About to lose my job, looking to start a new career, any advice please...

Metal Biker said:
Trains...

Mate of mine got a job recently at Northern Rail as a ticket inspector. He's on £34k a year. Works 9 days straight then 5 days off.

Lucky bastard.
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Yep mate of mine also works for NR out of Manchester, joined in 2007 with the intention of becoming a Train Driver but after three interviews and at the age of 58 he's given up on that. However he's on decent money as a Steward and never misses golf trips, must go on at least 6/7 per year including abroad, a group of them from NR just got back from a 3 nighter in Scotland yesterday, your mate may know him, Mark Redford.
 
Metal Biker said:
Trains...

Mate of mine got a job recently at Northern Rail as a ticket inspector. He's on £34k a year. Works 9 days straight then 5 days off.

Lucky bastard.
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I'd second this. I worked 31 years in the rail industry in various roles and it's a reliable employer and very difficult to get sacked from.
If you don't fancy dealing with the general public or working shifts, there's plenty of "behind the scenes" roles such as timetable planning, train crew diagramming and rostering.
Also, if you fancy working for Network Rail, there's plenty of engineering and signalling roles available. In fact, the regional control and signalling centre for the North West is conveniently at Ashburys right next to the Etihad.
 
KDB Fan said:
Apologies for the negativity but I'm currently working a dead-end office job on below average pay and about to be made redundant unfortunately but I have a mortgage to pay off and all the usual financial liabilities so would like to retrain doing something as soon as possible so I don't lose my home and ideally something that gets me out of the office.

I don't enjoy working on a computer but would love to do a trade or job that gets me out the office/house and doing something else I suppose. Does anybody have any good suggestions for jobs that fit the bill? I was thinking of going into plumbing but have been warned against it...I'm 29 btw if that's any help living in Manchester?
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Not always easy but at the age of 53 I set my own small Haulage Business up for a total of £12k. I got lucky as one of my friends asked if I could do a delivery for the company where he was the Sales Director. After doing some initial work the company got rid of their van and used me exclusively. This enabled me to buy another van and bring a couple of lads in who had their own vehicles and we picked up work from other companies including off one of the posters on here.

I ended up passing the business to my mate who had worked with me for a few years when I retired in 2022, it's still going. It's not easy work but the rewards of working for yourself are greater than just the financial remuneration.

Find something where you can utilise your skills even if you have to retrain. I know that takes time but consider a holiday payment on your mortgage if that will help you fund training.

Out of my circle of friends there's a good few self employed, they all do well, window fitter, market trader (3 days a week), builder, housing facilities maintenance, electrician, landscape gardener, locksmith, window cleaner (also has a pub he runs with his wife) plumber and a self employed HGV driver who drives for Macdonalds through an agency, Friday, Saturday and Sunday on around £25 an hour for 3 x 10 hour shifts.

Honestly at 29 try and find something for yourself, the first year or two can be difficult but look after your customers, do virtually anything to keep them onboard and if you employ any people look after them and they'll take care of your business. Very best of luck to you in whatever you do.
 
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MCFC Wirral said:
People talk about Australia but I met many in London who didn’t want to go back.

It’s never appealed to me for a number of reasons. I think I’d prefer New Zealand or Canada but, in all honesty, I’m happy enough in Britain and will head to South Wales within five years.
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Sheep shagging is a hobby, not a job
 
My advice would be think evolution not revolution. You mention that you have all the financial obligations to maintain, so as great as 'getting a trade' may be, if you don't have any experience or training it can take months if not years before you are at a level where you can cover yourself financially as you would be basically starting right back at square one.
Are there any elements of your job that you do enjoy? I'm sure there must be something that is ok, even if its surrounded by 90% crap. Have a proper think and then maybe look at where you could do more of that and less of the other. Even a small step can open up a totally new way of thinking for yourself.
It'd also probably be easier to get another job if you can at least point to elements of your new job that you have already done previously.
 
MCFC Wirral said:
People talk about Australia but I met many in London who didn’t want to go back.

It’s never appealed to me for a number of reasons. I think I’d prefer New Zealand or Canada but, in all honesty, I’m happy enough in Britain and will head to South Wales within five years.
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Both my sons have recently gone out there. The elder probably just for a break, the younger may have more permanent plans. He's already had issues with his step-dad's father though who has a hatred of anyone foreign. Racism and a rapidly warming climate will probably put me off from moving there though. Plus there's City and the music scene to miss!
 
I was watching that programme earlier...Bargain Homes Under the Hammer Hunt. They buy an old run down house at the antiques fair for around 60 quid (they have to haggle...it was on display for £20,000), get planning permission, get some mates to paint it grey, and then they sell it at the auction hoping to make a few quid profit or "golden gravel " which is rare.
That would be an exciting new career, i think.
 
The Lightbowne Cowboy said:
I've been saying exactly the same to mine since she was old enough to listen. Her reply.. I hate spiders dad!
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To be fair, that is a reasonable answer. Years ago I watched an episode of The Crocodile Hunter and it seems like every snake and spider there will kill you quickly.

P.S. I, too, hate spiders.
 
Interesting.

I did a lot of travelling in my early 20s. Worked in various countries but always found those sorts of jobs limited. It's great working in a bar in some foreign holiday resort in your 20s. Its a bit tragic when you are still there 20 years later.

That said I'm now 20 years into a UK office based career and the young lean and taned lad who returned to the uk has become fat and pasty sat behind a desk. Tragic. But I earn good money and my job is mostly interesting. I've also got a decent pension which is often overlooked by people in trades.

If i had my time again I don't know what I'd do. The grass is always greener.
 
better dead than red said:
To be fair, that is a reasonable answer. Years ago I watched an episode of The Crocodile Hunter and it seems like every snake and spider there will kill you quickly.

P.S. I, too, hate spiders.
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We've got a quite big spider currently living in our front room. He/she was climbing the fireplace wall last night and stayed in one position for a few minutes, me and Mrs H have no aversion to Spiders so we won't attempt to move him on. If he reappears today I'll take a photo and edit this post :-).
 
hammocity said:
We've got a quite big spider currently living in our front room. He/she was climbing the fireplace wall last night and stayed in one position for a few minutes, me and Mrs H have no aversion to Spiders so we won't attempt to move him on. If he reappears today I'll take a photo and edit this post :-).
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You appear to have misgendered an innocent Spider, please report for a mental readjustment to the match day thread.
 
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