Training & earning

foreversomeday

My OH is a computer technician with lots of experience, but unfortunately he left school with very little in the way of qualifications. I'm not sure what he actually got but he has said to me only one GCSE - in IT. This could mean he got other GCSEs with low marks, though.

The problem is that he is in a job at the moment which is really paying a lot less than he is worth - I'm not being bigheaded because he is my OH, he has a lot of experience (About 9 years) and he will stay and make sure the problem is fixed before he leaves it. I have never seen him give up on something. He is working for a computer sales/repair shop and they pay pretty much minimum wage, and he has to do everything, from sales to call outs to all the repairs in the shop as despite being one of the more well-known independant shops, they only have the one technician.

He's always stressed out and I know he could earn a lot more money but I know he won't ask his boss for a pay rise (He hasn't had one in 5 years - meaning if you take inflation into account, he has taken a pay cut.) and he is reluctant to go looking elsewhere as he has tried before and they all want qualifications, which he doesn't have. I've suggested he does an evening course but he doesn't want to do that either - he doesn't like the idea of having to pay someone and give up his time to prove something he already knows he knows and he is worried he would fail any written exams because of his dyslexia. And he refuses to ask for help on that one too!

The only thing I have suggested that he seems genuinely interested in is a job which had training - as he could easily pass an assessment, he's just worried about the written side of things - but he doesn't think jobs with training would pay enough.

All I can find online is apprenticeships and I think he'd be a bit sceptical of those as they are meant for A-level age students, aren't they?

If anyone could give me any information on training, experience based degrees or apprenticeship type schemes for adults, and/or give me an idea of the kind of salaries you can earn doing IT on this kind of scheme I'd be very grateful. Don't want to say location but it's not London, as I imagine they'd be fairly similar all over.

Thanks in advance

ali-t

I have no idea about training but could he set up his own business doing what he does? This could involve evening and weekend work to begin with and once he is doing well - and earning way above the min wage he could tell his employer to stick it!

foreversomeday

His friend (and ex-workmate lol!) has done just that and keeps promising to take him on when they get some business contracts (ie stable income) but it has been over a year now and I have a feeling it might not happen for a while - it will get him out of that place though if he ever does get to work for his friend.

oystercatcher

Why doesn't he try putting an ad in the local paper or something offering to do computer repairs in peoples homes. He could start working weekends and evenings , which is when a lot of people would prefer anyway when they are out at work. He could carry on with his normal job to start with until he see's what sort of a response he gets . Then if it's a good response why not try something like a buisness management course so he knows what he's doing with the books etc and eventually set up his own buisness.

Just a thought I'm not an expert sadly.
good luck

Oystercatcher

foreversomeday

Thanks everyone, he does work for himself as well which takes up all his time - he sometimes comes home at 10 or 11 at night - so the training idea was in the hope to shorten the amount of time he does out of hours as it would be nice to see him more! And of course reduce his stress levels etc as he was off work 3 years ago with stress and I don't like to see him making himself ill.