How can I upskill into something that doesn't require me to be smart?

SneakySpectator

I'm not a smart person, and that's fine, not everyone is. I've always failed academically and I've tried a handful of times at things which require a brain, like software development and I just can't do it. My brain simply isn't capable of grasping abstract complex things. 

I'm also not the greatest when it comes to social situations and people skills, sure I can hold down a conversation but I would struggle to hold a presentation in front of a crowd. 

Anyway I currently work in a supermarket and while I don't love it, I don't hate it either, I'm actually quite content with it. But I am witnessing to slow decline in the quality of life in this industry.

Premiums being cut, increased workloads, reduced over time hours, understaffed etc and as these companies squeeze their staff for ever increasing profits for their shareholders, I can only see things getting worse.

So I'd like to try and get a skill that actually allows me to earn a wage somewhere in the region of £35,000 - £40,000, currently I'm earning £28,000 before tax.

I thought about becoming a HGV driver, and I know this may sound like an excuse, but I already have really bad driving anxiety just from driving a car so being behind the wheel of a 40 ton lorry where one wrong move could easily kill someone is not something I want to think about every time I get behind the wheel. 

Ideally I'd like a career that allows me to get my foot in the door without a degree, then working my way up to a higher salary via experience. 

Emmia

SneakySpectator said:

I'm not a smart person, and that's fine, not everyone is. I've always failed academically and I've tried a handful of times at things which require a brain, like software development and I just can't do it. My brain simply isn't capable of grasping abstract complex things. 

I'm also not the greatest when it comes to social situations and people skills, sure I can hold down a conversation but I would struggle to hold a presentation in front of a crowd. 

Anyway I currently work in a supermarket and while I don't love it, I don't hate it either, I'm actually quite content with it. But I am witnessing to slow decline in the quality of life in this industry.

Premiums being cut, increased workloads, reduced over time hours, understaffed etc and as these companies squeeze their staff for ever increasing profits for their shareholders, I can only see things getting worse.

So I'd like to try and get a skill that actually allows me to earn a wage somewhere in the region of £35,000 - £40,000, currently I'm earning £28,000 before tax.

I thought about becoming a HGV driver, and I know this may sound like an excuse, but I already have really bad driving anxiety just from driving a car so being behind the wheel of a 40 ton lorry where one wrong move could easily kill someone is not something I want to think about every time I get behind the wheel. 

Ideally I'd like a career that allows me to get my foot in the door without a degree, then working my way up to a higher salary via experience. 

Couldn't you apply to higher levels with your current employer? Or perhaps try applying for an administrative role in the Civil Service (AO or EO grade / pay band 2 or 3)

Promotions in the Civil Service require you to apply for a new job for every step up the ladder - it's not a case of someone tapping you on the shoulder and promoting you, so you would need to be proactive to move upwards.

Whilst a degree isn't a pre requisite for most CS roles, the skills a degree gives you are needed. On a practical level how is your knowledge of things like MS Word and Excel?

And to be clear, you would be competing against people with degrees. 

marcia_

SneakySpectator said:

I'm not a smart person, and that's fine, not everyone is. I've always failed academically and I've tried a handful of times at things which require a brain, like software development and I just can't do it. My brain simply isn't capable of grasping abstract complex things. 

I'm also not the greatest when it comes to social situations and people skills, sure I can hold down a conversation but I would struggle to hold a presentation in front of a crowd. 

Anyway I currently work in a supermarket and while I don't love it, I don't hate it either, I'm actually quite content with it. But I am witnessing to slow decline in the quality of life in this industry.

Premiums being cut, increased workloads, reduced over time hours, understaffed etc and as these companies squeeze their staff for ever increasing profits for their shareholders, I can only see things getting worse.

So I'd like to try and get a skill that actually allows me to earn a wage somewhere in the region of £35,000 - £40,000, currently I'm earning £28,000 before tax.

I thought about becoming a HGV driver, and I know this may sound like an excuse, but I already have really bad driving anxiety just from driving a car so being behind the wheel of a 40 ton lorry where one wrong move could easily kill someone is not something I want to think about every time I get behind the wheel. 

Ideally I'd like a career that allows me to get my foot in the door without a degree, then working my way up to a higher salary via experience. 

 This is almost impossible nowadays without gaining additional qualifications that qualify you for the job. Promotion without a selective recruitment process is hard to come by in most companies 

Emmia

Also @SneakySpectator I hope this isn't another of your "discussion" threads.

SneakySpectator

Emmia said:

Also @SneakySpectator I hope this isn't another of your "discussion" threads.

No, this is a genuine thread requesting some help and advice, thanks for your initial comment, I'll have a look on the civil service gov jobs web site and see if there's anything suitable.

HampshireH

Are you practical?  You could go and do an apprenticeship in a trade. 

justwhat

Look at jumping to another supermarket as a supervisor or team leader.   Trouble is you will need to move on to  assistant manager to get the pay lavel you want. 

SneakySpectator

HampshireH said:

Are you practical?  You could go and do an apprenticeship in a trade. 

I'm in my mid 30's so a probably a little old for an apprenticeship, plus I have rent, bills etc to pay so I'd need to be earning close to what I'm earning now to take on a course-like apprenticeship. 

HampshireH

SneakySpectator said:

HampshireH said:

Are you practical?  You could go and do an apprenticeship in a trade. 

I'm in my mid 30's so a probably a little old for an apprenticeship, plus I have rent, bills etc to pay so I'd need to be earning close to what I'm earning now to take on a course-like apprenticeship. 

Disagree on the age. Understand on the bills.

Could you do a leadership programme through work?

Most supermarkets have something along these lines and the skills will be transferable

SneakySpectator

HampshireH said:

SneakySpectator said:

HampshireH said:

Are you practical?  You could go and do an apprenticeship in a trade. 

I'm in my mid 30's so a probably a little old for an apprenticeship, plus I have rent, bills etc to pay so I'd need to be earning close to what I'm earning now to take on a course-like apprenticeship. 

Disagree on the age. Understand on the bills.

Could you do a leadership programme through work?

Most supermarkets have something along these lines and the skills will be transferable

Yeah that's definitely an option, I could progress to a team leader position and then to a manager position, do that for a few years and then use that experience to transition to a different sector because the retail sector is going down hill majorly. 

Even the managers are being shafted.

Grumpy_chap

SneakySpectator said:

HampshireH said:

Are you practical?  You could go and do an apprenticeship in a trade. 

I'm in my mid 30's so a probably a little old for an apprenticeship, plus I have rent, bills etc to pay so I'd need to be earning close to what I'm earning now to take on a course-like apprenticeship. 

Apprenticeships now are not just for first job.
There are Apprenticeships for higher levels and more senior roles - I know someone in their mid-50's doing an MBA Apprenticeship.  I know that is not what you want, but shared as an example of the breadth of Apprenticeships available.