Recommendations on retraining

[Wineandshine]

I’m wanting to change career and retrain in either book keeping of something related to office management/administration. Can anyone give me some pointers, best training companies etc. I am happy to pay for the right course but there are a lot out there and I want a qualification that means something. Thank you

I think that bookkeeping and office management / general admin are very different. For the latter I would expect that you need to find an entry position and training would be primarily on the job.

For book keeping, you could look at AAT courses.

www.aat.org.uk/find-a-course

Do you have any qualifications already? If you'd be eligible for an apprenticeship there are some really good business administration, facilities management and accountancy apprenticeships available and you could work and learn.

I have a degree so do not qualify for an apprenticeship. Thank you for the suggestion of AAT, I looked into that but wondered if there was a taster before I signed up and realised it wasn’t right for me.

I thought you could apply for apprenticeships with a degree provided it was in a different subject area.

@margoyuwer

I thought you could apply for apprenticeships with a degree provided it was in a different subject area.

Yes, you can. I have just done this and was offered the apprenticeship, (but decided not to do it).

Oh can you? I didn’t know that! Then yes, I will look at that too, thank you 😊

Good luck op

When our youngest starts school next year, I will definitely try going down the apprentice route. It just didn't make sense for us financially. Not talking a small net loss after childcare, but quite a big one, which is why I sadly had to turn it down.

If you have a degree already and want to work in office management or admin, I would urge you to undertake training in Microsoft Office / all the other admin software and do some Facebook training. I have just recruited in this area and the most important quality was personality , followed by ability to learn, keen to upskill.

Good luck OP.

I have all that training, I have been phased out of my current position as I dared to have a baby. There is a big back story but too long to explain. I think I just want to look at alternatives as I send my CV in and they say I’m over qualified and yes on paper I am but my skill set is niche and it needs broadening. I basically want a career and I want to learn something new and if not now then when?!

I think when you see a cv and you think an applicant is overqualified for a job you are advertising, the fear is that the applicant is looking for anything while they try and get the job they really want in the area they are qualified in. The trick is to convince the recruiter that you actually want the job you are applying for - appear excited and interested in where you are going, the company, the industry, the role and why. Good luck!