Looking for a little advice

[Raithe]

Okay, trolling for peoples thoughts on the matter.. But here's the basic situation.. some years ago I was doing computers, IT and business at University but had to drop out in the final year to look after a disabled family member.. It's now 8 or so years on and my dad's finally taken retirement so its possible for him to do it.. I need to figure out how to get into the workplace but all my IT skills are out of date and I don't have the full shiny degree letter (just some of the certifications of the units I'd done in the couple of years there).

 

What's the best way to try to modernise my IT skills? Figure out a way to go back to school? Try to get into some really base level job ?

 

Going through the government "back to the workplace" stuff tends to be a total roundabout. You go into meetings and they're all "we can't give you advice on jobhunting until we get your skills back up" then send you off to other meetings where they say "we can't talk about getting your skills up until we figure out what jobs your looking at" then back and forth.. It's very, very head slamming.

 

Plus the whole.. 8 years hole on a CV with your only reference basically being "my mother" doesn't really suit well for sending out to jobs

[Walsingham]

Obviously I'm biased, but I'd say get into the TA, and go Signals. You get paid, and you get trained, and if your local unit is anything like mine then you'll get plenty of moral credit and support by virtue of your having supported your family through a rough time.

 

Don't bother doing schooling, tho. Too many folks competing on those grounds. If you definitely need to get up to date then you're better off getting hired for a specific project. Go on the job and agency websites. Elan recruiting, and LA International spring immediately to mind. Vodaphone, maybe?

 

Oh, and for what little it's worth, I hope you have tremendous success for after having done your duty by your mum.

[Raithe]

Obviously I'm biased, but I'd say get into the TA, and go Signals. You get paid, and you get trained, and if your local unit is anything like mine then you'll get plenty of moral credit and support by virtue of your having supported your family through a rough time.

 

Don't bother doing schooling, tho. Too many folks competing on those grounds. If you definitely need to get up to date then you're better off getting hired for a specific project. Go on the job and agency websites. Elan recruiting, and LA International spring immediately to mind. Vodaphone, maybe?

 

Oh, and for what little it's worth, I hope you have tremendous success for after having done your duty by your mum.

 

Actually that was my original plan, Uni, then Signals. A couple of years back dad was going to retire early to let me apply..and while I blazed through the barb testing and such quite nicely the medical board came down and had to file a reject on me. Because.. and I kid you not.. My left eye. So because my left eye needs a stronger prescription then my right..and it just hovers past the acceptable limits.. All of the armed forces are a no go. That kind of killed my original plans.

 

I'm currently putting my name forward to a bunch of volunteer groups around the city.. one way to help put something on my cv, potentially get some references (even if its just character) and potentially gets me out of the house so dad will start taking over more.

 

Ah well. Okay, thanks for the advice. I'll keep that in mind. Go back 8 years and most of the IT related jobs seemed to expect fairly generic skills and would concentrate on site for what was needed. Now it seems everyone expects you to be fairly specialised when you arrive..

[Walsingham]

Give me a shout via PM with your email. I may be able to come up with something. How are you with C++?