Unpaid work experience for an older person?

[Mully79]

I'm in the unfortunate position of having been made redundant a few weeks ago. I've been working in the same field for 12 years, but my skillset really needs updating, even I can recognise that. So far I've had one rejection letter from many dozen job applications (they wouldn't give me feedback), and on looking for work experience (unpaid placement) one company wrote back to me and said I didn't have enough experience to even do work experience with them! Other places I've enquired to have not replied. So as it stands, no-one wants me, even in an unpaid capacity - only 32 and I feel like I'm on the scrapheap already.

I know I need to update my skills (I'm a designer), practising at home is all well and good, but doesn't give you that framework and environment and ability to bounce ideas and experience off other employees. College courses are no good as I can't afford them either under the circumstances. I'm not one to sit on my arse wallowing, I already volunteer at my daughter's school which keeps me sane but ideally want to get some experience at a design place whilst I'm still looking for permanent paid work - and hope it improves my chances of getting another job.

The job centre can't help me, they have basically said that due to the government wanting to boost statistics, they throw a lot of courses etc. at 18-24 year olds to take them out of the "unemployed" status but over that age there's nothing available at all.

Does anyone know where I can look for unpaid work placements advertised by employers, are there any specific websites for this sort of thing? And not for school leavers / graduates etc. and other young people to whom everything seems aimed at. Might be a bit more successful than just targeting local businesses etc. Anyone got any other ideas? Thanks in advance...

[Graffiasstar]

Have you thought about trying your volunteer centre? The may have placements with charities who are looking for people with your skills? Some will even help with training too

[redman41]

Wht type of Design work have you been doing Mully ?
Have you any qualifications ?

[Mully79]

Hi, thanks for the replies. Graffiasstar - Volunteer Centre - where would that be, are they just walk-in places in most towns? I'm just outside Manchester.

I do mainly design for print (invitations, leaflets, logos, brochures, ad mags, pretty generic stuff), not agency / blue chip stuff, some basic web design, no hand programming though. Problem is my main background is PC with Corel and Photoshop CS5, I do use Illustrator & InDesign but not fluently. Most design studios are Mac based and require extensive CS4+ knowledge, and seem to want a mix of print and web experience - hence me wanting to get in somewhere to learn, I only have a PC at home as well. I'm only up to A level standard (covering art and computing), with a night school course in Dreamweaver (MX) on top - but that was about 7 years ago!

[redman41]

Ask at the Job Centre about Free Courses, NVQ 2 or NVQ3 regarding the type of Design work you are familiar with.
As you say yourself you need to update your skills

[lyall]

Only 32! try being nearly 50!! I’ve been unemployed for 3 and a half years. I do voluntary work in an office within my local health authority. I’m surprised you weren’t offered some form of skill updating or even total re-training as part of your redundancy package; it seems to be pretty standard these days. Ask at the local job centre or citizens advice bureau for local voluntary agencies or I’ve just googled ‘voluntary work+Manchester’ and there are a number of sites that look quite good at a glance. Good luck finding something.