Jon

Wales

Training electrician - ex IT

I'm fed up with hearing about the skilled people shortage. I'm a 40+ year old programmer with current skills and qualifications and tried unsuccessfully for three years to get a job after being made redundant. Not a hope. It makes the blood boil of people like myself to hear these kind of articles. THere is no shortage of skilled people, only a shortage of cheap as chips people which is what companies are only want to pay for these days.

I am as qualified as I can be in IT honours degree, Microsoft Certification etc... and have been forced out of the industry by a combination of the systematic dismantling (outsourcing) of the UK IT industry over the last six /seven years and ageism from both recruitment agencies and employers.

Now training to bean electrician.

My advice to anyone contemplating taking up one of these training positions is not to touch IT with a bargepole. It is not a sustainable career path. Sure, you may get a job initially, as you will be young and cheap, but when you have a few years experience under your belt and will want a better salary (as you should) you too will be unscrupulously replaced by the young and cheap.