar/hotel entry level jobs
• Wants a good career, to make something of himself, with good earning potential
• Open to any idea as long as its credible
• Would like to be putting a deposit on my own home in the next 5 years
• Willing to relocate anywhere (including overseas)
• Willing to go to university, but must be a worthwhile degree with good job prospects

I know I'm asking a lot - but can we stick to optimism and positivity rather than cynical/negative posts? I know I have a lot of hard work ahead and I'm not expecting anything "on a plate" - I'm willing to work 100 hour weeks, relocate anywhere in the UK, abroad, sell an organ anything - so please don't say I'm looking for a lot with little effort, I'm willing to do what it takes.

Few questions I have floating around too:

• Are apprenticeships a realistic option? I know that mostly 16-19 year olds get accepted due to government funding.
• If I did go the university route - what are my chances of securing a good graduate scheme considering my age, patchy work history etc?

Apologies for the long read, and thanks.

As a disabled person I've had a patchy work history too.

If your still quite able bodied and have no mental health problems I would consider taking some vocational training for a semi-skilled job role.

A couple of these include:

1. Cooking & Hotel work.
2. Health Care.
3. Driving jobs.

If you want to get into construction work you need to get a apprenticeship with someone who will be willing to teach you a trade. Go to college 1 day a week.

Your best off volunteering and working on toward an apprenticeship. You can take a loan out for this which is similar to the university loan system.

When you are fully trained you need to become mobile as a lot of builders these days travel all over Europe doing jobs. If you can get mobile while your on your apprenticeship then thats a huge plus.

When I say Mobile I mean living in a Caravan or Motorhome on a Caravan site and then going to the work site.

jp2016

RedfordML wrote: »

"I'm not too into numbers or computers"


Will hold you back. How about re sitting a GCSE Maths qualification?


Starting an evening computer course?

I probably explained it in the wrong way. I know numbers and computers fairly well (at least at a level most jobs would require) I'm just not interested in a job that revolves around them. I am proficient with excel, spreadsheets, formulas etc