Retraining - what to go for?

[Orb the Impaler]

After 20 years in IT I've found it harder and harder to get work, despite getting better and better at what I do (Oracle, *nix, Web stuff to name but a few). It seems to me that there are plenty of jobs out there for the managers (which I don't want to do) but almost none for people who actually want to do anything.

After 3 months of solid job hunting and not a sniff of work I've decided that I'm going to have to bite the bullet and sign-on next week.

Assuming I can get some sort of retraining provision can anyone suggest what to go for? I'm thinking that it ought to be something that I can gain work in the public sector with? I'm not convinced of this "be a plumber" crap that's about either.

I don't need to earn a fortune (Mrs Orb(s) keeps me, luckily) but it has to be something that doesn't make me feel that my employer is taking the piss.

Ideas?

[V8mate]

McDs has to be up there; plenty of variety in your work, free lunches, shallow young female colleagues... from IT chips to potato chips!

[Super Bad]

V8mate said:

McDs has to be up there; plenty of variety in your work, free lunches, shallow young female colleagues... from IT chips to potato chips!

[Orb the Impaler]

V8mate said:

McDs has to be up there; plenty of variety in your work, free lunches, shallow young female colleagues... from IT chips to potato chips!

That works, except for the employer taking the piss bit

[richyb]

Tree surgery. Depends how fit you are of course. Its a great job, really varied, you don't have to sit in an office all day and get to use really *fun* equipment. Its not all physical work, lots of planning and assessments. Most councils employ a few guys then contract extra's out. £5k would get you some training and safety equipment and you can work your way up as you go. Just an idea.

[sday12]

V8mate said:

McDs has to be up there; plenty of variety in your work, free lunches, shallow young female colleagues... from IT chips to potato chips!

Gotta say the McDs is the way forward, and you can also track your career progesion through the stars you get, so it's not that difficult.

[sday12]

richyb said:

Tree surgery. Depends how fit you are of course. Its a great job, really varied, you don't have to sit in an office all day and get to use really *fun* equipment. Its not all physical work, lots of planning and assessments. Most councils employ a few guys then contract extra's out. £5k would get you some training and safety equipment and you can work your way up as you go. Just an idea.

Pikeys

[mybrainhurts]

richyb said:

Tree surgery

[richyb]

sday12 said:

richyb said:

Tree surgery. Depends how fit you are of course. Its a great job, really varied, you don't have to sit in an office all day and get to use really *fun* equipment. Its not all physical work, lots of planning and assessments. Most councils employ a few guys then contract extra's out. £5k would get you some training and safety equipment and you can work your way up as you go. Just an idea.

Pikeys

Never met a pikey tree surgeon myself. Wouldn't mind seeing a few hanging from a tree though.

[sday12]

richyb said:

sday12 said:

richyb said:

Tree surgery. Depends how fit you are of course. Its a great job, really varied, you don't have to sit in an office all day and get to use really *fun* equipment. Its not all physical work, lots of planning and assessments. Most councils employ a few guys then contract extra's out. £5k would get you some training and safety equipment and you can work your way up as you go. Just an idea.

Pikeys

Never met a pikey tree surgeon myself. Wouldn't mind seeing a few hanging from a tree though.

Come to Essex my friend

[polus]

Orb the Impaler said:

After 20 years in IT I've found it harder and harder to get work, despite getting better and better at what I do (Oracle, *nix, Web stuff to name but a few). It seems to me that there are plenty of jobs out there for the managers (which I don't want to do) but almost none for people who actually want to do anything.

This is true. I work in a different industry but technology based and it suffers from the same. Career managers. I dont know how some companies keep going with the amount of deadwood they employ.

I wouldnt have thought there was a shortage of IT work but I guess the contracts are drying up.

[cqueen]

I asked the same question a couple of months ago. No one knows!

[Nolar Dog]

OP: What things do you like doing?

[skinner05]

Im in a similar situation if some what younger. I recently started working in audit but i can't believe how much this job just doesn't suit me. I've got a bit of money saved up which i am willing to put towards training but i really don't know just what is out there.

[poj]

If you are good at what you do,why not become a tutor or an assessor,in my industry(construction)we constantly have guys away on courses.
good luck with the search

[Fish981]

Somebody down there was looking for a car valeter, that'd be right up your alley.