Leaving the police - Job ideas/opportunities/retraining?
Discussion
Im posting this because I am after a bit of advice and inspiration.
I am currently a police Sgt with 17.5 years in the job and I am fed up. I am sick of workload increasing whilst pay and conditions get worse.I have always been keen and capable but now the shifts,lack of social live and stress are becoming too much. I don't want to start an argument as to how good I/we have it, gold plated pension blah blah blah but I am genuinely seeking advice.
I have decided that leaving and looking for another job is probably a serious consideration however simply wrapping in and looking for another job is not really a straightforward option when I have a mortgage etc etc. My current gross salary is about 42k now and i know that whatever I do i won't match that however I am willing to earn less if it improves my lifestyle, happiness and sanity.
So heres my position- I am 37 years old,married but with no kids. Wife has a reasonable salary but not enough to support both of us and pay bills etc,etc.
I consider myself to be a reasonably intelligent person, I have decent GCSE's, a BTEC diploma in science and a HNC in Chemistry with chemical engineering. Problem with these qualifications is i cannot remember anything i studied and I have no real interest in science. I obviously have a lot of supervisory experience from my current job and i did complete a certificate in first line management from the CMI a couple of years ago. Due to joining the police aged 19 I don't really have much experience in other fields bar a couple of years as a lab technician and a bit of retail experience whislt working when I was at college.
So can anyone give me any idea as to what i can do? Career ideas? retraining? Business ideas?
I am genuinely at a loss as to what i can do. Teaching maybe? because I don't have a degree this might be quite difficult? I really just want to do something where i feel like I am making a positive impact on something/someone and enjoy going to work again.
I am currently a police Sgt with 17.5 years in the job and I am fed up. I am sick of workload increasing whilst pay and conditions get worse.I have always been keen and capable but now the shifts,lack of social live and stress are becoming too much. I don't want to start an argument as to how good I/we have it, gold plated pension blah blah blah but I am genuinely seeking advice.
I have decided that leaving and looking for another job is probably a serious consideration however simply wrapping in and looking for another job is not really a straightforward option when I have a mortgage etc etc. My current gross salary is about 42k now and i know that whatever I do i won't match that however I am willing to earn less if it improves my lifestyle, happiness and sanity.
So heres my position- I am 37 years old,married but with no kids. Wife has a reasonable salary but not enough to support both of us and pay bills etc,etc.
I consider myself to be a reasonably intelligent person, I have decent GCSE's, a BTEC diploma in science and a HNC in Chemistry with chemical engineering. Problem with these qualifications is i cannot remember anything i studied and I have no real interest in science. I obviously have a lot of supervisory experience from my current job and i did complete a certificate in first line management from the CMI a couple of years ago. Due to joining the police aged 19 I don't really have much experience in other fields bar a couple of years as a lab technician and a bit of retail experience whislt working when I was at college.
So can anyone give me any idea as to what i can do? Career ideas? retraining? Business ideas?
I am genuinely at a loss as to what i can do. Teaching maybe? because I don't have a degree this might be quite difficult? I really just want to do something where i feel like I am making a positive impact on something/someone and enjoy going to work again.
Hi ED209.
I posted a similar thread last year and have seen many similar posts. I am in a similar position, been in for 15 years, have done loads of cool stuff and had some great experiences, but what with the Windsor report, inept bosses, bullying, target lead Policing etc etc, the job really is going down the toilet. I have been lucky enough to do some courses which have transferable skills, but it's very well and good having ideas but much harder finding work to make use of those skills.
Advice I have previously been given includes asking yourself, what do I enjoy? Could I make something out of an interest. Do you have skills that you can use in the civilian world? I for example am a Policing at Height supervisor and also Response rider, so there maybe avenues I could venture down there? Do you do anything similar.
You have passed your exams and been promoted, so you have management skills. Could you do security supervision work or similar? I have my Pt1 and Pt2 but not passed my board, but have done loads of acting, so I do have some supervisory skills.
I can't give you an answer, otherwise I'd have done it already and would be making a fortune advising my colleagues who are equally as down. I suspect others will struggle to give you an answer, just similar advice to me. There are specialist forums that can be interesting, that's another area to check.
Just try to stay positive and remember, they will still pay you each month, so just crack on until something comes up or you engineer something new.
Good luck.
I posted a similar thread last year and have seen many similar posts. I am in a similar position, been in for 15 years, have done loads of cool stuff and had some great experiences, but what with the Windsor report, inept bosses, bullying, target lead Policing etc etc, the job really is going down the toilet. I have been lucky enough to do some courses which have transferable skills, but it's very well and good having ideas but much harder finding work to make use of those skills.
Advice I have previously been given includes asking yourself, what do I enjoy? Could I make something out of an interest. Do you have skills that you can use in the civilian world? I for example am a Policing at Height supervisor and also Response rider, so there maybe avenues I could venture down there? Do you do anything similar.
You have passed your exams and been promoted, so you have management skills. Could you do security supervision work or similar? I have my Pt1 and Pt2 but not passed my board, but have done loads of acting, so I do have some supervisory skills.
I can't give you an answer, otherwise I'd have done it already and would be making a fortune advising my colleagues who are equally as down. I suspect others will struggle to give you an answer, just similar advice to me. There are specialist forums that can be interesting, that's another area to check.
Just try to stay positive and remember, they will still pay you each month, so just crack on until something comes up or you engineer something new.
Good luck.
Funny thing is, there are so many cops in a similar position. Guys who have not known anything other than policing since they were late teens, early 20s are asking the same question. I guess its a bit like being institutionalised.
Rather than churn out the usual routes of employment (security etc) the fact that you've had enough of the job suggests that you would fancy a completely different career path? What do you enjoy - people? Solitude? Being away from home? Money? Questions like those might help shape some kind of rough path to a new start. I know a lot of guys leaving the job are looking offshore, but its no good if you don't like being away from home for weeks on end.
Rather than churn out the usual routes of employment (security etc) the fact that you've had enough of the job suggests that you would fancy a completely different career path? What do you enjoy - people? Solitude? Being away from home? Money? Questions like those might help shape some kind of rough path to a new start. I know a lot of guys leaving the job are looking offshore, but its no good if you don't like being away from home for weeks on end.
I didn't have the same amount of service as you nor did I get promoted though I did do my promotion qualifications and stepped up in their absence.
I decided I was leaving about a year ago. I had always said if I wasn't policing, I'd be working offshore in some capacity but due to new family, I didn't fancy the long trips away. I decided to look at what I enjoyed about the job, where my skills were and what I fancied doing. I came up with health and safety. Similar to the police in legislation, investigation but without dealing with the rubbish and politics the job has.
Self funded my health and safety qualification, got some voluntary work experience to help with my cv and have now got myself I great job. It's genuinely a breath of fresh air being away and I'm really not missing it.
The route I've went down may not be for you, though I know there is at least 25 cops trying to do the same at the moment, but it's an idea. Either way, good luck with whatever you decide to do and if you want any more info about anything, get in touch.
I decided I was leaving about a year ago. I had always said if I wasn't policing, I'd be working offshore in some capacity but due to new family, I didn't fancy the long trips away. I decided to look at what I enjoyed about the job, where my skills were and what I fancied doing. I came up with health and safety. Similar to the police in legislation, investigation but without dealing with the rubbish and politics the job has.
Self funded my health and safety qualification, got some voluntary work experience to help with my cv and have now got myself I great job. It's genuinely a breath of fresh air being away and I'm really not missing it.
The route I've went down may not be for you, though I know there is at least 25 cops trying to do the same at the moment, but it's an idea. Either way, good luck with whatever you decide to do and if you want any more info about anything, get in touch.
king a respected profession up big style.Good Luck.My mate was in a similar position and resigned to go into management.
After a year he realised how tough the private sector is and wanted to go back to the police.
He was made redundant at the first place, didn't get paid overtime, had a far larger workload and didn't have a pension. He was also off sick with stress for 2 months and didn't get any sick pay. He also had to buy his own car and couldn't use the polices discounted car scheme.
As for what you could do, there are loads of things. Perhaps start your own business?
After a year he realised how tough the private sector is and wanted to go back to the police.
He was made redundant at the first place, didn't get paid overtime, had a far larger workload and didn't have a pension. He was also off sick with stress for 2 months and didn't get any sick pay. He also had to buy his own car and couldn't use the polices discounted car scheme.
As for what you could do, there are loads of things. Perhaps start your own business?
^ Yup If you think having more and more squeezed out of you for less and less by all means step out into the private sector. If you can find a job that pays 42k and a pension even half what you can look forward to then good luck to you.
The police is a big organisation...move within it? You have a world of opportunity available to you within the organisation. Bear with it and retire in 10 years or toil with the rest of us until you're 70?
Background: My Mrs works for the 5 Oh - pay and conditions make most other jobs look silly.
The police is a big organisation...move within it? You have a world of opportunity available to you within the organisation. Bear with it and retire in 10 years or toil with the rest of us until you're 70?
Background: My Mrs works for the 5 Oh - pay and conditions make most other jobs look silly.
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