To ask for suggestions for jobs someone with no particular skills and qualifications can do

[trekking1]

I just got fired from my teaching assistant job because I was depressed so did not show up for work.

I never went to uni and only did low paid jobs so far, so once my mental health gets better I would like to get a better paid job. I liked my TA job but it literally only pays tiny bit more than being on benefits so do not see the point.

Does anyone have any suggestions or should I just accept that I will be working low paid jobs forever?

Have you thought about doing a vocational course at college? Plumbing, electrician, floristry - something like that? There will always be well paid work. I would get in touch with your local college and see what's on offer and what other support you can get. It would be beneficial to get your GCSES if it's at all possible. Good luck

you can still do qualifications now

asking for advice on mumsnet isn't a job interview, she/he is allowed to tell it how it was. we are their peers, not their potential employers.

I'm surprised you found work as a TA with no GCSE's. They ask for Maths and English GCSE as a minimum in the vast majority of schools now. Because TA's are on term time only contracts this makes a big difference to your pay. Many of the TA's I know supplement their income by working in the holidays, either at holiday clubs, babysitting or working as a PA work for SEND children or young people. But if you're struggling with your Mental Health that might not feel like the right thing for you as it means you don't really get a break.

It is worth contacting your local college for advice as there are often vocational courses and apprenticeships you can enroll on without GCSE's and they then support you to sit these alongside the course.

Another option if you don't want to study is to start at the bottom in retail or hospitality and try to work your way up to a management position.

Hi OP, if you're a woman and you like computers then you could do a free coding bootcamp with CFG that leads to a job at the end -

https://codefirstgirls.com/courses/cfgdegree/

As prep you might want to do some free short courses on CodeCademy or similar, to test if you like it or not.

Loads of companies are desperate to diversify their workforce (coders are 95-98% male in most companies) and I am a CFG degree grad who is currently working in a coding job through this route. As it happens I have a degree, but 2 of my colleagues I know have no GCSEs or formal qualifications at all...

They were determined to learn to code though, and that has seen them do really well - all you need for this job is to be able to code - qualifications are totally irrelevant!

The senior coders with 10-15 years experience can easily earn £80-100K so it's a great career move.

Otherwise, if you don't feel motivated to study coding - then I know good cleaners earning £15/hr, and dog walkers earning similar... Neither of those needs any qualifications, though they obviously don't have the progression of coding.

Depression is a bastard, wish you best of luck.

election campaign not going too well, Liz?

Another one suggesting study is the way forward.

Particularly if you can manage on benefits short term. Get some GCSEs and/or do an access course.

It’ll improve your prospects and salary. Then with some hard work you could find yourself in a much better place.

But work (of almost any kind) is so much more than just earning a wage. It is self respect, having a reason for getting up and dressed in the morning, gives social contact etc. So it is vastly better for you than benefits. I'm speaking as someone who also got fired from a job (only a cashier in supermarket) about 8 years ago. I regret every day that passes that i don't have a job and structure to my life.

I have worked in education and retail.

Retail is much easier on your mental health in my experience.

While you are recovering, look for something where you will be part of a team, not doing anything too emotionally demanding, able to add hours if you don't start full time, and able to leave your job at work.

Big companies like Lidl, McDonald's, Greggs have entry level jobs, on the job training and progression routes.

TA jobs are much harder to progress from and can make you feel emotionally exposed.

Big companies can have good policies, but local management matters. So visit some branches and watch the staff. Are they always stressed? Do they seem to get on? Then choose where you apply.

It sounds as if you may be quite flexible about hours, so use that to your advantage. Weekends + Friday can be in strong demand. So if you want to work your way in, you can apply for part time while you test the waters. If you want it you can progress in these jobs, and then you can move job more easily.

Starting point has to be to get some GCSEs now - it’ll increase your opportunities massively. Have you looked into that?

Not Liz Truss herself being in the same boat as me 😂

Hi OP! You sound similar to me! I left school at 14 with no GCSEs due to depression. I hopped from Job to job until finally settling in pharmacy 🙂 I love it, majority of places won't need GCSEs to train you up as a dispenser which gives you an NVQ level 2, and pharmacy sector is always hiring! If you want to train further as a technician you will need maths and English GCSE or equivalent which can usually be done through the course provider, or in your own time

MP, no particular skills required.
Also you can progress to be a party leader and even PM without being any fucking use whatever.
Good rates of pay.

I completely agree. The job may pay only slightly more than the benefits but it doesn’t make it pointless. I work with people who lost their jobs due to chronic conditions and very few of them mention finances. Most talk about losing sense or routine, purpose, missing out on social aspect of work. They want to be of value, they want a satisfaction of doing the job well. Mental health tanks massively for people on benefits. Crucially, you are not going to improve your career prospects.

I have done CFG and lots of other coding courses. Actually freelancing as a CFG instructor now, which is great, I enjoy it, I am good at it and it pays well, but it is obviously not a full-time job.

I am hoping to find a full time instructor job, but just looking for a plan B if that does not work out.

I already tried and failed at getting a software engineering job as when they ask tech questions in the interview everything I know seems to evaporate from my brain (I suspect I have autism or/and ADHD), which caused interviewers to laugh at me a few times and I obviously never hear from them again. Not going through that humiliation again.

It's unusual where I live to get a teaching assistant or learning support assistant job without passes at GCSE level in maths and English. Regardless if you were able to get that job you should be able to find other roles. As people have mentioned, care work and retail could be starting points. They will pay more than school support staff roles because school support roles are usually term time and about 30 hours a week or so. Not all apprenticeships need A levels or high GCSE grades.
It sounds as if it is your current mental health which is the barrier. Are you getting some support?

Apologies I haven't read the full thread. Can you drive? Bus driver? My friend loves it, she had really good training and has been able to pick up family friendly shifts with overtime if she wants it.

I have done CFG and lots of other coding courses. Actually freelancing as a CFG instructor now, which is great, I enjoy it, I am good at it and it pays well, but it is obviously not a full-time job.

So you do have skills.

Make a plan to go back to college and do an access certificate in education so you can apply for better paid jobs or apprenticeships.

Do some voluntary work as it's a great way to unskilled and find out what you like without a massive commitment.

The problem to upward mobility is your attitude because you prefer to be on benefits than working. You don't see the point in working if there's not much increase from claiming. However, working gives you skills, social communication skills & a network to move up the ladder.

Why didn't you call in sick instead of not turning up for work? Don't sabotage your chances of getting a decent work reference by repeating this mistake.

Sure, but those skills have done nothing for me in terms of getting a full time job

Care work is very poorly paid. I would imagine little more that a TA. I think that you should need qualifications for being a care worker, as the standard of care given in a lot of places is dire.

Sure, but those skills have done nothing for me in terms of getting a full time job

The fact that you are being shortlisted for roles using those skills suggests actually you do have the skills employers want - you also have training experience as well as the technical skills. Your problem is interview technique, possibly linked to your ND. Tackle your MH as priority, then try and seek some support in interview techniques and the best way to present any difficulties you may have due to ASD - reasonable adjustments etc.

I was reading something recently that large employers are starting to try to be more neurodiversity friendly by doing things like publishing interview questions in advance. If you are at the level of instructing you must be really good! This sounds like something you should pursue.

There are lots of jobs in the waste and recycling industry. I stared as a recycling loader my employer put me through my HGV and I was a driver. Then got a promotion to depot manager. Then recycling officer followed by waste management consultant and now I work internationally for a large environmental organisation.
Got GCSES and A levels along the way along it some other professional qualifications.
I was very shy as a teen and had massive anxiety. I've always been passionate about the environment so that helped.
I hope you find your calling b

Aldi pay well for retail. You could work your way up but it’s physical work and I suspect they would take a dim view of non-attendance so I suggest you sort your health and mindset out first. Do you take any exercise?