Job Ideas for Partner?

[19lottie82]

My partner is (a young) 61 and until recently has worked as a groundsman on building sites, it’s a very physical job. He is currently recovering from cancer and hopes to be back in employment within 6 months.

However, I don’t think going back to such a physically demanding job is going to be an option for him. Also he is pretty much IT illiterate, and he doesn’t drive.

Does anyone have any ideas on any roles that he could consider, that pay over minimum wage? A physical aspect to the job is fine, as long as it’s nothing too hard going.
He’d need to clear at least £500 a month. He’s very good with people if that helps.

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated!

What about B & Q or somewhere like that where they have “older” men helping the public to find products and giving them advise.
Sounds perfect for him.

Could be tricky with no IT skills. Would supermarket work be too physical? Guessing delivery driving for a supermarket may be too physical too?

Possibly. He doesn’t see himself as “old” and neither do I. I don’t think think that would pay more than NMW though? Thanks for the idea.

Supermarket work wouldn’t be too physical, but would it pay more than NMW? And he doesn’t drive, unfortunately. Thanks for the suggestion.

Sorry to hear about his diagnosis.

I was going to say private lawn mowing/garden maintenance, but if he can't drive, that wouldn't be an option.
If he did a teaching course, could he teach aspects of the groundsman course at say a community college, or wherever its taught?
Train or bus driver? Or is it a medical reason he can't drive?

Why does minimum wage matter if he only needs £500 a month?

Sorry that should say £500 a WEEK!

apologies, it’s been a long day 😂

He just never learned to drive. We live quite central in a large town, so he didn’t have any need to.

School caretaker? Some roles particularly in academies are above NMW

Caretaker
supermarket
garden centre
cleaner

Is that £500 a week before or after tax? To be brutally honest, at his age and without IT skills and, I'm assuming, any other work experience other than in physical jobs, I think it is going to be difficult for him to find a job which pays much more than NMW.

I speak from experience, as my DH became suddenly redundant from his job as a pub manager at the age of 52. He had had varied work experience and skills, including in IT support, but just couldn't find a job at all. When he did get one it was as a Band 2 Civil Servant, very low paid, but we were just pleased he was earning at all.

I'm sorry to sound so defeatist, but better to be realistic about his job prospects and to look for any job, rather than to hold off because a job doesn't pay what he wants. He can always carry on looking for something better while he's working, and it will look better on job applications if he shows he is working at something rather than being jobless.

While he's recovering he should do an IT course, lots of free adult education iIT courses available via college. This will immediately give him a wider scope of jobs to choose from. Adult apprenticeships are a good way to retrain whilst earning money.

https://apprenticeshipguide.co.uk/adult-apprenticeships/

https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship

I don't know if his lack of driving licence would be a barrier to machine driving on building sites, eg if its due to health reasons.

But otherwise its relatively quick to learn to drive a telehandler (under a week) and he's already in the industry so has contacts etc.

Or what about banksman? I don't know about that but to me the obvious starting point would be in the trade he's in but less demanding roles.

Probably pays £15 to £20 an hour at least through the agencies and likely plenty of work available due to all the new developments.

Do you have a local FB page.when my DH lost his job at 60 I asked on ours and links came in .
Local people will know of something in your area.

Hospital porter, bin collection, retail worker

Has he asked you to help with this?

Yes, why?

He’s actually considered looking for a porter role, thank you.

Hospital porter is usually band 2. Would be less than £500 per week.

I wouldn’t discount NMW jobs.if he works full time, he’d earn about £450 pcm on NMW, he’s probably be able to pick up over time to take him up to £500. If he can’t drive and has very limited IT skills, he’s a bit limited unfortunately.

Some other ideas. The NHS has 350 apprenticeships. Many are actually not patient facing. You can search for roles in your area or by apprenticeship type:
https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/career-planning/study-and-training/nhs-apprenticeships

Carer for old people? Nursery assistant? Teaching assistant? If he's personable I think they'd love to have male role models

Handyman

Caretaker at school or groundsman at bigger independent schools? I’d check local newspapers for those

When I worked p/t at Waitrose before retiring there were loads of really super older men happy to have taken a step away from the professional corporate world. Working various hours, whether shelf stacking (stock replenishment), welcome desk, checkouts, or specialising in fresh produce, counters (meat/fish, deli, bakery, café). So much nicer for a customer to approach for help, than a teenager. Paid a bit over NMW, staff discount there and at John Lewis after 3 months, great range of staff benefits and an excellent pension scheme which could build up a small lump sum to take at state pension age, or transfer into a longer-established scheme.