Help needed with studies and career.

[Inn3rs3lf]

Good day all.

Here is my situation. I am 30 years old...married...have a son that is 2...and in a dead end job. I have a standard 8. Failed 9, and dropped out. Regret it every day of my life now.

I was given a job at my dads business packing boxes earning a cool R2000pm and from there studied exercise science. Passed the exams and ended up working in a private studio for R3500pm. I wad ripped off by the owner. I was then offered a job at my friends fathers company doing storeroom duties and deliveries for double what I was getting at the studio so I decided to take it. I have been here ever since. So thats been 5 years of storeroom management.

Now that you know my life story, I would really appreciate some advice on how I can further myself in any given career. With my only having a std8, it limits my study options greatly. I have considered IT but to be honest, the starting salary is dismal. Not a viable option for a father of a 2 year old. I was extremely selfish when I was younger, and I see this now with me having a son I must provide for. It's getting harder and harder on my salary now. Hence me needing to expand.

I have considered something in the lines of logistics or supply chain due to their having warehousing job titles. Problem being, most education paths require a matric. I can however start with NQF3+4 doing business administration, so that option looks a bit more viable.

If any of you were in my position, what would you do? How would you study, and in what field. This is extremely optimistic, but I would like to retain my salary as of now which is R12 000pm. Hence my thinking of studying something related to my field of business at the moment which can count as experience. We all know that no experience means an extremely low salary in any field. Unless of course I go for aeronautical engineering.

I would like to get this done as soon as possible as I am not getting any younger. Doing a grade 11+12 will be 2 years then further studies....I'm looking at 4-5 years from now. With the NQF3+4 it's 1 year then further studies.

Any advice or information that you could possibly lend?

 

[Hendrix]

Do you enjoy your current job?
If so, study in that line, if not make a change.

You considered IT, but say it pays too little.
Well, that all depends on what field in IT you looked at, it's a big industry with many aspects and skill levels.
If you gonna work in a callcentre, then yes, money's not so great, but if you smart and specialize and become an expert in something, the skies the limit.
Of course, as in any job, you don't just walk in and earn the big bucks, that comes in time if you work hard!

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

Did a career change at the age of 30 (with 1 daughter) and went bit the bullet. No pain, no gain. Took a pay cut that was 1/5th of what I was earning to get in IT.

8 years later I've no regrets.

I'm also finishing my degree after 6 years this year. Also look into Coursera and do some of their courses. A lot of employers are now accepting them on CVs

 

[moyes]

IT

Did a career change at the age of 30 (with 1 daughter) and went bit the bullet. No pain, no gain. Took a pay cut that was 1/5th of what I was earning to get in IT.

8 years later I've no regrets.

I'm also finishing my degree after 6 years this year. Also look into Coursera and do some of their courses. A lot of employers are now accepting them on CVs

I am considering a career change in my late 20's and I might get into IT. Which IT field did you end up studying and working towards? I studied business management but that does not really give a person a specific career to concentrate on. IT might be the one.... or futures trading!

 

[Other Pineapple Smurf]

I am considering a career change in my late 20's and I might get into IT. Which IT field did you end up studying and working towards? I studied business management but that does not really give a person a specific career to concentrate on. IT might be the one.... or futures trading!

In IT you start at the bottom, you don't just walk into a senior position.

I'm currently a PHP developer with a focus on enterprise development. I started my career by accepting a low paying job in a PC retail store. Took a year to get to know the local geeks and after 18 months I had two good job offers that go me into the industry.

You can start doing web development part time as its easy to get work, but no guarantee of a liveable wage.

And don't dismiss your studies, they might not help you know but will come in handy later on.

As for my studies, I'm doing a BSc Informatics. Its a nice all rounder and great if you don't know what you want to do, or if your looking at something with a management & business track to it.

 

[Hendrix]

I am considering a career change in my late 20's and I might get into IT. Which IT field did you end up studying and working towards? I studied business management but that does not really give a person a specific career to concentrate on. IT might be the one.... or futures trading!

What field?, one can't just say "IT", it's like me saying I wanna get into "finances", it's very generic.
You can do web dev, app dev, sys admin, data centers, networking, voice, databases bla bla bla....
Make sure you choose the right thing that you enjoy, you don't wanna change career and then realize you don't actually like it or it's too stressful.

 

[supersi]

Not sure about this... but isn't there an age exemption thing at university? Even though you only have a standard 8, you can study if you're over 23 or something? If so, then maybe a UNISA or even a UJ course, where you are able to work while you study? Also, universities seem much cheaper than technical or vocational colleges...