which profession is screaming out for people?

[Wilfredohoney]

So that's my question.
I've been sahm ing with periods of self employment (niche thing requiring skill and no transferable qualifications) for the last decade.
More a decision based on necessity rather than reluctance to work.... Husbands job required several international moves and lots of periods away. I tried to be the one area of stability for the children .
My circumstances have changed so that this is no longer a viable option for me (time, childcare, changing industry ,etc). Now in a fixed place.
Going to university to retrain is too expensive, I don't want to do it.
I have had enough of self employment for all sorts of reasons , the admin, the hidden expenses, the 'never being able to switch off' feeling.
I have loads of energy, am organised, well presented, capable, love people, perfectly happy to get up at ungodly hours. Happy to travel anywhere, can speak bits of other languages.
I'm mid thirties.
So which industries are screaming out for people? ideally I just want to go to work. At this stage I'd (happily) do bricklaying, shit shovelling, most stuff . I just want to go to bed at night tired from an honest days work.
Suggestions?

Carer. There's a massive shortage of carers.

Plumbing.

The wait for a plumber is outrageous!!

I'm seriously considering looking into this.

Had 2 plumbers here (eventually) this year. Both say they are turning down work as they just can't deal with the load.
One said he wants an apprentice but can't find one and he could employ another 5 men in his business IF only he could find qualified plumbers.

He said 12 years ago when he qualified he always thought he would add a central heating qualification to his skills but 1. Has never had the time and 2. Couldn't cioe with any more work!

Plasterer! Got my usual decorators booked for a bedroom redec and they need the plasterer they work with to coincide but he’s booked til February! He’s also turning work down (he is v good though so guess he’s got a good customer base).

There’s usually a shortage of thatchers. Round here you would be guaranteed work five years ahead!

I'm actually alright at this stuff.
Plastering and plumbing.
I don't want to retrain though, unless I can retrain on the job. And be paid for training.
Caring I couldn't do.... It simply doesn't pay enough and I'm used to earning well. I do see and know lots of manual workers (plumbers, electricians etc) that are paid enough... A sustainable wage.
But overheads are still big.... Vehicle, liability insurance, tools, etc.
I'm also put off by the fact that these professions require you to 'shadow' a professional these days before you're fully qualified . So first it's a heavy college course and then a year or two of minimum wage (if you're lucky. I already have the family that need supporting . I can barely stop for a day, let alone a few years on minimum wage 😬

Could be worth looking at apprenticeships in your area. The apprenticeship levy means that they’re for anyone now, in or out of employment & any age. Levy funds will start going back into central government in April so more orgs will be keen to utilise the money themselves than lose it.

Thanks everyone @cheerylilthing yes, I heard this on the radio the other day. Will investigate.

Do you have a degree op?
You could do a teaching qualification. There are some schemes that pay you as an unqualified teacher for a year while you train on the job to gain QTS.
It’s a tough year but once you’ve qualified you could do supply work (which pays quite well and is flexible) if you don’t want a permanent position.

Nutritionist. Mental health counsellor, maths teacher.

I have no official qualifications past gcse.
My experience (something like classical musician) has allowed me to to study at post grad level as a guest student, so just to learn new skills but not collect credits (abroad)
I don’t want to go to University because I don’t envisage staying where I am for the forseeable, part of my desire to change paths is a desire to move away once my financial situation offers more room for manoevre.
I don’t want to teach though. Sorry to be negative.... but I’m all childed out. Most people I know that teach are super stressed and have endless homework to do, and are forever complaining about admin and low pay.

If you don’t want to stay in your specialist field and you don’t have any other qualifications and you don’t want to study/retrain or be self employed, then I suspect your chances of finding a well paid job is slightly unrealistic op.

I've seen British Gas trainee jobs that don't have the worst starting salary. I think it was trainee to install smart meters.

I think that if you want to have a 'profession' you really are going to have to train/ go to college/do an apprenticeship. All trades have standards that you have to adhere to so you need to have the qualifications to show people.

So you want to walk straight in to a well paying career without any experience or qualifications?
It may be tricky...

Caring is desperate and provide training...but if you want more than £10 hr I expect you will need to consider some sort of retraining.

Teachers, especially maths and science.

Careers advisers but only ones trained to postgraduate level. Requires additional training but can walk into a relatively well paid job - especially if you get a job in a university.

Nursing, midwifery

If you don’t want to stay in your specialist field and you don’t have any other qualifications and you don’t want to study/retrain or be self employed, then I suspect your chances of finding a well paid job is slightly unrealistic op.

This.
Otherwise everyone would be doing it.

How about being a postwoman? There are usually jobs on the Royal Mail careers site and you'll definitely go to bed tired! Pay is good for part time hours and you can still do school pick up if you need to.

Accountants
Quantity Surveyors
Geotechnical Engineers

They are the areas we struggle the most to recruit. You would need to retrain and gain more qualifications for the above roles though.

Surely if it was that easy no one would worry about going back to work after being a SAHM for a while.
Because I am fed up earning a low wage I’m now studying at college full time. I appreciate it’ll be different as I’m in Scotland, but as the college pays for childcare and I get the full student loan I’m actually bringing more money into the household than I did working part-time. Full time studying only required 3 days a week in college, so there is time to do other things that’d bring in money as well. If I do well I’ll get into 3rd year in a degree course that leads to well paying jobs. 4 years of education is nothing when I consider I’ll probably be working until I’m 70!
Don’t write off education just yet.

There are shortages in areas difficult to get into/ do- otherwise everyone would do it. Big shortage of chartered surveyors and similar but it’s really hard to qualify, you wouldn't really be able to do it.

Plumbers really aren’t well paid- all this plumbers earning £100k a year stuff is bollcoks. And it’s not easy to qualify. FWIW if you consider a trade electrician is the highest paid but also not easy to qualify.

And you might not enjoy the actual work (fannying around in hot lofts, dusty houses, plunging your hand down someone’s loo)

It’s not that I don’t want to retrain. I’m happy to retrain.. more than than happy. But I would rather train on the job, so to speak.
What I don’t want to do is end up 50 grand in university debt for a mediocre job at the end.

That’s interesting casestudyresearch there was an article in the FT a new months ago saying there were more qualified accountants per head than anywhere in the world in the U.K., and something like x3 more accountants than medical doctors!

I can understand you struggling to recruit good ones though