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Leaving well
Planning and preparation increases your chances of ensuring change leads you to a positive outcome.
Change can often feel overwhelming, however by being proactive rather than waiting for things to happen can help to reduce uncertainty and make it easier to cope with managing change.
“Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.” Charles R. Swindoll
This may be a good time to reassess your career direction and to create new goals. Consider your work life balance and whether what you currently have is working for you and your family. Perhaps you no longer need to work full time, or perhaps now your children have grown up you would like to increase your hours? Do you have goals that have been put on hold that you now have the opportunity to explore? It can be useful to reflect on how you are currently spending your time and what you would like this to look like to enable you to more easily meet your current priorities.”
Considering the following will also help to make managing change easier:
Transferable skills
Transferable skills are skills and abilities that can be used across a variety of roles. The great news is you already have transferable skills, things you have learnt and developed throughout your life whether via school, work, home or even hobbies. In a candidate led market employers are often looking for potential and it is therefore vital that you demonstrate your potential in your application or at interview by demonstrating the transferable skills that you have.
Prepare by considering what transferable skills you have, there are hundreds of transferable skills but a few examples include:
- Teamwork
- Leadership
- Time management
- Written communication
- Verbal communication
- Research and analytical skills
- Information technology
Reflecting on what your transferable skills are can help you to identify suitable career opportunities if you are looking for something different. For further information on transferable skills take a look here - www.skillsyouneed.com/general/transferable-skills.html.
Transferring knowledge
Many people feel that their working knowledge is wasted when they retire or leave employment. There are many ways of transferring knowledge to the younger generation so it is not lost, thereby leaving a legacy by sharing skills and experiences. Volunteering can provide a method for knowledge transfer, but you might also want to consider mentoring.
Staying active in the community
When leaving employment you may want to consider staying active in the community as a way to maintain structure to the working week and have a sense of purpose. There are a number of volunteering opportunities available in North Yorkshire - find out more from the volunteering page.
Training
If you wish to consider re-training, either to move into different work or to seek a promotion. This may be available either through part or full time study. Local colleges and universities offer a range of courses. Your local Adult Learning and Skills Service provide a wide range of courses and can signpost you to a range of more substantial training.
Additionally the following may be of interest:
These loans help learners aged 24 or above pay the fees charged by colleges and training providers for courses at Level 3 and Level 4, or Advanced and Higher Apprenticeships. They do not have to be paid back until the learner is earning over £21k per annum.
Get into Teaching / Initial Teacher Training
If you fancy a career in teaching then there is a range of support, including bursaries and scholarships, available to help you achieve your aspirations.
Future Learn - free online courses
Future Learn provides free online courses provided by major UK universities on a variety of topics.
Part-time higher education, supported distance and open learning for undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications.
Union Learn is the learning and skills arm of the TUC, working to help unions deliver learning opportunities for their members.
You may wish to talk through your thoughts and gain specialist advice and guidance from The New Council’s adult learning and skills service. Learning and skills advisors can meet you to talk through your ideas and signpost you to relevant courses
Rapid response
Provides access to funding for training if you are in either a compulsory or voluntary redundancy situation. The funding is provided by DWP and can support valuable, short-term, training to help you back into work. Acceptance is not guaranteed but they will consider most short-term (two week), classroom based courses.
To access this funding you should book an appointment with a National Careers Service Adviser who will help you to complete the paperwork and submit your application. You can book an appointment through the website or by calling: 0800 100 900 (8am to 10pm, seven days a week)
A word of warning in relation to this funding. If you have received your notice of redundancy, with confirmation of your final working day, you can apply for the funding up to 13 weeks before your leaving date. From your final working day, you only have 13 weeks in which to submit your application. This deadline in non-negotiable, so don’t miss out on the funding.
Last updated: October 2019