To worry I'm going to be stuck in a dead end minimum wage job forever

[jemenfiche]

Retraining is definitely not an option.

I have a degree but for a myriad of reasons can't really use it for anything purposeful.

Am in a minimum wage job. I never used to mind but recently things have changed at the company I work for and now it's just awful and I've been in tears most days this week

I really need inspiration for something else I can do before I go crazy

Do you like languages, OP?

I have a useless degree and masters from 15 years ago. Can't do teaching because I don't have minimum maths requirement for either primary or secondary in my part of country.

Was working in min wage admin type job in my mid 20s, unsure of what I wanted to do and having no luck applying for graduate jobs because I lacked "experience". Couldn't afford to volunteer to gain that experience.

On a whim, I enrolled on an evening course in British Sign Language at my local college. Level 1. One evening a week. Few hundred pounds. Part funded by ILA (still funding graduates then). Course ran August to May. Just a leisure course - Didn't need to stop work.

Got my level 1 cert in BSL and deaf awareness. Went back next year to do level 2. Same set up.

Years later, I have level 6 and work full time in Deaf world. Job much better paid. Get to travel a lot.

Studying to NVQ stage was much more expensive than level 1/2 but the entry level jobs I see on Indeed.com, for support workers, TAs, deafblind guides, usually only ask for level 1/2 and sometimes specify a willingness to learn BSL.

Those kind of entry level positions aren't particularly well paid, but many interpreters and educational communication support workers start off in them, to learn/improve their BSL skills.

Why not? I can't get one because I already have a MA.

On my last taught one day a week course there were lots of people funding their way through doing low paid care work shifts, temping in offices etc. Some were the sole earners in their households, some were carers. It can be done, don't give up if that's what you really want to do. If it is not then focus on something else!

I do exam marking thank you, it's a good suggestion. I quite liked it. There's very little call for personal tutoring in this area.

Thanks, VeryBitching. I know the very basics of sign language: the alphabet and a few religious symbols (used to watch the woman signing in church as a child!) so that's a good idea xx

Handbag, I do have an MA already. I was looking originally at doing an MA in social work but this needs to be funded by me and the general consensus is that work, even part time, would be nigh on impossible whilst doing it, so that's a no-goer. Even if I got another MA, it wouldn't lead necessarily to anything - I need something that's linked to a professional job. Anyway, sorry, I didn't mean to waste anybody's time or annoy anyone, I was just a bit desperate last night.

Well if the Job is that tough and you have survived in it for two years then you are clearly the kind of employee anyone would like to have so please please please start to value yourself.

But you do also need to take respnsibikity for your future. Bad luck can happen to anyone, but good luck rarely happens unless you keep creating opportunities for it.

I have a lot of sympathy for you, I've been in tough places but I have just plugged away creating opportunities until one of them paid off!

Yeah, I know, but you can kind of run out of options, for now anyway. It doesn't mean forever but right now I'm a bit stuck. And telling me what a whiny awful person I am isn't helpful, it really isn't.

I think the focus on "retraining" is a red herring.
You already have lots of educational advantages, now you need to put them to good use.

Find a job that will train you up; upskill yourself through volunteering or an extra job or using future learn and other on line courses.

Create as many opportunities as you can and seize them all with enthusiasm!

When I was out of work due to ill health / abusive relationship i did a mix of random jobs (library assistant, support worker, minute taker for a parish council) and volunteering (charity trustee, charity helper) and studying (I applied for a scholarship and got it!) I didn't know which would lead to a career, but saw them all as potential future Spring boards to a new career and just kept my eye open for possibilities!

We aren't trying to be mean, but if you take a defeatist approach to this then you have lost already!
It took about 4 years for me to get a "career" going but now I am steadily climbing the ladder

Ah I see, you would struggle to work in another job when you have to do placements on a social work course. My friend did work some shifts around her course during the taught bit but the placements were full time.

If you can teach and have a masters then why not look at fe, or he. How about non teaching support roles in schools, colleges, universities. There are lots of tutoring places springing up and I bet they'd bite your hand off as a qualified English teacher.

Best of luck

Why does the fact that I am unhappy make you angry?

It doesnt your attitude frustrates me. People unwittingly offer help when it is never going to be taken up. You might as well say in your Op that you dont want any help just having a whinge then nobody would waste their time.

So yeah

• see if there are any scholarships available for study
• use online courses (many are free to teach yourself new skills that might just give you the edge on a job application)
• think about volunteering; it might teach you new skills and also builds up your 'network' which helps with finding jobs

Hi OP. Im in the same way as you.

Degree 15 years ago which wont get me anywhere.

No chance to retrain (though Im going to have a look at some links posted earlier)

No idea where to go from here.

The only difference is that currently I am out of work, but I know the only jobs Ive got a chance of getting will be dead end minimum wage. Its soul destroying and I can relate to how you feel.

Part of it is not seeing jobs or opportunities available. If you look at local sites here its all minimum wage work or qualified engineers /accountants etc.

Away from a city and not having a network of people for ideas I do genuinely think it's hard to just "get a job with training". I think op has worked hard and is just feeling out of ideas. Criticising her doesn't help honestly.

Why don't you try a night school course or home study in something that you are genuinely interested in and is relevant to a job role of some sort? It may be lower down the scale than your degree but that's irrelevant if you're not putting it to good use at the moment anyway.

I don't believe any situation is impossible to change, however it takes determination, the will to succeed and a certain amount of good fortune. I think you will know when the time is right. Good luck OP, don't let it drag you down, you're clearly an intelligent person.

I genuinely don't have time. I work anti social hours and I only have one day off a week. Jackie, as I think you know, I posted originally wanting ideas but as I've explained there aren't really any I can use at present, this doesn't give you the right to be so belligerent and hostile in your manner towards me.

OP why don't you get a different minimum wage job then, at least then you might have better more regular hours and two days off? That would give you more time to yourself at least.
You do sound down, whether you're depressed or not I don't know but it is hard to see the positives and potential in things when you are feeling down. Can you take some time off work to recharge and have a good think?
Fwiw my DH was in a shit retail job and was made redundant, he is now away to finish his degree and has worked 16 hours a week throughout so it is possible to do both depending on the degree. Don't give up hope.

In your case, given the anti social working hours etc, I would seriously consider the suggestions up thread about putting your CV in with a temp agency. Perhaps with a view to moving into an admin position with regular hours (assuming you have reasonable admin skills).

The pay should be marginally better than MW, and having regular hours would give you the chance to look into doing refresher/night courses at college.

In my area, you can do the ECDL for free at a number of colleges, but if you only have one day off per week, and anti social hours for the rest of the time, this will likely stymie your attempts to upskill through any form of retraining.

Cross post with 5minutestobed but yes, MW job with regular hours > MW jobs with anti social hours.

Depressed or not, you seem to be very down on yourself and unable to see some of the positives (degree, teaching experience, current role, some degree of flexibility, etc) Have you looked into cbt at all? If your doctor offered you anti-anxiety meds they should also offer talking therapies so you should get it for free. Speaking with someone 1-2-1 about your hopes/ambitions/concerns may help you shape a plan.

Good luck

The doctor didn't feel CBT would be helpful. Thanks. I'm fine. Low moment :)

If you've been a teacher, how about looking at training roles in large organisations? I work for a local authority and we have a training team - they run courses in things like management skills, and they also support new developments like IT systems, so they would train staff in using new systems. They get trained in the system - you don't need to know anything about IT up front. Lots of other big public sector organisations have training teams -the NHS, the Registers of Scotland, the Scottish Government (I'm in Scotland, but there will be English equivalents).

Are you in a city or a small town? Do you like where you live or would you like to move?

I wouldn't like to move I don't think. I'll look into that, thanks.

Well, if you would be happy to travel, you would be able to get TEFL job in most parts of the world. I know you would be welcomed with open arms in almost any school here in Mexico. Teaching willing adults in really fun and you don't need to know any more grammar than what you are going to teach the next day.

What are the salaries like for TESL teachers in Mexico, Atenco?

I don't have any desire to teach. It's ok. Touch of pmt :)

Seems like OP has had lots of useful advice and suggestions (in fact, I may be taking note myself...) but we just wanted to post a little reminder to be naice. It would be such a shame for a thread like this to descend into bunfight territory!