Almost 50 cant return to my old job, so looking to retrain. — Scope | Disability forum
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Almost 50 cant return to my old job, so looking to retrain.

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prezzeruk360
prezzeruk360 Community member Posts: 2 Listener
edited March 2019 in Work and employment
Hi all, iam 48, married with a daughter. Worked all my life, left school on a friday was working on the monday!
Spent the last 19 years working in double glazing factory, as a stained glass leading operative.
Suffered with back problems since my mid teens, getting worse as i got older.
After a year off work from december 2017, i finally had a spinal fusion last November.
Now in recovery/healing phase.
I know i cant return to my old job in the capacity i was in, and i loved my job.
But know i couldnt manage all the lifting carrying and being half bent over a workstation for 10 hours a day.
So ive decided i need to retrain.
But i have no idea as what!
I like working with my hands, iam quite artsy, enjoy doing detail stuff.
My wife says IT is where everything's at, and i used to love fiddling around with computers years ago, but now just find it frustrating!
So iam stumped. Been looking at doing learn at home courses, but all the good ones cost quite a bit.
Iam frustrated as hell, been doing factory jobs most of my working life, left school with minimal qualifications.
Iam too easy to settle at what iam doing and not push myself to get out there!
As i also have a stammer iam dreading doing the interview circuit again!
Any tips and advice will be appreciated. 
Thank you. 
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  • Antonia_Alumni
    Antonia_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 1,780 Pioneering
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    Thank you for sharing this with us @prezzeruk360
    You may find some free courses on the open learn website and getting in touch with your local library could be helpful.
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  • Sam_Alumni
    Sam_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,671 Disability Gamechanger
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    Hi @prezzeruk360

    Firstly 50 is the new 40!! Or that is what my  almost 48 year old husband keeps telling me! Seriously though it must be really hard to feel unable to do a job that you love due to impairment. Have you spoken to your work about other opportunities within the company? 19 years working for a company is just amazing and I wonder if they would have any other roles you could do or if they can help you with any training?

    If you do want to retrain, lots of councils run free skills workshops, so it might be worth looking to see if yours have any support? 

    My brother in law was a paver all his life doing driveways etc and then when his knees gave up on him he had to retrain and get a new job in his mid 40's, I know he was so scared and felt he was  older than everyone else and that his 20 years paving didnt give him skills in other places, but he got talking to a friend who said the childrens home he worked at was looking for staff working with teens living in care. He decided to give it a go and got the job, his skills in working with others, guiding younger colleagues etc and his personality made it perfect for him. That job then offered training and over the years paid for his higher education training on the job too! He went on to manage a childrens home!

    I suppose my point is that we all have a vast skillset that isnt just tied to one aspect of our work.

    I wonder if the Support to Work service Scope offers might be useful for you? You will get help from one of our specialist employment advisers with:
    • employability skills like time management and confidence
    • writing your CV
    • preparing for interviews
    Keep in touch and let us know how you get on :)
    Scope
    Senior online community officer
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