Help with finding Dad a job?

Question

He has education up to first class bachelors degree (civil engineering) from India.

Now, in the UK he only has experience in the labour manufacturing sector, but since last Christmas after a minor car accident, he cannot purse work in this sector.

Now, at 50+ years of age, he is finding it difficult to find a job due to lack of experience of any other sector.

He is looking to do something full time, maybe something office based. He has good organisation skills and has basically self taught himself to be very good with computing (he's achieved ECDL and is pursuing ECLD advanced for qualifications). But no-one seems to want to give him a go!!!

He doesn't have the money to start up something from scratch and has tried agencies (even 50+ specialist ones) but lack of experience and age seems to put him at a disadvantage everywhere!

Any ideas or advice out there?! (Seriously, because believe me, he is trying so hard!)

Answer 1

i was in the same situation the last couple of years...its tough but while he's looking maybe look into a class at a community collage(if you have one near) and look into the manufacturing career I'm currently studying to become a CNC programmer, but in the mean time I've run into some good job possibilities(still waiting to hear the good news from them), but if they don't come through for me I'll still have the programming job when I'm done in school...

good luck its tough

Answer 2

Know I'm not for sure about Montana, But in West Virginia has a program for displaced workers looking for jobs. It is called Workforce. Look it up on the web or call the local unemployment office and ask them about it. Here they helped my Dad find a job after they laid him off from the coal mines. If ur dad would be willing to go to truck driving school, the major companies are always looking for drivers and they make decent money with befits, and to a lot of them it does not matter ur age. When my farther in law retired that's what he went and did, and he had fun seeing the country and if ur Dad does do it, in the summer they have rider programs at some of the companies and u will get to go with him and see the country too.

Answer 3

I know what your going through... My aunt has been out of work for over a year now that she has moved back to the US due to Age Discrimination... They SAY it is because of other things but it is because she is over 50...

His physical disability makes companies go "Hum... He might be a liability should he fall down or spaz out or something on the job." so you really need to keep up hope!

Is there any way that the two of you could try going into business for yourselves?

Can he tune his organizational skills into some overlooked niech market?

If he can sit for long periods he might try the Transporation Industry... I know that there are less truck drivers out there then there are in the US but wherever you have people you have goods to transport and with the consumerism of our world right now I am guessing that they are in need of as many people to drive out THERE as they are HERE in the US.

My family has been in the transporation industry for 40 years so I know first hand how hard it is to get inteligent employees that can look past the nose of the truck...

If he can put up with the standard BS of being the "New Guy" at a shipping company they will usually pay to train him to get his commercial drivers license.

If I can think of anything else to recomend I will edit but take a look at the Transporation Industry... It might be what he was looking for!

Good luck to you! *HUG*

Your support means more to him then you will ever know!

Answer 4

My prayers go out to him. I'm in the United States and I'm 57 years old and because of smoking ( which I stopped ) I have PAD, peripheral arterial disease. I'm out on disability and have been using up my savings to pay bills. I'll probably lose my house this year. US disability is slow starvation and I hope the UK treats it's people better. I've been working since I was 15 and here in the US illegal aliens and elderly immigrants who never worked here get better treatment. I've also been trying to get back to work but my old company, UPS, seems to not want me just like any other company looking at an old man with a disability. I've been looking at Internet business but 99.999 % are scams. Maybe your dad can try and have better luck.

Answer 5

has he tried applying within the nhs???....maybe volunteer work for a short spell to show commitment and gain experience...i know its not ideal but if hes not working anyway at the moment theres nothing to lose....what about night classes is there anything free in your area that might give him a better chance thru extra skills...check his interview technique i had a friend who was just so quailifed it was unbelievible that he couldnt get work...in the end my friend set up a mock interview to see how he fared and his interview skilss where dire....im not saying thats your dads problem just worth a check as even the best of people can freeze up in interviews....if i think of anything else i will add it....i wish your dad the best of luck its so disheartening when you are trying so hard but no one is willing to just giev you a break....best wishes honey

Answer 6

He should check out Elance.com and Guru.com (also GetAFreelancer.com) these are sites that hire independent contractors to work from their homes to do a variety of tasks. I have hired people from all three places as well as finding work myself through two of them (Guru and Elance.) I know you can do a free membership with Guru (I'm not sure about Elance or GAF) and almost all the positions are legit.

Age won't matter -- his years of experience will help him!

Good luck to both of you.

Answer 7

Has be thought of Voluntary work, I know that this is not the answer because he wants and probably needs to make money, but it does believe me lead to paid positions, and it makes people realise that he is serious about working.

Answer 8

Try looking on craigslist.com they have hundreds of job listings!

Answer 9

look for a admin job first , then once he has foot in door move up.

Answer 10

this may sound weird but.... a car sales men, my dad is looking for work too. he might sell cars.