To feel directionless and stuck in a rut?

[SnappyTraybake]

I am 23 and I did my A Levels in 2019. I decided not to go to university and get a job. I had a brief job in December 2019 - February 2020 then left. However since March 2020 I have been working in the same job because it was comfortable and the money wasn’t too bad for what it is.

Over the last year I have felt completely bored and I don’t want to be stuck there for the next 40-50 years and I feel I want to work somewhere more engaging and to do with my interests.

How do you get into a proper career if you haven’t been to university? At school you have career advisors but now I have no one to help me get into something else. I’ve looked online for apprenticeships or work experience and there’s virtually no opportunities out there, especially at this time of year as they advertise in January time.

I feel my life 20 years from now will be exactly the same as now and there’s nothing I can do about it. Is it really just one long slog until retirement? Is adulthood so boring and flat?

No, it’s not. But life is generally what you make of it and if you want to be happy, you have to create that for yourself by taking action.

Identify what it is that interests you or what you think you would like to do/learn more about. University is still an option as a ‘mature’ student. I started a law degree at 22. Now at 38, I’ve changed directions a few times. Worked in law, recruitment/HR then a few years as Cabin Crew for adventure! I knew that wasn’t a sustainable lifestyle for me so now I’m back in HR. It’s about seizing opportunities.

You're so young! You could do anything.

Maybe take some questionnaires to try and figure out what interests you work wise?

try the book "what colour is my parachute"

Try some voluntry work in different sectors for experience, and to bolster up your cv

also, consider university as a mature student.

You are so young, you could do anything at all!

I went back and got my Degree at 36 if that's any hope. You can go to uni at any age if you so wish.

Are you still young enough for a modern apprenticeship?

What do you want to do?

Where were you looking for apprenticeships?

There is a lot of government funded bootcamps. Check on gov.uk

This really comes down to what you want to do though.

Tech? There are many ways to get into tech and not all of them technical.

Some of the bootcamps guarantee an interview at the end too.

You have the world in the palm of your hand in your smartphone.

Look at what you have rather than what you don't... Time, health, access to information, flexibility.

Make some 'big decisions' now and other things will fall into place...

Do you aspire to own a home? Do you want to study more for its own sake? Do you want desk job or something more practical? Are you more inclined to something worthy/enjoyable/maybe not well paid, or something maybe more commercial/tedious/maybe more well paid? Would you be willing to move? Live in a houseshare? Get into debt for any of the above? Would you trade any of this for a partner and/or kids if it came to it?

Start working through these questions and the answers will start coming to you!

Any thoughts OP?

@allthevitamins I’m just researching the options at the moment. Still unsure but thanks for the input.

There are no age restrictions on being an apprentice.

What are your interests? There are thousands on here and some of which will be in the field you'd want to go down and might be able to give you some tips

Might be also worth joining linkedin and you'll see people doing roles that you like the look of. Look at what they've done previously to get where they are now. That'll give you a little industry knowledge and other avenues for research.

It's so easy to get in a rut. I went to university twice and my degree is nothing to do with what I do now or even needed. However the role suits my circumstances for now so will do.