Job advice

[Black9]

Ok so after some thinking I'm looking for a new Job, but have no idea what I want to do
I'm 23 but have no highers or degrees etc.. So would have to be something I'd need get training or work up to.

Bit of a random post I know but with the vast majority of forum member who prob work thought it may be worth a try. Any hell would be good 

[bacillus]

Ok so after some thinking I'm looking for a new Job, but have no idea what I want to do

You must have some interests that take your fancy as no point going to do a job that you hate.

[Poverty]

What do you do currently?

Did you do a-levels, college or just gcse's?

[rich83]

What's skills do you have?

[Horatio]

Learn a trade   electrician, carpenter, plumber, mechanic.  Really wished I had learnt a trade when I left school.

[skard]

Did you do a-levels, college or just gcse's?

He mentioned Highers so will be in Scotland, where we have a slightly different system.

Black9 - have you got Standard Grades? There'll always requirements for sparkies, plumbers and related trades. Not the best time for training though.

[Baz300]

Some of the best paying jobs going around here for not having a degree are for welders or machinists

Plumbers also make good money but it is hard to find an apprenticeship

I'm looking into doing night courses to become a welder and hopefully get a semi skilled job to work towards being coded

I really wish I went to uni as I'm now at the stage in my job that I can't go any further, times are changing my work won't promote anyone from within anymore, they would rather give management jobs to people fresh out of uni with no experience.

[Poverty]

Forget electrician, plumbing, gas, no ones hiring, let alone training.

What about offshore work, or plane technician.

If you have no kids etc, why not join the RAF and get some engineering qualifications?

[Janner_Sy]

If you have no kids etc, why not join the RAF and get some engineering qualifications?

Wouldnt bother with the RAF, promotion is beyond SLOW!!!! 

But if your after training as an engineer, then the forces is a great option (Army rather than RAF though  ). 

Full pay whilst training, pay rises every year, loads of option for advancing your technical qualifications  (I got paid full wage to do an Electrical Engineering degree at nil cost to myself), plus once your trained up, and have served your retention period, get out and hunt for a job in the civvy street. 

Loads of guys i know are doing or have done this. 

I have a few mates working on windfarms at the moment, great money as well.

[Poverty]

I think that's a good shout and the safest bet in the current time.

Didn't know RAF was slow, tried to join up at 17 but that was taking a while.

Wouldn't mind starting at the bottom learning to be a plane technician then once I have my foot in the door, leaving the RAF and start to specialise in avionics, they seem to get a decent wedge especially as planes get more advanced

[gazbutS3]

I did a 4 year aprenticeship with an airline to become an aircraft engineer, so its not a quick process. The money hasn't really risen at a decent rate over the years either because everybody wants to fly for peanuts so all the airlines are cutting each others throats on prices. This leaves less money to pay the engineers, also its all shift work as when the aircarft are on the ground they want them working 24hrs a day

[Baz300]

Offshore work is a bit of a con as you have to pay £800 for Survival and MIST courses before your application will be accepted,

Then there are thousands of people applying for any of the roustabout jobs of which they are not willing take on anyone that does not have offshore experience.

Unless you have a trade or an engineering degree I wouldn't pay out for any of the courses in the hope of getting a job offshore.

[keano]

With the economy picking up slightly now, there are a lot of trainee recruitment positions going.

Regretting that Economics degree I did now as they'd rather have someone with abit of nouse rather than the quals.  Seems abit of a waste! 

[skard]

Offshore work is a bit of a con as you have to pay £800 for Survival and MIST courses before your application will be accepted,

Then there are thousands of people applying for any of the roustabout jobs of which they are not willing take on anyone that does not have offshore experience.

Unless you have a trade or an engineering degree I wouldn't pay out for any of the courses in the hope of getting a job offshore.

Generally, to get a job offshore - as in rig crew - you have to be time served in a trade, or like you say an engineer of sorts.

To get a few trips in servicing over summer you can blag it a bit and take some short courses, as I have seen, but the opportunities are narrowing in that respect.

I actually have an engineering degree but don't particularly use it for what I do, however having it has undoubtedly opened doors for me.

The problem is that it is portrayed as being so easy as getting a job offshore, especially so by training providers (who are raking it in). A lot of people give up because they can't commit to 'getting a start' and have bills to pay in the meantime. But even so, you have to have something to offer, skills wise.

There always will be a requirement for good welders, electricians, pipefitters and mechanically minded people. One of my regrets was not doing Mechanical Engineering at university instead.

[Edition30]

As others have said about degrees, I don't use mine for what I do.

You need to start at the bottom and work your way up (this is never easy but will come with dedication and hard work). I've jumped from jobs to jobs as i've never known what I wanted to do. I'm currently in a job or career should I say that I like. I was given an opportunity and grabbed it with both hands. Since April they have put me through various licenses and a Managing Safely IOSH course and I have been promoted. Hard work will pay off.

Don't go down the degree route unless you really know what you want to do and it will directly contribute towards getting started in that industry.