Struggling to make career decision
Discussion
Hello all, bit of an odd post but would appreciate some input from others.
I'll try to keep it brief, I've spent the last 2 years in and out of work as well as a good chunk of volunteering through a site called HelpX which was something of a gap year/dream come true sort of thing, all this was due to a workplace injury and the waiting for treatment/ankle fusion. Now however, with the road to recovery almost through it's time for me to get back into the world of work.
Here however is the big rub, i was a tool maker about to complete his level 3 apprenticeship but due to going through 2 operations with my previous main employer, they had and it's took me a long time to come to terms with this, took the understandable decision to let me go, it's meant however that for an nvq with turning at level 2 missing, means i'm time served (2 years ago now so admittedly rusty), but with no formal level 3 qualification apart from the classroom stuff.
I do have serious fears about going to any employer as 2 years work absence hardly makes me look like a worthy investment, my other fear is that i might not be physically up to getting back into the industry, as such are there any roles that could be suggested? I don't mind going back into education but feel i'm far too past it with such a big gap in my employment that anymore paper to the file is going to be wasted for lack of evidence that i can actually graft.
Thanks to anyone who read through that and all suggestions welcome.
I'll try to keep it brief, I've spent the last 2 years in and out of work as well as a good chunk of volunteering through a site called HelpX which was something of a gap year/dream come true sort of thing, all this was due to a workplace injury and the waiting for treatment/ankle fusion. Now however, with the road to recovery almost through it's time for me to get back into the world of work.
Here however is the big rub, i was a tool maker about to complete his level 3 apprenticeship but due to going through 2 operations with my previous main employer, they had and it's took me a long time to come to terms with this, took the understandable decision to let me go, it's meant however that for an nvq with turning at level 2 missing, means i'm time served (2 years ago now so admittedly rusty), but with no formal level 3 qualification apart from the classroom stuff.
I do have serious fears about going to any employer as 2 years work absence hardly makes me look like a worthy investment, my other fear is that i might not be physically up to getting back into the industry, as such are there any roles that could be suggested? I don't mind going back into education but feel i'm far too past it with such a big gap in my employment that anymore paper to the file is going to be wasted for lack of evidence that i can actually graft.
Thanks to anyone who read through that and all suggestions welcome.
Have a read up on Employment Law regarding suitable adjustment, and think how and or whether it applies to you in your chosen field.
Big companies usually do this stuff better than small ones, so I would look for the engineering shops for public owned or Utility/rail/defense etc if you want to carry on with your trained role.
Secondly I would simply declare your injury, in a succinct and unemotional cover letter. What happened, what treatment and your capability now.
I personally would try that route first, before getting too creative around other options.
You may also find that there are specialist recruitment agencies in this field who can assist you
rog007 said:
What do you really want to be? Let's us know and then maybe some advice will follow.
And also - what are your strengths? Sell yourself to an employer. You have got lots that someone could pick holes in, but how would you balance that off? Also - is there a lot of competition for the sort of thing you are looking to do? If so, then yes what you have listed will go against if there is lots of supply. But there's always a way if you have other skills/experience etc to soothe any employer's nerves.
Good luck.
Thanks for your replies, had not considered anything around adjustment to my changed abilities, from an employers point of view sort of thing.
I'll give a bit more background with a bit of confidence as 2 years out has left me rather lacking in that side of things if i'm being honest. I started working with my previous employer as a factory operative, packing and inspecting goods, i put myself through the first year of college and my NVQ level 2 in production, paid for it myself and used a mixture of holiday and 4 days + 12 hour shifts to cover the day per week to go to college, fortunately my employer rewarded me by allowing me to move department and go into a full engineering apprenticeship from a production apprenticeship, from this ended up top of the class in class work for whatever that is worth.
The problems began when my ankle began to deteriorate and it became more and more difficult to keep up with the level of work expected, this led to a bit of an unpleasant relationship between me and my employer, i hardly helped i will admit and like i said in the first post it took a long time to get over that bitterness, but in hindsight the mutual parting of company was best, while awaiting the final operation it allowed me to go travel and volunteer through HelpX and live for a good while on a farm in Germany, it was good hard work where i could take as many breaks as possible and help someone rather than detriment a business.
My main problem is that I don't have my level 3 papers, my employer and I parted ways with just my level 2 turning to complete my full apprenticeship, which has left me at quite a disadvantage.
Edit: I'd love to stay in mechanical engineering, i was a bench fitter and really enjoyed going from component parts and drawings to a fully made tool, i especially enjoyed surface grinding and was one of the few guys who cared to learn about the optidress and would also have some of the older guys coming to me for parting off using slitting wheels as a few still had apprehensions about them.
I'll give a bit more background with a bit of confidence as 2 years out has left me rather lacking in that side of things if i'm being honest. I started working with my previous employer as a factory operative, packing and inspecting goods, i put myself through the first year of college and my NVQ level 2 in production, paid for it myself and used a mixture of holiday and 4 days + 12 hour shifts to cover the day per week to go to college, fortunately my employer rewarded me by allowing me to move department and go into a full engineering apprenticeship from a production apprenticeship, from this ended up top of the class in class work for whatever that is worth.
The problems began when my ankle began to deteriorate and it became more and more difficult to keep up with the level of work expected, this led to a bit of an unpleasant relationship between me and my employer, i hardly helped i will admit and like i said in the first post it took a long time to get over that bitterness, but in hindsight the mutual parting of company was best, while awaiting the final operation it allowed me to go travel and volunteer through HelpX and live for a good while on a farm in Germany, it was good hard work where i could take as many breaks as possible and help someone rather than detriment a business.
My main problem is that I don't have my level 3 papers, my employer and I parted ways with just my level 2 turning to complete my full apprenticeship, which has left me at quite a disadvantage.
Edit: I'd love to stay in mechanical engineering, i was a bench fitter and really enjoyed going from component parts and drawings to a fully made tool, i especially enjoyed surface grinding and was one of the few guys who cared to learn about the optidress and would also have some of the older guys coming to me for parting off using slitting wheels as a few still had apprehensions about them.
Edited by MrBrightSi on Thursday 8th June 09:00
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