Funding re-training. Where do I start and what do I do?

norainbows

This is a LONG post, sorry. As much detail as possible.

I have been unemployed technically for 1 day although I haven't signed on so to speak. If I'm honest I really don't want to, I want to try and gain employment within a week. Wishful thinking maybe but I can be quite resourceful.

So here are the ramblings of my confused mind with the hope someone can guide me as what options there may be for me.

I'm a single parent but have always managed to find work for 16-20 hours a week. Most jobs are not (single) parent friendly with changing shifts days and hours making it very difficult to plan and get childcare to cover working hours, before and after school. What I've had to do is book whole of term (school) childcare to cover possibilities of changing shift patterns( they only allow whole term bookings which have to be paid in advance). However my previous job before this one kept putting me on early shifts starting at 6 or 7am which was nearly impossible to cover as I have only one friend for support, no other friends or family (I lost both my parents to cancer.) I was spending all my spare time trying to find childcare at short notice.

So I had to find another job at short notice because of the stress it was causing. I found an admin job which was supposed to be 3 months trial and after I was to go onto PAYE. During the trial period I was to be self employed. I didn't like this but I felt I had no choice so I accepted it as I gave me total flexibility of what days and times I worked to cover my 20 hours. However this saw me have a drop in benefits of £200 a month. After 3 months I started getting excuse after excuse about why there was a delay in going onto PAYE. I knew that the business was not doing as well as he wanted. Now after 5 months with 2 days notice the boss said he was shutting the shop and he was sorry, so here I am.

I'm registered as self employed at the moment and I am scouring every possible job site and local jobs for work however, as my child is still a dependent I have the same problem, finding (single parent) hours. So I am wanting to retrain in a skill that will allow me to work when I want and get off benefits completely. Herein lies the problem though as I don't have the funds on a low wage.

My question is: I am an older learner 50. Are there any Grants or loans that would be available to me in my situation. I have read about:
Professional and Career Development Loans
Advanced Learner Loans and I'm sure there are others out there but I'm so confused I don't know where to start or if I'm eligible.

Training will cost approximately £5k but it is an industry with good financial rewards if you master the craft.

I plan of gaining some type of employment asap even if it means temping, the thought of having to sign on is killing me. I've only ever been unemployed 1 day before.

Thank you for taking the time to read. My apologies for waffleing , I was just trying to give a more complete picture..

huckster

So are you claiming tax credits ?

Age of children ?

Why can't you obtain a full time job or close to full time ? Supported with childcare for outside of school hours ?

Are you now in a Universal Credit Full Service Area ? Have you checked, by going to Gov.uk/Universal Credit ? If you are in a UC postcode area, this is the benefit replacing JSA, tax credits etc. It is a benefit for people in work and out of work.

Job Centres can refer you to see if you can receive any help, but obviously you would need to be claiming a benefit. Job Centres also sometimes have advisors that can help with information for parents who are struggling to juggle work and childcare.

Do you have any form of disability, that might qualify you for any extra help ?

What course are you looking to do ?

norainbows

Hi Huckster

huckster wrote: »

So are you claiming tax credits ?

Age of children ? 11

Why can't you obtain a full time job or close to full time ?
No support for childcare outside school hours.

Supported with childcare for outside of school hours ? None

Are you now in a Universal Credit Full Service Area ? Have you checked, by going to Gov.uk/Universal Credit ? If you are in a UC postcode area, this is the benefit replacing JSA, tax credits etc. It is a benefit for people in work and out of work. I am on WTC at the moment. I tried your link but it said it was invalid.

Job Centres can refer you to see if you can receive any help, but obviously you would need to be claiming a benefit. Job Centres also sometimes have advisors that can help with information for parents who are struggling to juggle work and childcare.

Do you have any form of disability, that might qualify you for any extra help ? No

What course are you looking to do ?
A beauty Industry Accredited Course that would allow me to work self employed and build up a business;, with the intention of getting off benefits completely.

FBaby

I posted on your other thread but if your child is 11, then surely you only have a year or so at most until they will be able to be at home alone until you come home. There's very little childcare providers for secondary school kids anyway.

Seems very risky to take such a massive loan for the sake of a job that means -you think- flexible working during school hours.

pmlindyloo

I can understand where you are coming from - even secondary school children benefit from an adult supervising them.

Have you looked at finding a cheaper course which you could do from home whilst still remaining in a job which brings in some money? Not easy I know to find a job with part time regular hours but if your self employment (working from home as a beauty therapist - is that what you had in mind?) 'took off' it could be just a temporary measure.

I was having a quick look and found this:

https://www.openstudycollege.com/courses/beauty-therapy-2-with-practical.html

I am sure there are more courses out there which may be suitable. There is finance available on the courses in the link and with possible support from tax credits you could probably afford it.

sheramber

you can check here if you are eligibility for the Advance Learner funding

and for Professional and Career Development Loans here

https://www.gov.uk/career-development-loans/eligibility

norainbows

FBaby wrote: »

I posted on your other thread but if your child is 11, then surely you only have a year or so at most until they will be able to be at home alone until you come home. There's very little childcare providers for secondary school kids anyway.

Seems very risky to take such a massive loan for the sake of a job that means -you think- flexible working during school hours.

Hi FBay,

Thanks for your reply.

I do realise my child will probably be fine left home alone around 12/13 years old. In that year or so I still have to work childcare or not, it's not an excuse for me. Hence I 'want' to take some control over my destiny and put the effort into it, not just accept that here I am after a divorce on benefits and that's all life has for me. I'm sorry but I'm not prepared to accept that. You don't get anywhere in life if your afraid of leaving your comfort zone. Everything has risk attached, the deciding factor is, is it a calculated risk or a whim. Is it a plan, a goal or just a dream. Do I just follow the crowd and be happy with just getting by...... no; that's not me. Yes life has kicked me so many times I've lost count but all that's done is make me more determined than ever to do something about it.

You are slightly missing the point with this comment "Seems very risky to take such a massive loan for the sake of a job that means -you think- flexible working during school hours.". It's not just about working school hours, it's about having the flexibility to work when I want how I want and to build a credible business that will serve me well into the future, as I gain experience and put the work , time and effort into being the best I can be. Yes it would be a risk if I have a half arsed approach about it but that's not in my character. To a large degree you reap what you sow. I have shocked myself in the past with how deep I can dig to get things done that need doing, why not apply this in a area which actually interests me and will benefit me and my family. I can not tell you how much I hate being on benefits having worked all my life from the age of 15. I won't accept it. People change career all the time. The age you are should not dampen your passion to believe that you can successfully learn something new and be good at it.

P.s it may seem like a massive loan but on reflection of potential income it is small. It will pay for itself in under a year if not months.

huckster

Norainbows

With self employment, you work the hours to meet the needs of your clients, so you get paid. Clients will want you to see them in the evenings, weekends, first thing in morning before they go to work etc.

So you often have to be more flexible with hours, than if you were an employed by a company doing set shift hours.

You will know this, if you have spoken to people doing this type of work. I know several people who have done s/employed hair/make up type of work and they have moved to employed regular hours work. They were finding they worked more hours being self employed and had to be more flexible, so less hours for themselves. There are also the accounts they have to do and other requirements for running a business.

FBaby

it's about having the flexibility to work when I want how I want and to build a credible business that will serve me well into the future, as I gain experience and put the work , time and effort into being the best I can be.

Norainbows, I am totally with you with the sentiment, and indeed, I think it is great that you are looking at ways to find both satisfaction and a good income from future job and not letting your age in the way.

I just think that sometimes you have to be careful not to let your dream interact with the limits of the reality. What you are wishing to achieve is what most of the working population dream of too. After all, who wouldn't want a job that allows you to work when you want yet still get you a good income.

Businesses fail every day because people build them on dreams and many of these will end up in a worse financial position than they started as a result.

Your idea might indeed be brilliant, but as it's been pointed out, any training that demands £5K for that dream should raise eyebrows. Is it really so difficult that it demands absolute expertise that justify that cost? And if it does, then won't clients be looking for people who have gained experience rather than someone who is just out of training?

norainbows

FBaby wrote: »

Norainbows, I am totally with you with the sentiment, and indeed, I think it is great that you are looking at ways to find both satisfaction and a good income from future job and not letting your age in the way.

I just think that sometimes you have to be careful not to let your dream interact with the limits of the reality. What you are wishing to achieve is what most of the working population dream of too. After all, who wouldn't want a job that allows you to work when you want yet still get you a good income.

Businesses fail every day because people build them on dreams and many of these will end up in a worse financial position than they started as a result.

Your idea might indeed be brilliant, but as it's been pointed out, any training that demands £5K for that dream should raise eyebrows. Is it really so difficult that it demands absolute expertise that justify that cost? And if it does, then won't clients be looking for people who have gained experience rather than someone who is just out of training?

Hi Fbay

Thank you for your thoughts. I suppose all I can say is 'watch this space'.

I won't delete this post because it's so easy to let fear of failure stop you from ever trying. I would like to report back on this post in the future. I would say a dream without a plan is just a dream and won't achieve anything. But a dream (don't like that word) or should I say a goal will only work with a 'plan'. Many dreamers fail to do this and that's why they fail.
Every person in whatever profession was a beginner without experience at some point in their lives. If they let that stop them they would never gain the experience they needed to master their craft and become and expert.

If you do your research and plan, plan, plan.... Allowing others to scrutinise your plans for constructive criticism, then you've done your best. That's all you can do. Failure to me is fear of trying in case you fail. Nothing wrong with face-planting in the process. They are lessons and absolutely necessary for success.

Onwards and upwards.

Thanks to everyone for their input. :A

FBaby

Good luck norainbows and indeed do come back as I genuinely always up to hearing positive stories against the odds. Your positive attitude can only help to take you there.