What should my dp do?

[Smurfgirl]

My dp has just finished uni and after 4 years of being fucked around has ended up with a certificate in computer science but he has had teaching up to degree level just not passed his exams.
He has worked for PC World for 2.5 years as a customer service advisor which is helping people fix minor problems on their PC and doing returns. He can fix big problems as well and can build computers from scratch etc.

He is dyslexic so struggles with writing a lot (this is why he failed his exams) and would be better at something more hands on. He is fantastic with customers/clients v.v.friendly and helpful.

He doesn't have the right experience for most IT jobs advertised, he hates doing sales and he doesn't want to work in a call centre. He is not keen on working with children or in healthcare which is a shame as he would be a fab teaching assistant.

The uni careers dep don't know what to do with him because they deal with grad level jobs and he can't get them

He has great references, is hard working etc but there just don't seem to be any jobs out there for him that aren't minimum wage and unskilled and he can do that at PC world.

Would he be able to set up his own business? My boyfriend has just done the same degree, can build computers, etc, and its a service many people are willing to pay for - my grandparents called a man out just to install their scanner. Understanding computers is a great skill, and I would say that he could do a lot in the field of repairs maybe? That way there would be few overheads but potentially quite high profits?

If he could face another course, he could try the compTIA A+ certification. \link{http://www.comptia.org/look here}. These are skill based, industry recognised qualifications in specific IT areas like help desk, networking etc. Some colleges teach them, the exams are online tests, and if he has a dsylexia diagnosis, there is the provision of extra time/a reader etc.

OK, try again, here

He sounds a bit like a friend of mine, who really knows his stuff with PCs. He works on the help desk for an IT company, and their customers from all over the country phone in and he talks them through what is wrong with their PC. What about your local NHS? We have an IT department who come out and install our printers or sort out our PCs when we have problems. Might be worth ringing them or sending in a CV.

I work in recruitment, and used to run an IT department (and did CS/Maths at Uni). Trying to get a job without a degree would be rather hard. At the risk of offending people, the best bet is local government. They pay only a little bit better than PCW, and find it hard to get people.
There is of course the disability dicrimination act, but in real terms that only gives him an edge in the public sector.

I offer my services as someone who can help him write his CV to look just as if he had a degree but without of course lying

The other standby that I do point people at is Excel. There is a profound shortage of smart Excel specialists. We were forced by our largest client to find them an Excel developer who wasn't what they referred to as a "chimp". It was hard. Before they coerced us, they had interviewed 37 people. There's plenty of hardcore Excel out there, but mostly in people with other jobs. Few smart people take it up as their main skill.
With nearly half the people I had to explain what the "AND" function did, so they could struggle through my test. (DP should laugh at that).

All failed the test. Every last one, and we were offering quite good money. £450 per day.
Yes you read that right, not per week.
You can self teach Excel, a smart person could have got to that level in 6 months of dedicated reading and practice. Relatively few jobs like that, but they do exist.
We got it down to 3 and they hired one, but even then she didn't have all the skills they wanted.

Nice thing about Excel is that unlike (say) networking or s/w development you can get an entry level temp job relatively easily, at (I guess)
10-12 quid an hour in London.
Also you can of course practise Excel at home, something that's almost impossible for other popular IT skills.
Go to JobServe.com, and you will see heaps of Excel jobs, (none of them ours).

One thing I would suggest, is for him to apply for a retake of his degree. Even a pass would improve job prospects quite a bit. But this time be hard nosed about making sure the college gives him allowance for his disability.
That does mean you'll lose him for most evenings over the next year though.